Ansible host file how to provide # in ansible_ssh_pass - ansible

Question

I am new to ansible. I am facing a problem in hosts file. error output is below.
My question is : How do I escape the # in the ansible_ssh_pass.
I tried with ansible_ssh_pass="airtel\#121" and ansible_ssh_pass=airtel\#121 without double quotes both ways. it is throwing the error.
ansible version: ansible-playbook 2.9.6
host file entry is as below:
[devices]
10.10.10.10 ansible_ssh_user="abcd" ansible_ssh_pass="airtel#121"
playbook is as below:
- name: Cisco show version example
hosts: devices
gather_facts: false
ansible_connection: ansible.netcommon.network_cli
ansible_network_os: cisco.ios.ios
ansible_become: yes
ansible_become_method: enable
tasks:
- name: run show version on the routers
ios_command:
commands:
- show version
register: output
- name: print output
debug:
var: output.stdout_lines
Getting error as below.
xxxx#xxxx:/etc/ansible/playbooks# ansible-playbook check_connectivity_temp.yml -vvvv
ansible-playbook 2.9.6
config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
configured module search path = ['/root/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible
executable location = /usr/bin/ansible-playbook
python version = 3.8.10 (default, Mar 15 2022, 12:22:08) [GCC 9.4.0]
Using /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg as config file
setting up inventory plugins
host_list declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Parsed /etc/ansible/hosts inventory source with ini plugin
Loading callback plugin default of type stdout, v2.0 from /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible/plugins/callback/default.py
PLAYBOOK: check_connectivity_temp.yml ***************************************************************************************
Positional arguments: check_connectivity_temp.yml
verbosity: 4
connection: smart
timeout: 10
become_method: sudo
tags: ('all',)
inventory: ('/etc/ansible/hosts',)
forks: 5
1 plays in check_connectivity_temp.yml
PLAY [Cisco show version example] *******************************************************************************************
META: ran handlers
TASK [run show version on the routers] **************************************************************************************
task path: /etc/ansible/playbooks/check_connectivity_temp.yml:14
<10.10.10.10> attempting to start connection
<10.10.10.10> using connection plugin ansible.netcommon.network_cli
<10.10.10.10> local domain socket does not exist, starting it
<10.10.10.10> control socket path is /root/.ansible/pc/aaec916454
<10.10.10.10> local domain socket listeners started successfully
<10.10.10.10> loaded cliconf plugin ansible_collections.cisco.ios.plugins.cliconf.ios from path /root/.ansible/collections/ansible_collections/cisco/ios/plugins/cliconf/ios.py for network_os cisco.ios.ios
<10.10.10.10> ssh type is set to auto
<10.10.10.10> autodetecting ssh_type
[WARNING]: ansible-pylibssh not installed, falling back to paramiko
<10.10.10.10> ssh type is now set to paramiko
<10.10.10.10>
<10.10.10.10> local domain socket path is /root/.ansible/pc/aaec916454
fatal: [10.10.10.10]: FAILED! => {
"changed": false,
"msg": "Failed to authenticate: Authentication failed."
}
PLAY RECAP ******************************************************************************************************************
10.10.10.10 : ok=0 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=1 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
My question is : How do I escape the # in the ansible_ssh_pass.

Answer 1

Put the hash character '#' into an expression {{ '#' }}. For example,
- debug:
var: ssh_pass
vars:
ssh_pass: "airtel{{ '#' }}121"
gives
ssh_pass: airtel#121