Install ReFrame in a virtual environment if it's not available

ansible/playbooks/README.md

@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ all functionality for installing the EESSI compatibility layer. It performs the
  - add a given overlay to the installation;
  - use the Portage configuration files from that overlay, if applicable, by making symlinks to them;
  - install a given list of package sets;
- - install a given list of additional packages.
+ - install a given list of additional packages;
+ - test the installation using ReFrame.
 
 The playbook `install.yml` will execute this role on a given server. 
 Note that if you want the role to install Gentoo Prefix, this particular task currently only supports Linux distributions based on RHEL 8 on the installation host.
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ Before running the playbook, make sure the following settings are correct, and o
 | prefix_locales | List of locales to be generated |
 | package_sets | List of package sets to be installed |
 | prefix_packages | List of additional packages to be installed |
+| reframe_venv | Path where a virtual environment will be created for the ReFrame installation |
 | symlinks_to_host | List of paths that should get a symlink to the corresponding host path |
 
 ### Logging

ansible/playbooks/roles/compatibility_layer/defaults/main.yml

@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ package_sets:
 
 prefix_packages:
 
+reframe_venv_dir: /tmp/reframe_venv
+
 # List of locations that should get a symlink $EPREFIX/$LOCATION -> $LOCATION.
 # This ensures that things like user/group ids are correct/looked up in the right way in the Prefix environment.
 symlinks_to_host:

ansible/playbooks/roles/compatibility_layer/tasks/test.yml

@@ -2,16 +2,32 @@
 # of the compatibility layer installation.
 ---
 
+- name: Check if ReFrame is installed
+  ansible.builtin.command: reframe --version >/dev/null 2>&1
+  register: reframe_exists
+  ignore_errors: true
+  changed_when: false
+  tags:
+    - test
+
+- name: Install Reframe using pip if it's not installed yet
+  ansible.builtin.pip:
+    name: ReFrame-HPC
+    virtualenv: "{{ reframe_venv_dir }}"
+    virtualenv_command: python3 -m venv
+  when: reframe_exists.rc != 0
+
 - name: Copy ReFrame test file
   ansible.builtin.copy:
     src: "{{ playbook_dir }}/../../test/compat_layer.py"
-    dest: /tmp/compat_layer.py
+    dest: "{{ reframe_venv_dir }}/compat_layer.py"
     mode: 0644
   tags:
     - test
 
 - name: Run ReFrame tests
-  ansible.builtin.command: reframe -r -v -c /tmp/compat_layer.py
+  ansible.builtin.command:
+    cmd: "{{ reframe_venv_dir + '/bin/' if reframe_exists.rc != 0 else '' }}reframe -r -v -c {{ reframe_venv_dir }}/compat_layer.py"
   environment:
     EESSI_VERSION: "{{ eessi_version }}"
     EESSI_OS: "{{ eessi_host_os }}"