Failed to read variables file. No .tfvars file copied when using test_structure.CopyTerraformFoldertoTemp

[ent-lhirschi]

Goal: Have terratest use or detect my terraform.tfvars to pass variables.

Issue: I believe Terratest failed to read the terraform.tfvars because it wasn't copied from my terraform directory to the temporary directory. Or I didn't write the code properly. (The more likely scenario, but would like help) When I go to check the temporary directory (as you'll see in the error below) the terraform.tfvars doesn't exist.

I was able to run terraform plan successfully in the examples/ directory, which isolates the issue to my go code.

My current code:

package test

import (
	"testing"

	"github.com/gruntwork-io/terratest/modules/terraform"
	test_structure "github.com/gruntwork-io/terratest/modules/test-structure"
	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
)

func TestTerraformAlb(t *testing.T) {
	t.Parallel()

	// Make a copy of the terraform module to a temporary directory. This allows running multiple tests in parallel
	// against the same terraform module.
	exampleDir := test_structure.CopyTerraformFolderToTemp(t, "../", "examples/")
	terratestOptions := &terraform.Options{
		TerraformDir: exampleDir,
		// TerraformDir: exampleDir,
		Vars:     map[string]interface{}{},
		VarFiles: []string{exampleDir, "/terraform.tfvars"},
	}

	t.Logf("Running in %s", exampleDir)

	// This will run 'terraform init' and 'terraform plan' and will fail the test if any errors occur
	output := terraform.InitAndPlan(t, terratestOptions)

	// To get the value of an output variable, run 'terraform output'
	// Arn := terraform.Output(t, terraformOptions, "arn")

	assert.Contains(t, output, "4 to add, 0 to change, 0 to destroy", "Plan OK and should attempt to create 4 resources")
} ```


 Error: Failed to read variables file
                                │
                                │ Error while reading
                                │ C:\Users\lhirschi\AppData\Local\Temp\TestTerraformAlb217072087\alb\examples:
                                │ read
                                │ C:\Users\lhirschi\AppData\Local\Temp\TestTerraformAlb217072087\alb\examples:
                                │ The handle is invalid..
                                ╵
                                ╷
                                │ Error: Failed to read variables file
                                │
                                │ Given variables file /terraform.tfvars does not exist.
                                
                                
                             

[ent-lhirschi]

I looked at the syntax for VarFiles here https://github.com/gruntwork-io/terratest/blob/master/modules/terraform/options.go#L12

Am I suppose to use the -var-files flag, if so how? I've searched for examples and since it's a more recent PR, unable to find any examples from searching the web.

[ent-lhirschi]

So I found out the following information. https://github.com/gruntwork-io/terratest/blob/master/modules/files/files.go

// This is useful when running multiple tests in parallel against the same set of Terraform files to ensure the
// tests don't overwrite each other's .terraform working directory and terraform.tfstate files. This method returns
// the path to the temp folder with the copied contents. Hidden files and folders, Terraform state files, and
// terraform.tfvars files are not copied to this temp folder, as you typically don't want them interfering with your
// tests.

How do I make an exception for the CopyTerraformFolderToTemp to include my terraform.tfvars?

[brikis98]

So I found out the following information. https://github.com/gruntwork-io/terratest/blob/master/modules/files/files.go

// This is useful when running multiple tests in parallel against the same set of Terraform files to ensure the
// tests don't overwrite each other's .terraform working directory and terraform.tfstate files. This method returns
// the path to the temp folder with the copied contents. Hidden files and folders, Terraform state files, and
// terraform.tfvars files are not copied to this temp folder, as you typically don't want them interfering with your
// tests.

How do I make an exception for the CopyTerraformFolderToTemp to include my terraform.tfvars?

Only thing I can think of is to create a version of the method that accepts a filter function as a param. The original method can pass in a filter that excludes the files listed in that comment (state files, .tfvars, etc), but you could pass in your own filter in your test.

[bj-1795]

@brikis98 ent-lhirschi Did you find the way to declare the tfvars file?? I am getting error like file does not exist.

[Sanardi]

Following, I am facing the same problem

[bj-1795]

I was able to solve this, just use file name in varfile don't use full path and keep the file in same dir as Terraformdir.

[Sanardi]

could you show me an example please?
infraPath := test_structure.CopyTerraformFolderToTemp(t, "../", "infra/my-infra")

terraformOptions := &terraform.Options{
	// The path to where our Terraform code is located
	TerraformDir: infraPath,

	Vars: <How did you declare it here?>
}

defer terraform.Destroy(t, terraformOptions)

[bj-1795]

Use the following:

terraformOptions := &terraform.Options{
// The path to where our Terraform code is located
TerraformDir: infraPath,

VarFiles: []string{"test.vars.json"},

}

defer terraform.Destroy(t, terraformOptions)