Can't create a directory in node

Question

I have write the simple recipe here which is to create a directory in the node. But it shows error while running the chef-client.

directory "~/build" do

action :create

end

* Parent directory ~ does not exist, cannot create ~/build
================================================================================
Error executing action `create` on resource 'directory[~/build]'
================================================================================

Chef::Exceptions::EnclosingDirectoryDoesNotExist
------------------------------------------------
Parent directory ~ does not exist, cannot create ~/build

thanks for your valuable comments.

Its becuase of ~ sign. I think you need to use .. instead of that — qamar
but normally can make directory with this command: mkdir ~/build Why not in chef? — VijayVishnu
Because ~ is a shell shortcut for $HOME. Ruby has no special meaning for ~ so replace it by $HOME and it will create the directory in the home of the user running chef (usually root). — Tensibai
again it shows the same error * Parent directory $HOME does not exist, cannot create $HOME/build — VijayVishnu
bash "create directory" do code <<-EOH mkdir ~/build EOH end This recipe create the directory build. But using directory resource getting the above error.. — VijayVishnu

Stephen Carman Stephen Carman · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-07T14:01:43

As mentioned above, ~ has no context in Ruby, but you can use File.expand_path to alter it to the correct directory...

directory File.expand_path("~/build") do
  action :create
end

This looks cleaner than the approach above, at least to me, but they are still correct.

http://www.ruby-doc.org/core-2.1.2/File.html#method-c-expand_path

Can't create a directory in node

2 Answers