Fixes and cleanup to file functions and module

- unified set attribute functions ... not sure why 2 identical functions
exist with diff names, now there are 3 while i repoint all modules to 1
- fixed issue with symlinks being created w/o existing src when force=no
- refactored conditionals, simplified where possible
- added tests for symlink to nonexistant source, with both force options
- made symlink on existing attomic (force)

lib/ansible/module_utils/basic.py

@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
                 changed = True
         return changed
 
-    def set_file_attributes_if_different(self, file_args, changed):
+    def set_fs_attributes_if_different(self, file_args, changed):
         # set modes owners and context as needed
         changed = self.set_context_if_different(
             file_args['path'], file_args['secontext'], changed
@@ -481,19 +481,10 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
         return changed
 
     def set_directory_attributes_if_different(self, file_args, changed):
-        changed = self.set_context_if_different(
-            file_args['path'], file_args['secontext'], changed
-        )
-        changed = self.set_owner_if_different(
-            file_args['path'], file_args['owner'], changed
-        )
-        changed = self.set_group_if_different(
-            file_args['path'], file_args['group'], changed
-        )
-        changed = self.set_mode_if_different(
-            file_args['path'], file_args['mode'], changed
-        )
-        return changed
+        return self.set_fs_attributes_if_different(file_args, changed)
+
+    def set_file_attributes_if_different(self, file_args, changed):
+        return self.set_fs_attributes_if_different(file_args, changed)
 
     def add_path_info(self, kwargs):
         '''
@@ -963,7 +954,7 @@ class AnsibleModule(object):
                 context = self.selinux_default_context(dest)
 
         try:
-            # Optimistically try a rename, solves some corner cases and can avoid useless work.
+            # Optimistically try a rename, solves some corner cases and can avoid useless work, throws exception if not atomic.
             os.rename(src, dest)
         except (IOError,OSError), e:
             # only try workarounds for errno 18 (cross device), 1 (not permited) and 13 (permission denied)

test/integration/roles/test_file/tasks/main.yml

@@ -164,5 +164,24 @@
     that:
       - "file11_result.uid == 1235"
 
+- name: fail to create soft link to non existant file
+  file: src=/noneexistant dest={{output_dir}}/soft2.txt state=link force=no
+  register: file12_result
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: verify that link was not created
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "file12_result.failed == true"
+
+- name: force creation soft link to non existant
+  file: src=/noneexistant dest={{output_dir}}/soft2.txt state=link force=yes
+  register: file13_result
+
+- name: verify that link was created
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "file13_result.changed == true"
+
 - name: remote directory foobar
   file: path={{output_dir}}/foobar state=absent