No explanation of the state options for the modules

[andubiel]

Documentation link

• multiple locations so more generic
• example: state

Describe the problem

• Many of the modules include state: but it doesn't explain how the state parameter works. Other vendors typically provide a brief explanation so there is no confusion.

Suggested fix

State

• present "default"

• absent

• merged

  • Ansible merges the on-device configuration with the provided configuration in the task.

• replaced

  • Ansible replaces the on-device configuration subsection with the provided configuration subsection in the task.

• overridden

  • Ansible overrides the on-device configuration for the resource with the provided configuration in the task. Use caution with this state as you could remove your access to the device (for example, by overriding the management interface configuration).

• deleted

  • Ansible deletes the on-device configuration subsection and restores any default settings.

• gathered

  • Ansible displays the resource details gathered from the network device and accessed with the gathered key in the result.

[welcome-to-palo-alto-networks[bot]]

:tada: Thanks for opening your first issue here! Welcome to the community!

[torch183]

I'd like to bump this, as I too find it hard to understand how all the states are supposed to work. For instance, what's really the difference between present and replaced? Say I run a task with panos_address_object with state: present and referencing an existing object name. If the submitted object attributes differ from the present object attributes, the object is changed. How is this different from what replaced would do?