# File lib/mcollective/discovery/flatfile.rb, line 7
      def self.discover(filter, timeout, limit=0, client=nil)
        unless client.options[:discovery_options].empty?
          file = client.options[:discovery_options].first
        else
          raise "The flatfile discovery method needs a path to a text file"
        end

        raise "Cannot read the file %s specified as discovery source" % file unless File.readable?(file)

        discovered = []
        hosts = []

        File.readlines(file).each do |host|
          host = host.chomp.strip
          if host.empty? || host.match(/^#/)
            next
          end
          raise 'Identities can only match /^[\w\.\-]+$/' unless host.match(/^[\w\.\-]+$/)
          hosts << host
        end

        # this plugin only supports identity filters, do regex matches etc against
        # the list found in the flatfile
        if !(filter["identity"].empty?)
          filter["identity"].each do |identity|
            identity = Regexp.new(identity.gsub("\/", "")) if identity.match("^/")

            if identity.is_a?(Regexp)
              discovered = hosts.grep(identity)
            elsif hosts.include?(identity)
              discovered << identity
            end
          end
        else
          discovered = hosts
        end

        discovered
      end