3.2. configuration_generation Usage Guidelines!
3.2.1. Template Preparation
This is very important step in order to generate the configuration accurately.
Through out the template, we will have many variables which requires to be replaced with necessary values. Such static one to one variable v/s value mappings we generally provide thru var tab of excel database. There is no constraint on variable naming. Just remember it should match exactly and all match throughout documents will be process and replaced with values.
Apart from static variable/value replacement, we usually have code blocks in the configuration template. Which requires a different kind of treatment.
There are two main types of code blocks.
Conditional Block: Section which appears in output after successful evaluation of a condition.
Repeat Block: Section which appears repeatatively in to output after successful evaluation of a condition.
Conditional Blocks
Such block usually starts with
GOAHEAD FOR <conditions>, and ends withGOAHEAD END.Block start/end string can be modified by providing
condition_starter,condition_stopperarguments while creatingConfGenobject.In case if condition matches more than one record in database, very first matching row will be considered and used.
There must be a conditional-block-end correspond to start, otherwise undesired result may produce.
Nested conditional blocks are permitted.
REPEAT BLOCK
Such block usually starts with
REPEAT EACH <conditions>, and ends withREPEAT STOP.Block start/end string can be modified by providing
repeat_starter,repeat_stopperarguments while creatingConfGenobject.Each condition matching row from database, will be selected and executed for repetitive config generation.
There must be a repeat-block-end correspond to start, otherwise undesired result may produce.
Nested repetitive conditional blocks are permitted.
Nesting of Conditional block and Repetitive block inside each other permitted as well.
Note
<condition> can be a single match condition or multiple matches ( using condition separators either & or | )
Each condition should be defined within it’s own bracket ().
Each conditions left portion denotes variable to be match in excel fact file, and right portion denotes value to be match with the variable.
Conditional operators allowed within a condition are %2==, %2!=, ==, !=, >=, <=, >, <
%2==, %2!= these are useful for matching odd / even number matching
String value match should be mentioned with Quote “”, : ex: ( LINK_TYPE == “Downlink”)
Numeric value match should be mentioned without Qoute : ex: ( VLAN == 100 )
3.2.2. Database Preparation
This is second very important step, and should be prepared accurately to get the output configuration correct.
Note
facts_finder project can be used to quickly draft the details out of any running device (if already available)
There are two main types of data with which configs_generator interact with. and we need to provide them in two tabs via excel database.
var: All one to one variables v/s values to be replace in template
tables: Rest of other matrix details in table format.
var
There should be a tab named
varin Excel database.There should be two columns named FIND and REPLACE, for mapping each variable v/s value
Column Header can be changed instead of FIND/REPLACE to any other name, but it needs to be declared via
find_column_nameandreplace_column_namearguments while creating ConfGen object.All variables defined here under find_column_name will get replaced with value mentioned in replace_column_name while generating configuration.
tables
There should be a tab named
tablesin Excel databaseThere can be any number of columns with any custom column names
Data defined here in this tab gets evaluated while executing the condition check during Conditional/Repeat block from template
Column header mentioned here in should refer to left portion of condition
3.2.3. Executions
There are three kinds of exection possible.
Run thru script.
Passing necessary arguments via command line.
Interactive command line mode.
Note
Template file and database file are mandatory fields, rest of others are optional
So pre-requisite is: database and configuration template must be ready.
3.2.3.1. Execute via script : Step by step guide
Here is how to do via script
Step 1. Import necessary packages:
import configs_generator as cg
Step 2. Define Inputs:
db = "data.xlsx"
template = "template.txt"
output = "output.txt"
Step 3. Create ConfGen object:
cfg = cg.ConfGen(
# ~~~~~~~~~~ Mandatory Arguments ~~~~~~~~~~
template_file=template, # template
db=db, # database
# ~~~~~~~~~~ Optional Arguments ~~~~~~~~~~
output_file=output, # output filename ( default: output.txt)
confGen_minimal=False, # execution of var sheet replacement only.
find_column_name="FIND", # FIND/REPLACE column headers from 'var' tab
replace_column_name="REPLACE",
condition_starter="GOAHEAD FOR", # conditional block identifiers
condition_stopper="GOAHEAD END",
repeat_starter ="REPEAT EACH", # repeat block identifiers
repeat_stopper ="REPEAT NEXT",
nested_section_var_identifier= "PARENT" # nested section variable identifier string
)
Step 4. Generate configuration using created object:
cfg.generate()
script will evaluate the template v/s database for the conditions defined in template and generates new configuarion file.
3.2.3.2. Execute via argument parsing
Here is how to do via arguments parsing
To Execute via passing arguments, all inputs should be passed along CLI at once.
Keys available are:
python -m configs_generator -h
-------------------------------
usage: configs_generator [-h] [-i] [-t TEMPLATE_FILE] [-d DB] [-o OUTPUT_FILE]
[-m] [-f FIND_COLUMN_NAME] [-r REPLACE_COLUMN_NAME]
[-cs CONDITION_STARTER] [-ce CONDITION_STOPPER]
[-rs REPEAT_STARTER] [-re REPEAT_STOPPER]
[-nv NESTED_SECTION_VAR_IDENTIFIER]
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-i, -interactive run command interactive mode (default: False)
-t TEMPLATE_FILE, -template TEMPLATE_FILE
Template File (text file) (default: None)
-d DB, -database DB Database File (Excel file) (default: None)
-o OUTPUT_FILE, -output OUTPUT_FILE
output File (text file) (default: None)
-m, -minimal execution of var sheet replacement only.( default:
False) (default: False)
-f FIND_COLUMN_NAME, -find FIND_COLUMN_NAME
FIND column headers from "var" tab: (default: FIND)
-r REPLACE_COLUMN_NAME, -replace REPLACE_COLUMN_NAME
REPLACe column headers from "var" tab: (default:
REPLACE)
-cs CONDITION_STARTER, -condition_start CONDITION_STARTER
conditional block start identifier (default: GOAHEAD
FOR)
-ce CONDITION_STOPPER, -condition_end CONDITION_STOPPER
conditional block end identifier (default: GOAHEAD
END)
-rs REPEAT_STARTER, -repeat_start REPEAT_STARTER
repeat block start identifier (default: REPEAT EACH)
-re REPEAT_STOPPER, -repeat_end REPEAT_STOPPER
repeat block end identifier (default: REPEAT STOP)
-nv NESTED_SECTION_VAR_IDENTIFIER, -nested_var NESTED_SECTION_VAR_IDENTIFIER
nested section variable identifier string (default:
PARENT)
Mandatory Inputs:
-t TEMPLATE_FILE: Configuration template text file must be passed along with
-tkey-d DB: Excel Database file must be passed along with
-dkey
Optional Inputs:
Other optional arguments are required if there is any deviation from standard.
3.2.3.3. Execute via Interactive CLI
Here is how to do via interactive cli mode
To Execute via Interactive CLI, all inputs should be passed along on CLI while asked.
To start the Interactive mode - pass -i key while running the package.
C:\..>python -m configs_generator -i
Enter Template File (text file): template.txt
Enter Database File (Excel file): data.xlsx
Enter output File (text file): output.txt
Do you want to execution of var sheet replacement only [yes/no] .(default: no)
change FIND column headers on database "var" tab [default: FIND]:
change REPLACE column headers on database "var" tab [default: REPLACE]:
change conditional block start identifier in tempalte [default: GOAHEAD FOR]:
change conditional block end identifier in tempalte [default: GOAHEAD END]:
change repeat block start identifier in tempalte [default: REPEAT EACH]:
change repeat block end identifier in tempalte [default: REPEAT STOP]:
change nested section variable identifier string in tempalte [default: PARENT]:
Executing, please wait...