Ansible vars_prompt and msg usage prints hello world - ansible

Question

Based on input from Zeitounator I have updated the original question. The following works
root#devenv:~/scripts/uia# cat addVlanTest.yml
---
- name: PLAY 111 Add Vlan ;
hosts: all
vars_prompt:
- name: vlanIdToAdd
prompt: vlan ID to add
private: no
default: "50"
tasks:
- name: "Debug task Take 1"
ansible.builtin.debug:
var: vlanIdToAdd
- name: "Debug task Take 2"
ansible.builtin.debug:
msg: "{{ vlanIdToAdd }}"
- name: "Debug task Take 3"
ansible.builtin.debug:
msg: "Creating vlan {{ vlanIdToAdd }}"
Correct:
msg: "Creating vlan {{ vlanIdToAdd }}"
Incorrect:
msg:"Creating vlan {{ vlanIdToAdd }}"
What is the scope ? Variables do not survive after plays. If you need to use it in a different play save it.
root#devenv:~/scripts/uia# cat addVlanTest.yml
---
- name: PLAY 111 Add Vlan ;
hosts: all
vars_prompt:
- name: vlanIdToAdd
prompt: vlan ID to add
private: no
default: "50"
tasks:
- name: "Debug vars Take 1"
debug:
var=vlanIdToAdd
- name: "Debug vars Take 1"
set_fact:
new_vlan_id="{{ vlanIdToAdd }}"
- name: PLAY 112 Add Vlan - IOS;
hosts: ios
tasks:
- name: "Debug vars Take 2"
debug:
var=new_vlan_id

Answer 1

As reported in my comment, vars_prompt are only available inside a given play as this is their scope. This is explained in plabooks variable documentation
From my suggestion, you have tried to use set_fact. As you will see in the same documentation, those vars are scoped to host and are only available while playing a task on host having the given fact. Meanwhile, you can access facts from other host using the hostvars magic variable
Here is one way to work arround this kind of chicken-egg problem. It might not be exactly what you are looking for but will hopefully give you some ideas for your best solution. I tried to make it self explanatory.
The following test.yml playbook:
---
- name: Play dedicated to vars_prompt and storing facts in localhost
hosts: localhost
gather_facts: false
vars_prompt:
- name: my_prompt
prompt: enter a value
private: no
tasks:
- name: store prompt in fact
set_fact:
my_prompt: "{{ my_prompt }}"
- name: Use fact on host a by directly calling it in a task
hosts: a
gather_facts: false
tasks:
- name: display the fact
debug:
msg: "{{ hostvars['localhost'].my_prompt }}"
- name: Use the fact on host b by first assigning to a play var
hosts: b
gather_facts: false
vars:
my_prompt: "{{ hostvars['localhost'].my_prompt }}"
tasks:
- name: display the fact
debug:
msg: "{{ my_prompt }}"
Gives:
$ ansible-playbook -i a,b, test.yml
enter a value: toto
PLAY [Play dedicated to vars_prompt and storing facts in localhost] ************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [store prompt in fact] ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
PLAY [Use fact on host a by directly calling it in a task] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [display the fact] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [a] => {
"msg": "toto"
}
PLAY [Use the fact on host b by first assigning to a play var] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [display the fact] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [b] => {
"msg": "toto"
}
PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
a : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
b : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
localhost : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
Meanwhile, if this is possible in your scenario, you can as well set the fact on all hosts in your inventory so as to reuse it anywhere, this makes a much simpler playbook:
---
- name: Play dedicated to vars_prompt and storing facts on all host (except implicit localhost)
hosts: all
gather_facts: false
vars_prompt:
- name: my_prompt
prompt: enter a value
private: no
tasks:
- name: store prompt in fact
set_fact:
my_prompt: "{{ my_prompt }}"
- name: Use fact on host a
hosts: a
gather_facts: false
tasks:
- name: display the fact
debug:
msg: "{{ my_prompt }}"
- name: Use the fact on host b
hosts: b
gather_facts: false
tasks:
- name: display the fact
debug:
msg: "{{ my_prompt }}"
- name: Simple demo implicit localhost is not part of the all group and does not have the fact
hosts: localhost
gather_facts: false
tasks:
- name: show fact is undefined on localhost
debug:
var: my_prompt
Gives:
$ ansible-playbook -i a,b, test.yml
enter a value: titi
PLAY [Play dedicated to vars_prompt and storing facts on all host (except implicit localhost)] ********************************************************************************************************************
TASK [store prompt in fact] ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [a]
ok: [b]
PLAY [Use fact on host a] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [display the fact] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [a] => {
"msg": "titi"
}
PLAY [Use the fact on host b] *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [display the fact] *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [b] => {
"msg": "titi"
}
PLAY [Simple demo implicit localhost is not part of the all group and does not have the fact] *********************************************************************************************************************
TASK [show fact is undefined on localhost] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"my_prompt": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
}
PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
a : ok=2 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
b : ok=2 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
localhost : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0