loops and mode in modules like file,template cause chmod to complain

[ghost]

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

file related modules like file, template that have a mode parameter

ANSIBLE VERSION

ansible 2.3.1.0
  config file = /home/kon/venvs/ansible-test/etc/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = Default w/o overrides
  python version = 2.7.13 (default, Jan 19 2017, 14:48:08) [GCC 6.3.0 20170118]

CONFIGURATION

just an entry for the inventory path

OS / ENVIRONMENT

Linux ktsakiltzidis 4.9.0-4-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.9.51-1 (2017-09-28) x86_64 GNU/Linux
Distributor ID:	Debian
Description:	Debian GNU/Linux 9.2 (stretch)
Release:	9.2
Codename:	stretch

SUMMARY

using a loop that passes item in the mode parameter
results in chmod complaining with mode must be in octal or symbolic form

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

- hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: test file mode
      template:
        src: testfile.j2
        dest: ~/testing/ansible/testfile{{ item.index }}
        mode: "{{ item.mode }}"
      with_items:
        - index: 0
          mode: 0600
        - index: 1
          mode: 0640

EXPECTED RESULTS

no errors, right permissions

ACTUAL RESULTS

TASK [test apt package list] ***************************************************
failed: [localhost] (item={u'index': 0, u'mode': 384}) => {"details": "bad symbolic permission for mode: 384", "failed": true, "gid": 1000, "group": "kon", "item": {"index": 0, "mode": 384}, "mode": "0666", "msg": "mode must be in octal or symbolic form", "owner": "kon", "path": "/home/kon/testing/ansible/testfile0", "size": 0, "state": "file", "uid": 1000}
ok: [localhost] => (item={u'index': 1, u'mode': 416})

[ansibot]

cc @dharmabumstead
click here for bot help

[sivel]

Duplicate of #31952

If you have further questions please stop by IRC or the mailing list:

• IRC: #ansible on irc.freenode.net
• mailing list: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/ansible-project

[ghost]

@sivel the duplicate is closed though, isn't this considered a bug? maybe this should remain open for reference ?

[sivel]

It is a duplicate of a closed issue that is not considered a bug, thus this issue is not considered a bug. There is explanation in the other issue, and it also includes reference to other work that may resolve this in the future.

[ghost]

@sivel i don't see how this is not a bug when following an example in the docs results in an unexpected behavior and error, maybe the docs should change? i understand it's an upstream bug so how can not this be a bug for ansible? maybe this or the original #31952 should remain open for reference until this is fixed?