Load Nested Files With host_group_vars Plugin From Custom Locations - ansible

Question

I am trying to create ansible role to generate kubernetes deployment with ansible. I want all customization to be stored in var files and be loaded automatically during group_vars and host_vars loading. I end up with following nested structure of files:
group_vars/my_group.yml:
applications:
application_foo: "{{ lookup('template', inventory_dir + '/applications/application_foo.yml') | from_yaml }}"
applications/application_foo.yml:
deployments:
application_foo:
deployment:
{{ lookup('template', inventory_dir + '/deployment_vars/deployment_foo.yml') | to_nice_yaml | indent(6)}}
replicas: 1
deployment_vars/deployment_foo.yml:
containers:
conteiner_bar:
container:
{{ lookup('template',inventory_dir + '/container_vars/container_bar.yml') | to_nice_yaml | indent(6) }}
container_baz:
container:
{{ lookup('template',inventory_dir + '/container_vars/container_baz.yml') | to_nice_yaml | indent(6) }}
container_vars/container_bar.yml:
container_vars/container_baz.yml:
image_url: "https://example.com/image_bar"
cpu_requests: "1"
memory_requests: "512Mi"
cpu_limit: "2"
memory_limit: "1024Mi"
readinessProbe:
exec:
command:
- "sh"
- "-c"
- "true"
playbooks/test-playbook.yml:
- hosts: my_group
gather_facts: False
tasks:
- debug:
msg: "{{ applications['application_foo']['deployments']['application_foo']['deployment']['containers']['container_bar']['cpu_requests'] }}"
delegate_to: localhost
When I run playbook it complains that deployment var is of str type and therefore can't have children objects:
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => {
"msg": "The task includes an option with an undefined variable. The error was: 'str object' has no attribute 'containers'\n\nThe error appears to have been in '/tmp/so_question/playbooks/test-playbook.yml': line 4, column 7, but may\nbe elsewhere in the file depending on the exact syntax problem.\n\nThe offending line appears to be:\n\n tasks:\n - debug:\n ^ here\n"
}
I want layers to be reusable for cases where container or deployment are required by another application so don't want to put everything in one file.
Any suggestions how to fix this issue or how to achieve same nested loading in other way?
UPD: when I cut string in playbook to end on deployment (like this msg: "{{ applications['application_foo']['deployments']['application_foo']['deployment'] }}") it gives following line which after newline substitution does not look like valid yaml:
containers:
conteiner_bar:
container:
\"image_url: \\\"https://example.com/image_bar\\\"\
cpu_requests: \\\"1\\\"\
memory_requests:\\
\\ \\\"512Mi\\\"\
cpu_limit: \\\"2\\\"\
memory_limit: \\\"1024Mi\\\"\
readinessProbe:\
exec:\
\\
\\ command:\
- \\\"sh\\\"\
- \\\"-c\\\"\
- \\\"true\\\"\
\"
container_baz:
container:
\"image_url: \\\"https://example.com/image_bar\\\"\
cpu_requests: \\\"1\\\"\
memory_requests:\\
\\ \\\"512Mi\\\"\
cpu_limit: \\\"2\\\"\
memory_limit: \\\"1024Mi\\\"\
readinessProbe:\
exec:\
\\
\\ command:\
- \\\"sh\\\"\
- \\\"-c\\\"\
- \\\"true\\\"\
\"
I wondering why indent filter does not indents all lines. Am I using it correctly?

Answer 1

Ended up with following workaround: Moved all files containing defaults to group_vars/all to make them loaded automatically and used vars lookup for nesting:
$ find group_vars/
group_vars/
group_vars/all
group_vars/all/10_container_bar.yml
group_vars/all/20_deployment_foo.yml
group_vars/all/30_application_foo.yml
group_vars/all/10_container_baz.yml
group_vars/my_group.yml
group_vars/my_group.yml:
applications:
application_foo: "{{ lookup('vars', 'defaults_application_application_foo') }}"
group_vars/all/30_application_foo.yml:
defaults_application_application_foo:
deployments:
application_foo:
deployment: "{{ lookup('vars', 'defaults_deployment_deployment_foo') }}"
replicas: 1
And so on...
Still not clear why template thing didn't work. Leaving this question open.