.gitignore

@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 # services/docker-compose.yml carve-out above.
 **/.env
 
+# Variables set through control.sh's "Set variables" menu (HCLOUD_TOKEN,
+# BACKUP_S3_*, etc.) - never committed.
+.control.env
+
 ### Ansible ###
 *.retry
 

ansible/README.md

@@ -37,7 +37,13 @@ export BACKUP_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-secret-access-key
 export BACKUP_S3_ENDPOINT=your-s3-endpoint   # omit for real AWS S3
 ```
 
-`ansible_ssh_private_key_file` (see `group_vars/all.yml`) defaults to
+`../control.sh`'s **Set variables** menu does the same thing interactively and
+persists your answers to `../.control.env` (gitignored) so you don't have to
+re-export them every session.
+
+`deploy_user` (see `group_vars/all.yml`) defaults to `deploy` - override with
+the `DEPLOY_USER` env var if you want a different non-root user created on each
+host. `ansible_ssh_private_key_file` (same file) defaults to
 `~/.ssh/id_ed25519` - override with `ANSIBLE_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE` if you use a
 different key. It must match one of the SSH keys OpenTofu installed on the
 servers (`var.ssh_key_names`).

ansible/group_vars/all.yml

@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 ---
-# Keep in sync with infra/variables.tf's var.deploy_user (default "deploy") -
+# Non-root sudo user the bootstrap role creates on each host - purely an
-# the two aren't wired together automatically, since Ansible no longer reads
+# Ansible-side concept, OpenTofu has no equivalent variable. Override with the
-# any Terraform state or output.
+# DEPLOY_USER env var (control.sh's "Set variables" menu writes it) if you
-deploy_user: deploy
+# don't want the default.
+deploy_user: "{{ lookup('env', 'DEPLOY_USER') | default('deploy', true) }}"
 ansible_user: "{{ deploy_user }}"
 ansible_ssh_private_key_file: "{{ lookup('env', 'ANSIBLE_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE') | default('~/.ssh/id_ed25519', true) }}"
 

control.sh

@@ -7,11 +7,19 @@
 # ever runs `tofu`/`ansible-playbook` for you - it's a menu wrapper, nothing
 # more, so anything it does you can also do by hand from infra/ or ansible/.
 
+# Re-exec under bash if invoked as `sh control.sh` (or another POSIX shell) -
+# this script relies on bash-only features (indirect expansion, arrays, [[ ]])
+# that fail with cryptic errors like "bad substitution" under dash/sh.
+if [ -z "${BASH_VERSION:-}" ]; then
+  exec bash "$0" "$@"
+fi
+
 set -uo pipefail
 
 REPO_ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 INFRA_DIR="$REPO_ROOT/infra"
 ANSIBLE_DIR="$REPO_ROOT/ansible"
+CONTROL_ENV="$REPO_ROOT/.control.env"
 
 # --- pretty output --------------------------------------------------------
 if [ -t 1 ]; then
@@ -35,6 +43,32 @@ detect_tofu() {
 }
 detect_tofu
 
+# --- variable persistence --------------------------------------------------
+# Variables set via the "Set variables" menu (HCLOUD_TOKEN, BACKUP_S3_*,
+# DEPLOY_USER, ANSIBLE_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE) live in .control.env, gitignored,
+# so they survive between runs of this script. They are NOT exported into your
+# normal shell - only into control.sh's own process and whatever it runs.
+load_control_env() {
+  if [ -f "$CONTROL_ENV" ]; then
+    set -a
+    # shellcheck disable=SC1090
+    source "$CONTROL_ENV"
+    set +a
+  fi
+}
+load_control_env
+
+# Upsert KEY=VALUE into .control.env and export it into this process.
+save_var() {
+  local key="$1" val="$2"
+  touch "$CONTROL_ENV"; chmod 600 "$CONTROL_ENV"
+  local tmp; tmp="$(mktemp)"
+  grep -v "^${key}=" "$CONTROL_ENV" > "$tmp" 2>/dev/null || true
+  mv "$tmp" "$CONTROL_ENV"
+  printf '%s=%q\n' "$key" "$val" >> "$CONTROL_ENV"
+  export "${key?}=${val}"
+}
+
 # Run a command inside a directory, echoing it first. Returns the command's exit code.
 run_in() {
   local dir="$1"; shift
@@ -64,19 +98,78 @@ check_prereqs() {
   [ -n "${BACKUP_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID:-}" ]      && ok "BACKUP_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID set"      || warn "BACKUP_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID not set"
   [ -n "${BACKUP_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:-}" ]  && ok "BACKUP_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY set"  || warn "BACKUP_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY not set"
   [ -n "${BACKUP_S3_ENDPOINT:-}" ]           && ok "BACKUP_S3_ENDPOINT set"           || warn "BACKUP_S3_ENDPOINT not set (omit only for real AWS S3)"
+  ok "DEPLOY_USER: ${DEPLOY_USER:-deploy} (default 'deploy' if unset)"
 
   local key="${ANSIBLE_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE:-$HOME/.ssh/id_ed25519}"
   [ -f "${key/#\~/$HOME}" ] && ok "SSH key present ($key)" || warn "SSH key not found at $key (set ANSIBLE_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE)"
 
+  [ -f "$CONTROL_ENV" ] && ok ".control.env present (loaded above)" || warn "No .control.env yet - use Configuration > Set variables to persist the above across runs"
+
   title "Files"
   [ -f "$INFRA_DIR/terraform.tfvars" ] && ok "infra/terraform.tfvars exists" \
-    || bad "infra/terraform.tfvars missing (copy terraform.tfvars.example and fill in ssh_key_names)"
+    || bad "infra/terraform.tfvars missing (Configuration > Copy terraform.tfvars.example)"
   [ -d "$INFRA_DIR/.terraform" ] && ok "infra/.terraform exists (tofu init has run)" \
     || warn "infra/.terraform missing - run OpenTofu > init"
   if ansible-galaxy collection list hetzner.hcloud >/dev/null 2>&1; then ok "hetzner.hcloud collection installed"
   else warn "hetzner.hcloud collection not installed - run Ansible > Install collections"; fi
 }
 
+# --- configuration actions -------------------------------------------------
+# Prompts for one variable, keeping the current value if the user hits Enter.
+# $3 = true masks input and the shown current value, for tokens/secrets.
+prompt_var() {
+  local key="$1" desc="$2" secret="${3:-false}" current input shown
+  current="${!key:-}"
+  shown="$current"
+  [ "$secret" = "true" ] && [ -n "$current" ] && shown="(set, hidden)"
+  if [ "$secret" = "true" ]; then read -rsp "$desc [$shown]: " input; echo
+  else read -rp "$desc [$shown]: " input; fi
+  [ -n "$input" ] && save_var "$key" "$input"
+}
+
+set_variables() {
+  title "Set variables"
+  echo "Leave a prompt blank to keep its current value. Saved to .control.env" \
+       "(gitignored) and reloaded automatically next time you run control.sh -" \
+       "not exported to your normal shell outside of it."
+  echo
+  prompt_var HCLOUD_TOKEN                 "Hetzner Cloud API token" true
+  prompt_var DEPLOY_USER                  "Non-root deploy user Ansible creates (default: deploy)" false
+  prompt_var ANSIBLE_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE "SSH private key path (default: ~/.ssh/id_ed25519)" false
+  prompt_var BACKUP_S3_BUCKET             "S3 backup bucket name" false
+  prompt_var BACKUP_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID      "S3 backup access key ID" true
+  prompt_var BACKUP_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY  "S3 backup secret access key" true
+  prompt_var BACKUP_S3_ENDPOINT           "S3 backup endpoint (blank for real AWS S3)" false
+  ok "Variables saved."
+}
+
+copy_tfvars() {
+  local example="$INFRA_DIR/terraform.tfvars.example"
+  local target="$INFRA_DIR/terraform.tfvars"
+  if [ -f "$target" ]; then
+    warn "infra/terraform.tfvars already exists."
+    confirm "Overwrite it with a fresh copy of the example?" || return 0
+  fi
+  cp "$example" "$target"
+  ok "Copied terraform.tfvars.example -> terraform.tfvars"
+
+  local keys quoted k
+  read -rp "SSH key name(s) from Hetzner Console > Security > SSH Keys, comma-separated (blank = edit manually later): " keys
+  if [ -n "$keys" ]; then
+    quoted=""
+    IFS=',' read -ra _key_arr <<< "$keys"
+    for k in "${_key_arr[@]}"; do
+      k="$(echo "$k" | xargs)"
+      quoted+="\"$k\", "
+    done
+    quoted="${quoted%, }"
+    sed -i "s|^ssh_key_names = .*|ssh_key_names = [${quoted}]|" "$target"
+    ok "Set ssh_key_names = [${quoted}]"
+  else
+    warn "ssh_key_names still has the example's placeholder values - edit infra/terraform.tfvars before running tofu."
+  fi
+}
+
 # --- OpenTofu actions -----------------------------------------------------
 require_tofu() {
   if [ -z "$TOFU" ]; then bad "No tofu/terraform binary found."; return 1; fi
@@ -120,6 +213,7 @@ accept SSH from the vpn server's public IP, so vpn must exist and you must be
 connected to it (OpenVPN) before dev/prod are reachable.
 
 Steps, in order:
+  0. Configuration: variables + terraform.tfvars (skip if already done)
   1. OpenTofu: init -> plan -> apply   (creates servers, network, firewalls, DNS)
   2. Ansible:  bootstrap + deploy + spinup for role_vpn
   3. YOU:      connect to the VPN with an OpenVPN client
@@ -127,6 +221,14 @@ Steps, in order:
 EOF
   confirm "Start the guided walkthrough?" || return 0
 
+  echo; title "0/4  Configuration"
+  if confirm "Set/update variables now (HCLOUD_TOKEN, DEPLOY_USER, BACKUP_S3_*, SSH key path)?"; then
+    set_variables
+  fi
+  if [ ! -f "$INFRA_DIR/terraform.tfvars" ] && confirm "infra/terraform.tfvars is missing - create it from the example now?"; then
+    copy_tfvars
+  fi
+
   echo; title "1/4  OpenTofu"
   if confirm "Run $TOFU init/plan/apply now?"; then
     tofu_init && tofu_plan && tofu_apply || { bad "OpenTofu step failed - stopping."; return 1; }
@@ -158,15 +260,19 @@ menu() {
   echo "  1) Check prerequisites"
   echo "  2) Guided full setup (vpn -> connect -> dev/prod)"
 
+  title "Configuration"
+  echo "  3) Set variables (HCLOUD_TOKEN, DEPLOY_USER, BACKUP_S3_*, SSH key path)"
+  echo "  4) Copy terraform.tfvars.example -> terraform.tfvars"
+
   title "OpenTofu (infra/)"
-  echo "  3) init        4) plan        5) apply"
+  echo "  5) init        6) plan        7) apply"
-  echo "  6) output      7) destroy"
+  echo "  8) output      9) destroy"
 
   title "Ansible (ansible/)"
-  echo "  8) Install collections        9) Show inventory"
+  echo " 10) Install collections        11) Show inventory"
-  echo " 10) Bootstrap vpn             11) Deploy + spinup vpn"
+  echo " 12) Bootstrap vpn              13) Deploy + spinup vpn"
-  echo " 12) Bootstrap dev+prod        13) Deploy + spinup dev+prod"
+  echo " 14) Bootstrap dev+prod         15) Deploy + spinup dev+prod"
-  echo " 14) Spindown (choose target)"
+  echo " 16) Spindown (choose target)"
 
   echo
   echo "  0) Quit"
@@ -179,18 +285,20 @@ while true; do
   case "$choice" in
     1)  check_prereqs; pause ;;
     2)  guided; pause ;;
-    3)  tofu_init; pause ;;
+    3)  set_variables; pause ;;
-    4)  tofu_plan; pause ;;
+    4)  copy_tfvars; pause ;;
-    5)  tofu_apply; pause ;;
+    5)  tofu_init; pause ;;
-    6)  tofu_output; pause ;;
+    6)  tofu_plan; pause ;;
-    7)  tofu_destroy; pause ;;
+    7)  tofu_apply; pause ;;
-    8)  ansible_collections; pause ;;
+    8)  tofu_output; pause ;;
-    9)  ansible_inventory; pause ;;
+    9)  tofu_destroy; pause ;;
-    10) ansible_bootstrap_vpn; pause ;;
+    10) ansible_collections; pause ;;
-    11) ansible_deploy_vpn; pause ;;
+    11) ansible_inventory; pause ;;
-    12) ansible_bootstrap_dp; pause ;;
+    12) ansible_bootstrap_vpn; pause ;;
-    13) ansible_deploy_dp; pause ;;
+    13) ansible_deploy_vpn; pause ;;
-    14) ansible_spindown; pause ;;
+    14) ansible_bootstrap_dp; pause ;;
+    15) ansible_deploy_dp; pause ;;
+    16) ansible_spindown; pause ;;
     0)  echo "Bye."; exit 0 ;;
     "") ;;
     *)  warn "Unknown option: $choice"; pause ;;

readme.md

@@ -124,7 +124,12 @@ If you'd rather not remember the exact command order, [`control.sh`](control.sh)
 ./control.sh
 ```
 
-It offers a **Check prerequisites** option (tools, `HCLOUD_TOKEN`/`BACKUP_S3_*` env vars, `terraform.tfvars`, SSH key, the `hetzner.hcloud` collection), individual OpenTofu (`init`/`plan`/`apply`/`output`/`destroy`) and Ansible (bootstrap/deploy/spinup/spindown per role) actions, and a **Guided full setup** that runs everything in the firewall-imposed order — vpn first, pause for you to connect the VPN, then dev/prod. It's only a wrapper around the same `tofu` and `ansible-playbook` commands documented below, so you can always fall back to running them by hand.
+It offers a **Check prerequisites** option (tools, `HCLOUD_TOKEN`/`DEPLOY_USER`/`BACKUP_S3_*` env vars, `terraform.tfvars`, SSH key, the `hetzner.hcloud` collection), a **Configuration** section, individual OpenTofu (`init`/`plan`/`apply`/`output`/`destroy`) and Ansible (bootstrap/deploy/spinup/spindown per role) actions, and a **Guided full setup** that runs everything in the firewall-imposed order — vpn first, pause for you to connect the VPN, then dev/prod. It's only a wrapper around the same `tofu` and `ansible-playbook` commands documented below, so you can always fall back to running them by hand.
+
+The **Configuration** section covers every variable both tools need:
+
+- **Set variables** prompts for `HCLOUD_TOKEN`, `DEPLOY_USER` (the non-root user Ansible creates — defaults to `deploy`), `ANSIBLE_SSH_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE`, and the `BACKUP_S3_*` credentials, one at a time (leave blank to keep the current value, secrets are input-masked). They're saved to `.control.env` at the repo root — gitignored, never committed — which is loaded automatically the next time you run `control.sh`, so you only enter them once. This is scoped to `control.sh` itself, not your regular shell.
+- **Copy terraform.tfvars.example -> terraform.tfvars** creates `infra/terraform.tfvars` for you and prompts for `ssh_key_names` (the one required field with no default) so you don't leave the example's placeholder key names in place by accident. Everything else in that file (`location`, server types, `dns_zones`, etc.) still has sensible defaults you can edit by hand afterwards - see [Provisioning the infrastructure](#provisioning-the-infrastructure-infra) below.
 
 ## Provisioning the infrastructure (`infra/`)