apt module has poor support for local packages

Summary

I am trying to deploy package files over a heterogeneous environment and trying to avoid having to duplicate things for each different distro. As such I want to use the package module, which in turn uses the apt module, but I'm seeing limitations. Basically I want the apt module to support file paths in the name argument.

Issue Type

Feature Idea

Component Name

apt

Additional Information

Ideally I want to do this:

- name: Install packages
  package:
    name:
      - /path/package_a.deb
      - /path/package_b.deb

But the apt module doesn't support giving files to the name argument, unlike the command apt. (missing feature 1)

I then change things to:

- name: Install packages
  package:
    deb:
      - /path/package_a.deb
      - /path/package_b.deb

Which doesn't work either since the apt module doesn't support specifying multiple files for the deb argument. (missing feature 2).

(I can't do this in a loop as the packages have a dependency loop)

So now I have to resort to using the command module, which is a lot less flexible.

Code of Conduct

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Files identified in the description:

• lib/ansible/modules/apt.py

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Technically deb can take multiple packages, by separating the paths with a comma. But there is certainly room for improvement.

- package:
    name: '{{ package_files if ansible_facts.pkg_mgr != "apt" else omit }}'
    deb: '{{ package_files|join(",") if ansible_facts.pkg_mgr == "apt" else omit }}'

Nice, thanks! That workaround got us a bit further.

Unfortunately we then hit #77150. :/

@sivel Thanks for the trick. Any workaround with apt module if packages depend on each other? With plain dpkg wrapped in command/shell module this works, but ain't pretty and idempotent: - command: "dpkg {{ package_files|join(' ') if ansible_facts.pkg_mgr == "apt" else omit }}"