cli: terraform import -ignore-missing-config

This new option allows importing without configuration present.

Configuration is required by default as a confirmation that the provided resource name is correct, but it can be useful to override this in tools that wrap Terraform to do more involved operations.

command/import.go

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ func (c *ImportCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	cmdFlags.StringVar(&c.Meta.provider, "provider", "", "provider")
 	cmdFlags.BoolVar(&c.Meta.stateLock, "lock", true, "lock state")
 	cmdFlags.DurationVar(&c.Meta.stateLockTimeout, "lock-timeout", 0, "lock timeout")
+	cmdFlags.BoolVar(&c.Meta.allowMissingConfig, "allow-missing-config", false, "allow missing config")
 	cmdFlags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Error(c.Help()) }
 	if err := cmdFlags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return 1
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ func (c *ImportCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	if rc == nil {
+	if !c.Meta.allowMissingConfig && rc == nil {
 		modulePath := addr.WholeModuleAddress().String()
 		if modulePath == "" {
 			modulePath = "the root module"
@@ -182,6 +183,10 @@ func (c *ImportCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 
 	c.Ui.Output(c.Colorize().Color("[reset][green]\n" + importCommandSuccessMsg))
 
+	if c.Meta.allowMissingConfig && rc == nil {
+		c.Ui.Output(c.Colorize().Color("[reset][yellow]\n" + importCommandAllowMissingResourceMsg))
+	}
+
 	return 0
 }
 
@@ -202,11 +207,13 @@ Usage: terraform import [options] ADDR ID
   determine the ID syntax to use. It typically matches directly to the ID
   that the provider uses.
 
-  In the current state of Terraform import, the resource is only imported
-  into your state file. Once it is imported, you must manually write
-  configuration for the new resource or Terraform will mark it for destruction.
-  Future versions of Terraform will expand the functionality of Terraform
-  import.
+  The current implementation of Terraform import can only import resources
+  into the state. It does not generate configuration. A future version of
+  Terraform will also generate configuration.
+
+  Because of this, prior to running terraform import it is necessary to write
+  a resource configuration block for the resource manually, to which the
+  imported object will be attached.
 
   This command will not modify your infrastructure, but it will make
   network requests to inspect parts of your infrastructure relevant to
@@ -223,6 +230,8 @@ Options:
                           If no config files are present, they must be provided
                           via the input prompts or env vars.
 
+  -allow-missing-config   Allow import when no resource configuration block exists.
+
   -input=true             Ask for input for variables if not directly set.
 
   -lock=true              Lock the state file when locking is supported.
@@ -300,9 +309,13 @@ const importCommandSuccessMsg = `Import successful!
 
 The resources that were imported are shown above. These resources are now in
 your Terraform state and will henceforth be managed by Terraform.
-
-Import does not generate configuration, so the next step is to ensure that
-the resource configurations match the current (or desired) state of the
-imported resources. You can use the output from "terraform plan" to verify that
-the configuration is correct and complete.
+`
+
+const importCommandAllowMissingResourceMsg = `Import does not generate resource configuration, you must create a resource
+configuration block that matches the current or desired state manually.
+
+If there is no matching resource configuration block for the imported
+resource, Terraform will delete the resource on the next "terraform apply".
+It is recommended that you run "terraform plan" to verify that the
+configuration is correct and complete.
 `

command/import_test.go

@@ -403,6 +403,47 @@ func TestImport_customProvider(t *testing.T) {
 	testStateOutput(t, statePath, testImportCustomProviderStr)
 }
 
+func TestImport_allowMissingResourceConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	defer testChdir(t, testFixturePath("import-missing-resource-config"))()
+
+	statePath := testTempFile(t)
+
+	p := testProvider()
+	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
+	c := &ImportCommand{
+		Meta: Meta{
+			testingOverrides: metaOverridesForProvider(p),
+			Ui:               ui,
+		},
+	}
+
+	p.ImportStateFn = nil
+	p.ImportStateReturn = []*terraform.InstanceState{
+		{
+			ID: "yay",
+			Ephemeral: terraform.EphemeralState{
+				Type: "test_instance",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	args := []string{
+		"-state", statePath,
+		"-allow-missing-config",
+		"test_instance.foo",
+		"bar",
+	}
+	if code := c.Run(args); code != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("bad: %d\n\n%s", code, ui.ErrorWriter.String())
+	}
+
+	if !p.ImportStateCalled {
+		t.Fatal("ImportState should be called")
+	}
+
+	testStateOutput(t, statePath, testImportStr)
+}
+
 func TestImport_missingResourceConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	defer testChdir(t, testFixturePath("import-missing-resource-config"))()
 

command/meta.go

@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ type Meta struct {
 	errWriter *io.PipeWriter
 	// done chan to wait for the scanner goroutine
 	errScannerDone chan struct{}
+
+	// Used with the import command to allow import of state when no matching config exists.
+	allowMissingConfig bool
 }
 
 type PluginOverrides struct {