[chef] Using cookbook_name method in cookbooks

[Cliff Pracht < >]

Hi all,

I’ve noticed in a lot of cookbook code when needing the cookbook name, folks have been using the hard coded string name.

Eg. In the apache cookbook a defined attribute looks something like this where ‘apache’ is listed 100s of times:

#default apache run directory 

 default['apache']['run_dir'] = '/var/run/httpd'

Instead of this:

#default apache run directory 

 default[cookbook_name]['run_dir']  = '/var/run/httpd’

Obviously, changing a cookbook name is not an everyday thing.   However we have a strict naming convention at our shop for cookbooks to clarify the purpose of cookbook (eg. whether the cookbook is a library, wrapper, policy, operating system, etc.).  And have had to change the name frequently initially to get right. 

Any thoughts on doing this?  Are there drawbacks with this?

Thanks,

Cliff