Homebrew module incorrectly fails executing task when package is already installed

[mpereira]

SUMMARY

- name: Install wkhtmltopdf
  homebrew:
    name: homebrew/cask/wkhtmltopdf 
    state: present

results in

PLAY [localhost] ***************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [Install wkhtmltopdf] *****************************************************
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => changed=false 
  msg: |-
    Updating Homebrew...
    Warning: Cask 'wkhtmltopdf' is already installed.
  
    To re-install wkhtmltopdf, run:
      brew cask reinstall wkhtmltopdf

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
localhost                  : ok=1    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0   

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

Homebrew module

ANSIBLE VERSION

$ ansible --version
ansible 2.9.13
  config file = /Users/mpereira/git/macbook-playbook/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/Users/mpereira/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /Users/mpereira/Library/Python/3.8/lib/python/site-packages/ansible
  executable location = /Users/mpereira/Library/Python/3.8/bin/ansible
  python version = 3.8.5 (v3.8.5:580fbb018f, Jul 20 2020, 12:11:27) [Clang 6.0 (clang-600.0.57)]

CONFIGURATION

$ ansible-config dump --only-changed
DEFAULT_STDOUT_CALLBACK(/Users/mpereira/git/macbook-playbook/ansible.cfg) = yaml

OS / ENVIRONMENT

$ sw_vers
ProductName:	Mac OS X
ProductVersion:	10.15.5
BuildVersion:	19F101

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

Refer to summary.

EXPECTED RESULTS

I expect the task to complete successfully when a package is already installed and a homebrew task is executed with either state: present or state: latest.

ACTUAL RESULTS

The task fails, as shown in the summary.

[ansibullbot]

Files identified in the description:

• plugins/modules/packaging/os/homebrew.py

If these files are inaccurate, please update the component name section of the description or use the !component bot command.

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[ansibullbot]

cc @Akasurde @andrew-d @danieljaouen @indrajitr @kyleabenson @martinm82
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[mpereira]

The issue seems to only happen with casks. e.g., the following works:

- name: Install Hugo
  homebrew:
    name: hugo

PLAY [localhost] ***************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [hugo : Install Hugo] *****************************************************
ok: [localhost] => changed=false 
  msg: 'Package already installed: hugo'

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
localhost                  : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0   

[MichaelWasher]

/assign

[MichaelWasher]

It depends on the expected usage. For installing casks homebrew_cask should be used.
Testing with homebrew_cask as below works fine:

    - name: Install Packages through Homebrew
      homebrew_cask:
        name: visual-studio-code
        state: present

ok: [localhost] => {
    "changed": false,
    "invocation": {
        "module_args": {
            "accept_external_apps": false,
            "greedy": false,
            "install_options": [],
            "name": [
                "visual-studio-code"
            ],
            "path": "/usr/local/bin",
            "state": "present",
            "sudo_password": null,
            "update_homebrew": false,
            "upgrade_all": false
        }
    },
    "msg": "Cask already installed: visual-studio-code"
}

However when using the homebrew package to install casks fails for me in general.

    - name: Remove visual-studio-code
      homebrew_cask:
        name: visual-studio-code
        state: absent
    - name: Install Packages through Homebrew
      homebrew:
        name: visual-studio-code
        state: present

fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => {
    "changed": false,
    "invocation": {
        "module_args": {
            "install_options": [],
            "name": [
                "visual-studio-code"
            ],
            "path": "/usr/local/bin",
            "state": "present",
            "update_homebrew": false,
            "upgrade_all": false,
            "upgrade_options": []
        }
    },
    "msg": ""
}

Seems like we should deal with the output message better but not sure if the homebrew module should manage cask installs

[MichaelWasher]

@felixfontein Do you want the homebrew module to be more friendly with failing on cask issues;
Error something like "This Homebrew package is a cask and requires using the homebrew_cask module" or do you think this case should just be closed?

[felixfontein]

@MichaelWasher I don't use or maintain the module, so I'm not the right person to ask. In general, having better error messages is always a good thing though :)