Switching it on

For the whole instance, or for one form

  1. For the whole instance: LAUNCH_VALIDATION
  2. For one form: launchValidation

Launch validation has two settings. The stricter of the two applies.

For the whole instance: LAUNCH_VALIDATION

The environment variable LAUNCH_VALIDATION applies to every form:

  • off - no server-side check: the job runs the extravars the browser or the caller sent.
  • log - every launch is checked; what would be refused is written to the log as a warning, and the launch still runs as before.
  • enforce (default) - an invalid launch is refused, and a valid one runs the extravars the server builds.

An empty or unknown value also means enforce. Changes take effect without a restart.

Upgrading changes behaviour. An instance that does not set LAUNCH_VALIDATION enforces every launch after the upgrade. Scripts that call POST /api/v2/job without rawFormData, or with values that break a form’s rules, are refused with a 422. Set LAUNCH_VALIDATION=log before upgrading to see what would be refused, or off to keep the old behaviour (see Rolling it out).

For one form: launchValidation

A form can set its own level:

- name: Create VM
  type: ansible
  roles:
    - default
  playbook: vm.yml
  launchValidation: enforce   # off | log | enforce
  fields:
    - name: vm_name
      type: text
      required: true

Use this setting on an instance that runs on off or log, for a form you know will be launched over REST: that form is enforced, while the rest of the instance is not. It can also be set in the designer, in the form settings.

A form can be made stricter than the instance, never looser. With LAUNCH_VALIDATION on enforce, a form’s launchValidation: off has no effect: a form cannot override an operator’s decision.

Wizard forms use it too: a wizard launch is checked step by step, each step against its own subform (see Wizard forms).