Referencing config-templates defined in provisioning -> config-templates from other config-templates

[ftonjes]

Can someone please let me know how to reference a config-template (e.g.: cisco-ios-base, cisco-ios-snmp, cisco-ios-tacacs, etc) from within another? E.g. if I have multiple config templates that I use to build a 'main' config template. e.g. the main config-template 'cisco-ios' contains multiple smaller config-templates usually imported using {{ import XXXX }}? Is this even possible? When using:

{{ import cisco-ios-base}}

or other existing config-templates, it spits out a TemplateNotFound error. Is there a special way to reference templates configured within Netbox? I don't really want to use the local disk method (putting files on a file system) as we would like regular users to be able to edit this from within netbox (Provisioning -> Config-Templates) instead of having to have them SSH/SFTP files!

Is this possible? If not, I think this would be a great feature.

I've noticed This issue where Jeremy mentions "It is already possible to reference other templates from within the same data source using the standard Jinja2 {% include %} tag. Please open a discussion if you need assistance utilizing this feature." - What 'data-source' do I specify when I want to reference config-templates from within netbox (defined in Provisioning -> Config Templates)?

I'm using Netbox v3.7.3.

Thanks,

Frank

[pl0xym0r]

1. Create a datasource with your templates in --> you will see the tree of your folder
2. Create a config template that is linked to one of your "master" template
   the include option should have the folder path in it, i.e : {% include mypath/mytemplate_intf.j2 %}
   same story of path for extends and import jinja files

I use personnaly git as data source + "master" template at root of path, various sub folders and jinja in them.

check #14348

[ftonjes]

Thanks pl0xym0r, but the goal is not to use the file structure. Is there no way to use the config-templates defined in netbox itself?

It would be much easier to have users define config-templates in netbox itself (without using the traditional directory structure). If it is all done in Netbox, then you don't have to worry about maintaining folder structure / using git / etc. It would be great to just have users use netbox for everything, instead of now having to provide SSH access, use git to manage files, etc.

I think if this is not possible then this is a missed opportunity.

It would be great if there was a 'special' folder that would instruct netbox to use the 'internal' templates (ie. templates defined in netbox, not in some directory path).

What I have at the moment is lots of config-templates for different components of the config and want to have another config-template to include the others, e.g.:

in 'Propvisioning -> Config Templates' I have 4 config-templates defined:

cisco-ios-base
cisco-ios-snmp
cisco-ios-vty-console
cisco-ios-vlans

What I want to do is add another config-template called 'cisco-ios', which has includes to these other 4, e.g.:

{% include cisco-ios-base %}
{% include cisco-ios-snmp %}
{% include cisco-ios-vlans %}
{% include cisco-ios-vty-console %}

What I am trying to find out is how do I reference internal config templates (not on disk, but defined in netbox).
If this can all be done in netbox, this is what I am trying to do. I am aware of the option using the traditional 'Environment' using a directory structure.

If this is not possible, then I will request it as a feature. I think the more our users can do in netbox, the better. Most teams already use so many tools - and seems like it can't be too complex for the devs to add this feature.

Thanks!

[pl0xym0r]

I think it was not designed to do this, as you are trying to including into a jinja template a netbox object.
You can use stuff like {{ extras.ConfigTemplate.objects.get(name="cisco-ios-base").template_code }} to access the str of the others config template but it's not rendered (twice) by python.

[ftonjes]

I think you are correct, that it can't do it out of the box. Thanks all, I ended up writing a script to do all the jinja templating (using the config-templates in netbox) and then create/modify 'master' config-templates (the one with all the imports to other config-templates). This appears to work very well.

[kevinsdirectory]

@ftonjes can you elaborate on what you've done? I am experiencing the same problem.

[ftonjes]

I'm currently using netbox to store the config-templates. I have a script that gets all the config templates and uses the jinja2 module to generate config based on what is populated in these config-templates. So the only thing Netbox is doing is providing a place to store the templates. Everything else is done via scripts. The script basically looks for special tags inside of the config-templates and substitutes the tag with other config-templates info. e.g. will insert the config template named 'cisco-ios-snmp'.