Absolute path

By default TTP treats name attribute as a relative path, relative to parent groups, expanding path to full (absolute) path for each and every group.

For instance for below template:

<input load="text">
router bgp 65123
 !
 address-family ipv4 vrf VRF1
  neighbor 10.100.100.212 route-policy DENY_ALL in
  neighbor 10.227.147.122 route-policy DENY_ALL in
 exit-address-family
 !
 address-family ipv4 vrf VRF2
  neighbor 10.61.254.67 route-policy DENY_ALL in
  neighbor 10.61.254.68 route-policy DENY_ALL in
 exit-address-family
</input>

<group name="bgp_config">
router bgp {{ bgp_asn }}

<group name="VRFs">
 address-family {{ afi }} vrf {{ vrf }}
  <group name="neighbors**.{{ neighbor }}**" method="table">
  neighbor {{ neighbor }} route-policy {{ ingreass_rpl }} in
  </group>
</group>

</group>

Paths for child groups will be expanded to the list of absolute path items:

Name attribute	Path
bgp_config	[bgp_config]
VRFs	[bgp_config, VRFs]
neighbors**.{{ neighbor }}**	[bgp_config, VRFs, neighbors, {{ neighbor }}]

Results structure for above template will look like:

[
    [
        {
            "bgp_config": {
                "VRFs": [
                    {
                        "afi": "ipv4",
                        "neighbors": {
                            "10.100.100.212": {
                                "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                            },
                            "10.227.147.122": {
                                "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                            }
                        },
                        "vrf": "VRF1"
                    },
                    {
                        "afi": "ipv4",
                        "neighbors": {
                            "10.61.254.67": {
                                "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                            },
                            "10.61.254.68": {
                                "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                            }
                        },
                        "vrf": "VRF2"
                    }
                ],
                "bgp_asn": "65123"
            }
        }
    ]
]

However, sometimes it might be beneficial to have a capability to flatten hierarchical structure by specifying absolute path for child groups.

To instruct TTP to treat name attribute as an absolute path, it should be prepended (started) with forward slash / character.

Example Template:

<input load="text">
router bgp 65123
 !
 address-family ipv4 vrf VRF1
  neighbor 10.100.100.212 route-policy DENY_ALL in
  neighbor 10.227.147.122 route-policy DENY_ALL in
 exit-address-family
 !
 address-family ipv4 vrf VRF2
  neighbor 10.61.254.67 route-policy DENY_ALL in
  neighbor 10.61.254.68 route-policy DENY_ALL in
 exit-address-family
</input>

<group name="bgp_config">
router bgp {{ bgp_asn }}

<group name="VRFs">
 address-family {{ afi }} vrf {{ vrf }}
  <group name="/neighbors**.{{ neighbor }}**" method="table">
  neighbor {{ neighbor }} route-policy {{ ingreass_rpl }} in
  </group>
</group>

</group>

In above template, note the name of this child group - name=”/neighbors**.{{ neighbor }}**” - it is prepended with forward slash character and treated as absolute path. Result structure for above template will be:

[
    [
        {
            "bgp_config": {
                "VRFs": [
                    {
                        "afi": "ipv4",
                        "vrf": "VRF1"
                    },
                    {
                        "afi": "ipv4",
                        "vrf": "VRF2"
                    }
                ],
                "bgp_asn": "65123"
            },
            "neighbors": {
                "10.100.100.212": {
                    "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                },
                "10.227.147.122": {
                    "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                },
                "10.61.254.67": {
                    "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                },
                "10.61.254.68": {
                    "ingreass_rpl": "DENY_ALL"
                }
            }
        }
    ]
]

This is because path attribute will not be expanded for neighbors child group and will be treated as is, effectively shortening the hierarchy of results structure and flattening it.

Empty absolute path name="/" substituted with an _anonymous_* group name, allowing to flatten results structure, sample template:

<template results="per_template">
<input load="text">
r2#show run interface
interface GigabitEthernet1
vrf forwarding MGMT
ip address 10.123.89.55 255.255.255.0
</input>

<input load="text">
r1#show run interface
interface GigabitEthernet1
description some info
vrf forwarding MGMT
ip address 10.123.89.56 255.255.255.0
interface GigabitEthernet2
ip address 10.123.89.55 255.255.255.0
</input>

<group void="">
interface {{ interface }}
description {{ description | ORPHRASE }}
<group name="/">
ip address {{ ip }} {{ mask }}
</group>
</group>
</template>

Results:

[[{'ip': '10.123.89.55', 'mask': '255.255.255.0'},
  {'ip': '10.123.89.56', 'mask': '255.255.255.0'},
  {'ip': '10.123.89.55', 'mask': '255.255.255.0'}]]