Rule - st2ctl reload Reloads all except rules

[vaishalipavashe]

• Intervaltimer rule was created and tested. Tried disabling it by updating rule yaml file and reloaded st2ctl as st2ctl reload but still rule is enabled:

• From st2ctl reload output found that it reloads all except rules. Performed st2ctl reload --register-rules to reload rules and now it shows disabled:

[arm4b]

Yeah, you have to reload with --register-rules manually.

This is something that Manas described previously in #1619 (comment)

The reason is that different packs can contain default rules and it's safer for administrator not to load them.
If all rules are registered - then you have many triggers enabled, running different actions (which most of us probably don't want for first st2 install).

@Kami will correct me if I'm wrong.

[arm4b]

But I think there is definitely a user usability problem here, since it's something that raised many times (the behavior of reload is not obvious).

The good approach for me feels like:

• pack install should load all content within a pack (and not load everything else, out of current pack scope)
• there should be ability to (re)load files for specific pack (isolated)
• make the interaction interface easy for users/predictable/obvious

[samirsss]

Isn't it the users responsibility to make sure that the rules they want to not trigger be saved in disabled state?

I think this ask is a fair thing. I'm getting used to the system and I didn't realize that the 1 rule I had written up didn't get reloaded when I did st2ctl reload. (it wasn't an important rule) but still the expectation that I had was rules would get reloaded.

@lakshmi-kannan @Kami

[Kami]

Yeah the idea behind rules being disabled by default was that unlike actions, rules are usually not totally generic and they need to be modified / customized by the user before they can be used.

That's why we decided not to register rules by default - if user didn't modify the rule or disable it, they would get surprised.

[samirsss]

Then should we close this PR? I dont have the history on this and hence just thinking from users perspective.

[Kami]

We can all think about it some more about re-evaluate our decision aka if we still think that's the best default behavior.

/cc @lakshmi-kannan

[lakshmi-kannan]

I think arma nailed it here: #2861 (comment)

st2ctl reload IMO should register rules by default. This has caused user frustration. We just have to make sure we don't ship dumb rules in enabled state with the product. If users place their rules on disk, it becomes their responsibility.

I thought manas added st2 rule enable/disable. st2 rule list --disabled and st2 rule list --enabled are things we can build for better visibility.

[Kami]

We just have to make sure we don't ship dumb rules in enabled state with the product. If users place their rules on disk, it becomes their responsibility.

Agreed.

[samirsss]

So in summary we think its good to register rules as part of st2ctl reload.

Yes there is a --enabled --disabled flag in the st2 rule list command.

[vaishalipavashe]

Rules from examples pack can be disabled by default as they got loaded when I did st2ctl reload —register-rules for 1st time. I had to delete them manually and disable.

[Kami]

it's good that we have re-evaluated that decision.

@samirsss if you feel like it you can make the change so rules are registered by default and everything which goes along with making a change (code changes, changelog entry, documentation entry, upgrade notes entry, etc.).

[samirsss]

Yep i can do it...

[lakshmi-kannan]

Seems like the fix went it. Closing.