'dict object' has no attribute 'stdout' in Ansible - ansible

Question

Could you please help me with identifying the error
'dict object' has no attribute 'stdout'
which I am getting while running an Ansible playbook. Please see the error below:
{"msg": "The conditional check '(result.stdout == 1) and (ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' or ansible_distribution == 'RedHat')' failed. The error was: error while evaluating conditional ((result.stdout == 1) and (ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' or ansible_distribution == 'RedHat')): 'dict object' has no attribute 'stdout'\n\nThe error appears to be in '/etc/ansible/playbooks/dev_patching_security_upgrade_version2.yml': line 47, column 7, but may\nbe elsewhere in the file depending on the exact syntax problem.\n\nThe offending line appears to be:\n\n\n - name: Reboot CentOS Server if Necessary\n ^ here\n"}
I am pasting the relevant part of the code below:
- name: check to see if we need a reboot in Centos
shell:
"needs-restarting; echo $?"
register: result
ignore_errors: yes
when: ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' or ansible_distribution == 'RedHat'
- name: display result
debug:
var: result.stdout
when: ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' or ansible_distribution == 'RedHat'
- name: Reboot CentOS Server if Necessary
command: shutdown -r now "Ansible Updates Triggered reboot"
become: true
async: 30
poll: 0
when: (result.stdout == 1) and (ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' or ansible_distribution == 'RedHat')
Thanks in advance

Answer 1

This is because the result set might not have a dictionary key stdout. To debug a result set you may use
- name: Show result
debug:
var: result
Since the shell module already provides the return code within the Return Values, reboot checks are simple as
- name: Check if reboot_required
shell:
cmd: "needs-restarting -r"
changed_when: false
failed_when: reboot_required.rc != 0 and reboot_required.rc != 1
check_mode: false
register: reboot_required
- name: Report reboot_required
debug:
msg: "{{ reboot_required.rc | bool }} "
changed_when: reboot_required.rc == 1
check_mode: false
and resulting into an output of in example
TASK [Report reboot_required] **************************************************
ok: [test1.example.com] => {
"msg": "True "
}
ok: [test2.example.com] => {
"msg": "False "
}
You could dense down the tasks to one by using one
needs-restarting -r || /usr/sbin/shutdown -r now "Ansible Updates Triggered reboot"
Further Q&A
How to determine if system needs a reboot?
Ansible - How to reboot the server based on condition?