Problem updating

[Carcalmoa]

Describe the problem

This is the structure of my template:

├── template
│   ├── {{_copier_conf.answers_file}}.jinja
│   ├── .gitattributes
│   └── {{github_folder}}
│       ├── {% if add_issue_templates %}ISSUE_TEMPLATE{% endif %}
│       │   ├── bug_report.yaml
│       │   ├── config.yml
│       │   └── task.yaml
│       ├── {% if add_PR_template %}pull_request_template.md{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}actions{% endif %}
│       │   └── ci-setup-python
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}generate_bandit_report.py{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}generate_coverage_report.py{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}generate_ruff_report.py{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}sbom{% endif %}
│       │   ├── check_licenses.py
│       │   ├── check_vulnerabilities.py
│       │   ├── manual_licenses.yaml
│       │   └── not_allowed_licenses.yaml
│       ├── .gitattributes
│       └── workflows
│           ├── {% if add_docker_build_and_deploy %}ci-build-and-push-image.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if add_docker_build_and_deploy %}docker-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}ci-auto-release-cpp.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}ci-tagged-release-cpp.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}ci-tests-cpp.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}cpp-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'generic' %}ci-auto-release-generic.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'generic' %}ci-tagged-release-generic.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'generic' %}generic-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}ci-auto-release-python.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}ci-tagged-release-python.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}ci-tests-python.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python_coverage_report.yaml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python_sbom.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           └── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python_static_analysis.yaml{% endif %}.jinja

This is my copier.yml

# copier.yml

add_issue_templates:
  type: bool
  help: "Add issue templates?"
  default: false

add_PR_template:
  type: bool
  help: "Add PR template?"
  default: false

target_language:
    type: str
    help: What is the target language?
    choices:
        - none
        - python
        - cpp
        - generic

add_docker_build_and_deploy:
  type: bool
  help: "Add docker build and deploy?"
  default: false

ci_runner: "***"

github_folder:
  type: str
  default: ".github"

################################################################################
# gitHub Actions variables  
################################################################################
coverage_threshold:
  type: int
  help: What is the minimum test coverage percentage required in GitHub Actions?
  default: 80

poetry_version:
  type: str
  help: What is the poetry version to use in GitHub Actions?
  default: 2.3.2

target_dir:
  type: str
  help: What is the name of the directory where you want the GitHub actions to run?
  validator: >-
    {% if not (target_dir.split(" ") | length == 1 ) %}
    "target_dir" must be a unique word (no spaces).
    {% endif %}

################################################################################
# Copier configuration
################################################################################
_subdirectory: "template"
_min_copier_version: "9.3.1"
_answers_file: .copier-answers.github.yml
_templates_suffix: ".jinja"
_jinja_extensions:
  - jinja2_time.TimeExtension
_exclude:
  - ".git" 
_vcs_ref:
  type: str
  default: "v1.0.0"
  help: "Version of the template to use"

When I run copier copy all the directories and files are created correctly according to my choices. For example, this is my .copier-answers.github.yml:

# Changes here will be overwritten by Copier
_commit: 378719b
_src_path: git@github.com:*****/*****
add_PR_template: true
add_docker_build_and_deploy: true
add_issue_templates: true
ci_runner: ****
coverage_threshold: 80
github_folder: .github
poetry_version: 2.3.2
target_dir: .
target_language: python

And this is the structure created:

.
├── .copier-answers.github.yml
├── .gitattributes
└── .github
    ├── actions
    │   └── ci-setup-python
    │       └── action.yml
    ├── generate_bandit_report.py
    ├── generate_coverage_report.py
    ├── generate_ruff_report.py
    ├── .gitattributes
    ├── ISSUE_TEMPLATE
    │   ├── bug_report.yaml
    │   ├── config.yml
    │   └── task.yaml
    ├── pull_request_template.md
    ├── sbom
    │   ├── check_licenses.py
    │   ├── check_vulnerabilities.py
    │   ├── manual_licenses.yaml
    │   └── not_allowed_licenses.yaml
    └── workflows
        ├── ci-auto-release-python.yml
        ├── ci-build-and-push-image.yml
        ├── ci-tagged-release-python.yml
        ├── ci-tests-python.yml
        ├── docker-ci-checklist.md
        ├── python-ci-checklist.md
        ├── python_coverage_report.yaml
        ├── python_sbom.yml
        └── python_static_analysis.yaml

Until this point, everything worked properly. Nevertheless, the problem appears when I want to make some changes with the copier update:

Let's give an example; this is my updated .copier-answers.github.yml:

# Changes here will be overwritten by Copier
_commit: 378719b
_src_path: git@github.com:*****/*****
add_PR_template: true
add_docker_build_and_deploy: true
add_issue_templates: true
ci_runner: ****
coverage_threshold: 80
github_folder: .github
poetry_version: 2.3.2
target_dir: .
target_language: cpp

I only changed the target_language from "python" to "cpp", so the expected result should be that the directories and files with the condition "if target_language == 'python'" should disappear and the ones with the condition "if target_language == 'cpp'" should appear; the remaining files and directories should not suffer any modification. Nevertheless, I don't understand why, but the workflows with the condition "if add_docker_build_and_deploy" also disappear, as well as the directory "ISSUE_TEMPLATE "even though these variables did not change.

This is the structure after the update:

.
├── .copier-answers.github.yml
└── .github
    └── workflows
        ├── ci-auto-release-cpp.yml
        ├── ci-tagged-release-cpp.yml
        ├── ci-tests-cpp.yml
        └── cpp-ci-checklist.md

Could someone help?

Thank you very much!

Template

This is the structure of my copier template:

├── template
│   ├── {{_copier_conf.answers_file}}.jinja
│   ├── .gitattributes
│   └── {{github_folder}}
│       ├── {% if add_issue_templates %}ISSUE_TEMPLATE{% endif %}
│       │   ├── bug_report.yaml
│       │   ├── config.yml
│       │   └── task.yaml
│       ├── {% if add_PR_template %}pull_request_template.md{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}actions{% endif %}
│       │   └── ci-setup-python
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}generate_bandit_report.py{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}generate_coverage_report.py{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}generate_ruff_report.py{% endif %}.jinja
│       ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}sbom{% endif %}
│       │   ├── check_licenses.py
│       │   ├── check_vulnerabilities.py
│       │   ├── manual_licenses.yaml
│       │   └── not_allowed_licenses.yaml
│       ├── .gitattributes
│       └── workflows
│           ├── {% if add_docker_build_and_deploy %}ci-build-and-push-image.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if add_docker_build_and_deploy %}docker-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}ci-auto-release-cpp.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}ci-tagged-release-cpp.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}ci-tests-cpp.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'cpp' %}cpp-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'generic' %}ci-auto-release-generic.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'generic' %}ci-tagged-release-generic.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'generic' %}generic-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}ci-auto-release-python.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}ci-tagged-release-python.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}ci-tests-python.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python-ci-checklist.md{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python_coverage_report.yaml{% endif %}.jinja
│           ├── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python_sbom.yml{% endif %}.jinja
│           └── {% if target_language == 'python' %}python_static_analysis.yaml{% endif %}.jinja

To Reproduce

No response

Logs

Expected behavior

Only those files whose conditions are no longer met due to a change in the responses should be updated when I run the copier update.

Screenshots/screencasts/logs

No response

Operating system

Linux

Operating system distribution and version

Ubuntu 24.04

Copier version

copier 9.12.0

Python version

Python 3.12.3

Installation method

pip+pypi

Additional context

No response

[pawamoy]

Just a quick note to say that updating the answers file manually is not supported (hence the comment at the top of it). Instead of manually modifying this file, then updating, you should update while passing a different value for the answer you want to change.

[Carcalmoa]

Just a quick note to say that updating the answers file manually is not supported (hence the comment at the top of it). Instead of manually modifying this file, then updating, you should update while passing a different value for the answer you want to change.

Sorry, perhaps I didn't explain myself clearly. I didn't edit it manually; I just shared it to show that the answers file is updated correctly when I do the copier update. This is just to rule out the possibility that the error is that my new answers are being saved incorrectly. Excuse me if I was not clear.

[sisp]

I'm afraid I'm not able to reproduce the problem you've described. Are you able to provide a minimal reproducible example?

Just a heads-up about your copier.yml file: The setting _vcs_ref does not exist, it is only available as the CLI flag --vcs-ref and the Python API argument vcs_ref: str | VcsRef; see also https://copier.readthedocs.io/en/stable/configuring/#vcs_ref.