How to reference dependency outputs from parent bundle action?

[carolynvs]

Do we want to continue to allow bundle actions to use ${bundle.dependencies.DEP.outputs.OUTPUT_NAME}?

Now that dependencies can promote outputs to the parent bundle, (below), do we need to change how we allow the parent bundle to reference dependency outputs?

dependencies
  requires:
  - name: mysql
    outputs:
      connstr: "
Server=${bundle.parameters.host};Database=${outputs.db};Uid=${outputs.uid};Pwd=${outputs.pwd}"

install:
- exec:
    command: ./install.sh
    arguments:
    - ${bundle.dependencies.mysql.outputs.connstr} # what value should this hold???
    - ${outputs.connstr} # uses the concatenated value created in the dependency definition

What's not clear is what bundle.dependencies.mysql.outputs.connstr should reference. A dependency can generate an output, map it to another value and make it available to the parent bundle. So I can see users being confused if that variable contains the original value or the mapped value.

If we remove that template variable from the actions, that is a breaking change to dependencies.

We could keep it and have it refer to the value "closest in scope".

• If the dependency generates connstr, and doesn't provide a mapping, we use that original value.
• If an output mapping named connstr is delcared, we use that.
• If a bundle generates connstr, and defines a mapping, we use the mapped value.
• If a mixin also generates an output named connstr, bundle.dependencies.mysql.outputs.constr would not be updated but bundle.outputs.connstr would.