Regex in zos_lineinfile

[fabiobncbb]

Hi guys!

I have the following entry in a PDS member:

//* 06/24/2021 D160882 - Creation V560

I'm using the zos_lineinfile module to find and delete the string D160882.

When I put exactly that string in the regex parameter, it finds and deletes the line as requested:

zos_lineinfile:
src: "{{ hlq_amb }}.PLEX{{ hlq_lib }}.PROCLIB.ANS({{ cic_new }})"
regexp: '.D160882.'
state: absent
register: result_target

However, when I actually try to use a regular expression to find a string that starts with a letter and is followed by 6 numbers, it doesn't.
I've tried several different expressions, such as: '^(.)[A-Z][0-9]{6}(.)$)', '\b[A-Za-z][0-9]{6,7}\b', '\b[A-Za-z][0-9]{6,7}\b' but none of them find it.

zos_lineinfile:
src: "{{ hlq_amb }}.PLEX{{ hlq_lib }}.PROCLIB.ANS({{ cic_new }})"
regexp: '.[A-Z][0-9]{6}.'
state: absent
register: result_target

This is the message when it does not find:

Could someone help me please?

[ddimatos]

Hello @fabiobncbb , which version of the ibm_zos_core collection are you using and which version of zoau so I may try to reproduce.

[fabiobncbb]

Hello @ddimatos!

I'm using zos_core 1.6 and tried it in two different environments that i have (lab and desenv). One is with ZOAU 1.1 and other is with ZOAU 1.2

[ddimatos]

I tried this on the supported ZOAU 1.2.2 and ibm_zos_core version 1.6.0 and found that there is a bug in our dependency, thus I have opened a bug with them and noted this is a community reported issue #913 , please follow the issue 913 for resolution. I am provide some work around below, I am happy to discuss them further but for now it seems we can consider this mitigated and close the issue.

The are some work arounds I can think of:

1. Use zos_copy and copy the content to USS, tag it (*chtag) as UTF-8 and then use the community blockinfileorshellmodule to runsedorawkcommands from USS, thenzos_copy` the data back to the data set.
2. Use zos_encode to encode the data set to USS as UTF8, then use the community shell or blockfinfile module.
3. Use zos_fetch , then perform operations locally on the controller and then with zos_copy, copy it back to MVS.

I will create an issue tomorrow and report it back here, below is my playbook recreate.

My recreate is:

    - name: Create seq data set
      zos_data_set:
        name: ANSIBLE.LINEFILE.SEQ
        type: SEQ
        space_primary: 3
        space_type: M
        record_format: FB
        record_length: 1024
        replace: yes
      register: result

    - debug:
       var: result

    - name: Populate data set
      zos_copy:
        content: |1
          D160882
          D160882 with more info
          ED160882
          This is a line
        dest: ANSIBLE.LINEFILE.SEQ
        force: yes
      register: result

    - debug:
       var: result

    - name: Update Data set by deleting a line
      zos_lineinfile:
        src: ANSIBLE.LINEFILE.SEQ
        regexp: '[A-Za-z][0-9]{6}'
        state: absent
      register: result

    - name: Response
      debug:
        msg: "{{ result }}"

    - name: Cat the data set
      command: "dcat 'ANSIBLE.LINEFILE.SEQ'"
      register: result

    - name: Response
      debug:
        msg: "{{ result }}"