Can't define the same VAR in multiple bases

[sethpollack]

cat <<'EOF' > kustomization.yaml
apiVersion: v1beta1
kind: Kustomization

bases:
- base1
- base2
EOF

cat <<'EOF' > base1/kustomization.yaml
apiVersion: v1beta1
kind: Kustomization

configMapGenerator:
- literals:
  - MY_ENV=foo
  name: example1

vars:
- fieldref:
    fieldPath: data.MY_ENV
  name: MY_ENV
  objref:
    apiVersion: v1
    kind: ConfigMap
    name: example1
EOF

cat <<'EOF' > base2/kustomization.yaml
apiVersion: v1beta1
kind: Kustomization

configMapGenerator:
- literals:
  - MY_ENV=foo
  name: example2

vars:
- fieldref:
    fieldPath: data.MY_ENV
  name: MY_ENV
  objref:
    apiVersion: v1
    kind: ConfigMap
    name: example2
EOF

This gets the following error:

Error: base2: var MY_ENV already encountered

[monopole]

A var in a base is supposed to be available in an overlay; its scope goes all the way "up".

So vars with the same name at the same level must be disallowed.

The use case described here doesn't attempt to use a var in the overlay, but they are available for use, and they collide (creating an ambiguity), so the error is legit. I suppose we could add code to detect and allow this case, but is it worth it when the fix is simply to change the var name?

[sethpollack]

Ok thanks. I can work around this. Just seemed like it was different from the way things usually work in kustomize.