diff --git a/doc/3-monitoring-basics.md b/doc/3-monitoring-basics.md
index ff884d0e4..f2510a1c2 100644
--- a/doc/3-monitoring-basics.md
+++ b/doc/3-monitoring-basics.md
@@ -517,6 +517,8 @@ The notification is ignored for services whose host name ends with `*internal`
ignore where match("*internal", host.name) || (service.vars.priority < 2 && host.vars.is_clustered == true)
}
+More advanced examples are covered [here](5-advanced-topics.md#use-functions-assign-where).
+
### Apply Services to Hosts
The sample configuration already includes a detailed example in [hosts.conf](4-configuring-icinga-2.md#hosts-conf)
diff --git a/doc/5-advanced-topics.md b/doc/5-advanced-topics.md
index 95ae6e413..de13ca4df 100644
--- a/doc/5-advanced-topics.md
+++ b/doc/5-advanced-topics.md
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ Use the `period` attribute to assign time periods to
period = "workhours"
}
+
## Use Functions in Object Configuration
There is a limited scope where functions can be used as object attributes such as:
@@ -393,6 +394,94 @@ as value for `ping_wrta`, all other hosts use 100.
assign where true
}
+### Use Functions in Assign Where Expressions
+
+If a simple expression for matching a name or checking if an item
+exists in an array or dictionary does not fit you should consider
+writing your own global [functions](18-language-reference.md#functions).
+You can call them inside `assign where` and `ignore where` expressions
+for [apply rules](3-monitoring-basics.md#using-apply-expressions) or
+[group assignments](3-monitoring-basics.md#group-assign-intro) just like
+any other global functions for example [match](19-library-reference.md#global-functions).
+
+The following example requires the host `myprinter` being added
+to the host group `printers-lexmark` but only if the host uses
+a template matching the name `lexmark*`.
+
+ template Host "lexmark-printer-host" {
+ vars.printer_type = "Lexmark"
+ }
+
+ object Host "myprinter" {
+ import "generic-host"
+ import "lexmark-printer-host"
+
+ address = "192.168.1.1"
+ }
+
+ /* register a global function for the assign where call */
+ globals.check_host_templates = function(host, search) {
+ /* iterate over all host templates and check if the search matches */
+ for (tmpl in host.templates) {
+ if (match(search, tmpl)) {
+ return true
+ }
+ }
+
+ /* nothing matched */
+ return false
+ }
+
+ object HostGroup "printers-lexmark" {
+ display_name = "Lexmark Printers"
+ /* call the global function and pass the arguments */
+ assign where check_host_templates(host, "lexmark*")
+ }
+
+
+Take a different more complex example: All hosts with the
+custom attribute `vars_app` as nested dictionary should be
+added to the host group `ABAP-app-server`. But only if the
+`app_type` for all entries is set to `ABAP`.
+
+It could read as wildcard match for nested dictionaries:
+
+ where host.vars.vars_app["*"].app_type == "ABAP"
+
+The solution for this problem is to register a global
+function which checks the `app_type` for all hosts
+with the `vars_app` dictionary.
+
+ object Host "appserver01" {
+ check_command = "dummy"
+ vars.vars_app["ABC"] = { app_type = "ABAP" }
+ }
+ object Host "appserver02" {
+ check_command = "dummy"
+ vars.vars_app["DEF"] = { app_type = "ABAP" }
+ }
+
+ globals.check_app_type = function(host, type) {
+ /* ensure that other hosts without the custom attribute do not match */
+ if (typeof(host.vars.vars_app) != Dictionary) {
+ return false
+ }
+
+ /* iterate over the vars_app dictionary */
+ for (key => val in host.vars.vars_app) {
+ /* if the value is a dictionary and if contains the app_type being the requested type */
+ if (typeof(val) == Dictionary && val.app_type == type) {
+ return true
+ }
+ }
+
+ /* nothing matched */
+ return false
+ }
+
+ object HostGroup "ABAP-app-server" {
+ assign where check_app_type(host, "ABAP")
+ }
## Access Object Attributes at Runtime