coercing to Unicode: need string or buffer, NoneType found

[blc325]

Getting this fatal response when trying to execute playbook below on an EX4300 virtual-chassis:
TASK [perform a system snapshot] ***********************************************
fatal: [10.199.244.247]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "failed": true, "msg": "Uncaught exception - please report: coercing to Unicode: need string or buffer, NoneType found"}

  - name: perform a system snapshot
    junos_cli:
      host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
      user: "{{username}}"
      passwd: "{{userpasswd}}"
      cli: "request system snapshot slice alternate all-members"
      timeout: 600
    register: system_snapshot

[dgarros]

Hi
Please can you provide more information to help with the troubleshooting

• Output of request system snapshot slice alternate all-members | display xml
• Ansible cli logs with high verbosity -vvv

thanks
Damien

[blc325]

I think it could be because there are long pauses between different parts of the message before EOF. On Dec 6, 2016, at 10:53 PM, Damien <notifications@github.com<mailto:notifications@github.com>> wrote: Hi Please can you provide more information to help with the troubleshooting * Output of request system snapshot slice alternate all-members | display xml * Ansible cli logs with high verbosity -vvv thanks Damien — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#190 (comment)>, or mute the thread<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ATZzulSpPuhXufiq1hRFn0rwwt1AdtEPks5rFlfvgaJpZM4LGIV3>.

[blc325]

Here’s an example of the XML response with long pauses between FPCs. Last login: Mon Nov 28 14:17:36 2016 from 192.168.254.1 brianchow@ubuntu:~$ ssh root@vc Password:

…

--- JUNOS 14.1X53-D35.3 built 2016-03-01 02:32:19 UTC root@4300VC:RE:1% cli {master:1} root@4300VC> request system snapshot slice alternate all-members | display xml <rpc-reply xmlns:junos="http://xml.juniper.net/junos/14.1X53/junos"> <multi-routing-engine-results> <multi-routing-engine-item> <re-name>fpc0</re-name> <snapshot-information> <inform> <message>Formatting alternate root (/dev/da0s2a)...</message> </inform> /dev/da0s2a: 329.3MB (674472 sectors) block size 16384, fragment size 2048 using 4 cylinder groups of 82.34MB, 5270 blks, 10624 inodes. super-block backups (for fsck -b #) at: 32, 168672, 337312, 505952<snapshot-copy> <source-directory>/dev/da0s1a</source-directory> <destination-directory>/dev/da0s2a</destination-directory> </snapshot-copy> <archived-directory-list> <directory-name>/</directory-name> </archived-directory-list> </snapshot-information> </multi-routing-engine-item> <multi-routing-engine-item> <re-name>fpc1</re-name> <snapshot-information> <inform> <message>Formatting alternate root (/dev/da0s2a)...</message> </inform> /dev/da0s2a: 329.3MB (674472 sectors) block size 16384, fragment size 2048 using 4 cylinder groups of 82.34MB, 5270 blks, 10624 inodes. super-block backups (for fsck -b #) at: 32, 168672, 337312, 505952<snapshot-copy> <source-directory>/dev/da0s1a</source-directory> <destination-directory>/dev/da0s2a</destination-directory> </snapshot-copy> <archived-directory-list> <directory-name>/</directory-name> </archived-directory-list> </snapshot-information> </multi-routing-engine-item> </multi-routing-engine-results> <cli> <banner>{master:1}</banner> </cli> </rpc-reply> {master:1} root@4300VC> exit From: Brian Chow <brianchow@juniper.net<mailto:brianchow@juniper.net>> Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 8:02 AM To: Juniper/ansible-junos-stdlib <reply@reply.github.com<mailto:reply@reply.github.com>> Cc: Juniper/ansible-junos-stdlib <ansible-junos-stdlib@noreply.github.com<mailto:ansible-junos-stdlib@noreply.github.com>>, Author <author@noreply.github.com<mailto:author@noreply.github.com>> Subject: Re: [Juniper/ansible-junos-stdlib] coercing to Unicode: need string or buffer, NoneType found (#190) I think it could be because there are long pauses between different parts of the message before EOF. On Dec 6, 2016, at 10:53 PM, Damien <notifications@github.com<mailto:notifications@github.com>> wrote: Hi Please can you provide more information to help with the troubleshooting * Output of request system snapshot slice alternate all-members | display xml * Ansible cli logs with high verbosity -vvv thanks Damien — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#190 (comment)>, or mute the thread<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ATZzulSpPuhXufiq1hRFn0rwwt1AdtEPks5rFlfvgaJpZM4LGIV3>.

[stacywsmith]

The issue is because you are not passing the dest argument to the junos_cli module.

Your task is:

  - name: perform a system snapshot
    junos_cli:
      host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
      user: "{{username}}"
      passwd: "{{userpasswd}}"
      cli: "request system snapshot slice alternate all-members"
      timeout: 600
    register: system_snapshot

The junos_cli module does not return the output of the cli command. Instead, it saves the output in a file specified by the dest argument.

The documentation for the module correctly states the dest argument is required.

However, the module doesn't actually list the argument as required.

That's the reason you're getting the ambiguous error message. I'll fix the argument to be required, which will improve the error message, but you'll need to modify your playbook to correctly use the module.

If you want the output of the command, then I see two options:

1. Combine junos_cli with the file lookup.

---
- name: Perform a snapshot
  hosts: junos-all
  connection: local
  gather_facts: no
  roles:
    - Juniper.junos
  tasks:
    - name: perform a system snapshot
      junos_cli:
        host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
        user: "{{username}}"
        passwd: "{{userpasswd}}"
        cli: "request system snapshot slice alternate all-members"
        dest: "{{ inventory_hostname }}.snapshot_output.txt"
       timeout: 600
    - debug:
        msg: "The snapshot output is: {{ lookup('file', '{{ inventory_hostname }}.snapshot_output.txt') }}"

2. Use the core junos_command module:

---
- name: Perform a snapshot
  hosts: junos-all
  connection: local
  gather_facts: no
  tasks:
    - name: perform a system snapshot
      junos_command:
        host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
        user: "{{username}}"
        password: "{{userpasswd}}"
        commands:
          - "request system snapshot slice alternate all-members"
        format: text
      register: response
    - debug:
        msg: "The snapshot output is: {{ response.stdout }}"

[blc325]

OK. Thanks Stacy. I did not know it was required. Thought it was more for logging the interaction if I wanted to. On Dec 7, 2016, at 2:31 PM, Stacy W. Smith <notifications@github.com<mailto:notifications@github.com>> wrote: The issue is because you are not passing the dest argument to the junos_cli module. Your task is: - name: perform a system snapshot junos_cli: host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}" user: "{{username}}" passwd: "{{userpasswd}}" cli: "request system snapshot slice alternate all-members" timeout: 600 register: system_snapshot The junos_cli module does not return the output of the cli command. Instead, it saves the output in a file specified by the dest argument. The documentation for the module correctly states the dest argument is required<https://github.com/Juniper/ansible-junos-stdlib/blob/master/library/junos_cli#L92>. However, the module doesn't actually list the argument as required<https://github.com/Juniper/ansible-junos-stdlib/blob/master/library/junos_cli#L136>. That's the reason you're getting the ambiguous error message. I'll fix the argument to be required, which will improve the error message, but you'll need to modify your playbook to correctly use the module. If you want the output of the command, then I see two options: 1. Combine junos_cli with the file lookup.

…

--- - name: Perform a snapshot hosts: junos-all connection: local gather_facts: no roles: - Juniper.junos tasks: - name: perform a system snapshot junos_cli: host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}" user: "{{username}}" passwd: "{{userpasswd}}" cli: "request system snapshot slice alternate all-members" dest: "{{ inventory_hostname }}.snapshot_output.txt" timeout: 600 - debug: msg: "The snapshot output is: {{ lookup('file', '{{ inventory_hostname }}.snapshot_output.txt') }}" 1. Use the core junos_command module:

--- - name: Perform a snapshot hosts: junos-all connection: local gather_facts: no tasks: - name: perform a system snapshot junos_command: host: "{{ inventory_hostname }}" user: "{{username}}" password: "{{userpasswd}}" commands: - "request system snapshot slice alternate all-members" format: text register: response - debug: msg: "The snapshot output is: {{ response.stdout }}" — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#190 (comment)>, or mute the thread<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ATZzuhgyfugnOTL4crmlzPKcYzEMUw8Mks5rFzOpgaJpZM4LGIV3>.

[stacywsmith]

Handled by #193.