[COPIER] bypass default answers when updating or creating the project

[Mat-moran]

Hi I am trying to bypass the default answers during the project creation with copier (I did not find the way to do it in the creation so I tried updating it).

I notice that for example if you change the proxy config (for example domains_prod and domains_test) it does not change in the prod.yml file when update so I can not start a project without proxy and after updating the .copier-answers.yml to change the proxy configuration or for example the backup conf.

Am I not doing the right approach working with doodba or am I doing something wrong?, what do you think?

I followed https://github.com/Tecnativa/doodba-copier-template/blob/stable/docs/faq.md#can-i-have-my-own-private-template to update the project.

Thanks in advance! 😄

[joao-p-marques]

Hi @Mat-moran

The instructions that better apply here are the update instructions. This update can serve both to update your project to the latest version of the template or to update your current answers.

So, even if, initially, you did not set domains_prod and domains_test, you can run copier update and then change your answer to those specific questions. You will, then, get a diff on prod.yaml and test.yaml, according to the new answers.

The link you provided refers to having a private template in parallel to Doodba Copier Template, if you wish that functionality, but that is not necessary for this kind of update.

Hope this is of some help 😉

[Mat-moran]

Good morning @joao-p-marques
I did it also but there is only a diff in .copier-anwers.yaml and not on prod.yaml or test.yaml.

I did the follow steps:

• copier copy gh:Tecnativa/doodba-copier-template prueba answering to proxy = 1 and prod_domains = []
• git add .
• pre-commit run
• git add .
• git commit ...
• copier update with proxy = 2 and prod_domains = [[hosts:'www...']]

No diff in prod.yaml or in test.yaml . 😢 only in .copier-answers.yaml

Am I doing something wrong?
THANKS 😄

[Mat-moran]

OK it seems that there are variables that can not be update with copier like the proxy configuration.

if I generate the project with proxy=2 domains_prod=[] and after I do the copier update updating the domains this time there is a diff in prod.yaml

Thanks.

[yajo]

after updating the .copier-answers.yml to change the proxy configuration or for example the backup conf.

You should never do that.

It seems to be a common problem among new copier users. I just opened copier-org/copier#317 to clarify the problem. You can browse the docs produced from that PR in https://copier--317.org.readthedocs.build/en/317/updating/#never-change-the-answers-file-manually temporarily.

[Mat-moran]

Thanks for the clarification @yajo I did it like that the first time and it does not produce any diff as you said.

Now I am doing it throw the command line and it produce the expected changes, except for the case I said before when you first select a non proxy configuration and after you want to update the proxy config. It will produce a diff with the domains in prod.yaml (if you set domains_prod correctly) but it does not add any traefik configuration at prod.yaml .

[yajo]

Maybe it got broken at some point due to the wrong update. Try it with copier copy instead, giving it the same answers and overwritting those files. Let's see if that way, Copier restores the answers-subproject state.

[Mat-moran]

No it does not work neither.