provisioner "remote-exec" { inline = [ ". /root/.oldroot/nfs/bash_aliases\ninstallimage -a -c /root/installimage.conf -x /tmp/post-install.sh" ] } instead of \n, what can I do to have multilines?

To execute multi-line commands with Terraform's remote-exec provisioner instead of using the \n newline character, you can utilize a heredoc syntax. This method not only improves the readability of your code but also neatly packages multiple commands in a single block. Here's how you can do it:

Using Heredoc Syntax

Heredoc allows you to define multi-line strings directly in your Terraform configuration. You can rewrite your existing remote-exec provisioner block as follows:

provisioner "remote-exec" {
    inline = <<-EOF
        . /root/.oldroot/nfs/bash_aliases
        installimage -a -c /root/installimage.conf -x /tmp/post-install.sh
    EOF
}

Breakdown of the Syntax

• <<-EOF: This indicates the start of a heredoc, where EOF is a custom delimiter that you can choose; it can be any string. Using <<- allows for the indentation of the content.
• Multi-line Commands: Place each desired command on its own line, which improves readability and organization.
• Ending the Heredoc: The heredoc ends with EOF on a new line and no leading spaces.

Advantages of Using Heredoc

1. Readability: Utilizing heredoc makes it easier to read and maintain the script, particularly when you have multiple commands.
2. Avoiding Syntax Errors: Heredoc minimizes the chance of syntax errors that can occur when manually inserting newline characters with \n.
3. Organized Structure: This approach helps to keep your Terraform configurations tidy and well-structured, enhancing overall clarity.

Conclusion

By adopting the heredoc syntax for your Terraform remote-exec provisioner, you can effectively streamline your command execution process. This method allows for cleaner code that is easier to manage, particularly as your infrastructure provision scripts grow more complex.

For further details regarding provisioning in Terraform, you can refer to the official Terraform Documentation.