gistfile1.txt

local:  
----------  
          ID: motd-base-source  
    Function: file.managed  
        Name: /etc/motd  
      Result: None  
     Comment: The file /etc/motd is set to be changed  
     Started: 15:09:16.698367  
    Duration: 26.98 ms  
     Changes:     
              ----------  
              diff:  
                  ---  
                  +++  
                  @@ -1,7 +1,16 @@  
                  -Welcome to saltlab02!  
                  +*********************************************************************  
                  +  Welcome to saltlab02  
  
                  -This is a template getting foo from the pillar, currently with no  
                  -conditional: bar  
                  +*** TAKE NOTE: This is a Salt minion. Changes made here might not ***  
                  +*** stick the next time Salt runs! If in doubt, check with the    ***  
                  +*** systems team:  <syseng@peerlessnetwork.com>                   ***  
  
                  -Here we try to source the OS name from grains; OS is Debian  
  
                  +  
                  +  
                  +  
                  +  
                  +Last updated: DATE  
                  +*********************************************************************  
                  +  
                  +  
----------  
          ID: motd-date  
    Function: file.replace  
        Name: /etc/motd  
      Result: True  
     Comment: No changes needed to be made  
     Started: 15:09:16.728809  
    Duration: 2.343 ms  
     Changes:  
  
Summary  
------------  
Succeeded: 2 (unchanged=1, changed=1)  
Failed:    0  
------------  
Total states run:     2  

init.sls

{% set mydate = salt['cmd.run_stdout']('date') %}

motd-base-source:
  file.managed:
    - name: /etc/motd
    - template: jinja
    - source:
      - salt://motd/templates/motd.jinja
      - salt://motd/files/motd.fallback

motd-date:
  file.replace:
    - name: /etc/motd
    - pattern: DATE
    - repl: {{ mydate }}
    - show_changes: True

templates..motd.jinja

*********************************************************************
  Welcome to {{ grains['fqdn'] }}

*** TAKE NOTE: This is a Salt minion. Changes made here might not ***
*** stick the next time Salt runs! If in doubt, check with the    ***
*** systems team:  <syseng@peerlessnetwork.com>                   ***

{# mjinks: current goal here is to insert a statement, "this host last #}
{# updated `date`.                                                     #}
{# salt.states.file.blockreplace and salt.modules.cmdmod are the       #}
{# syllabus.                                                           #}

Last updated: DATE
*********************************************************************