I have a very simple play which saves vars and looks them up in hostvars.
- name: Set hostvars
hosts: localhost
vars:
var_one: "I am a"
var_two: "test"
tasks:
- debug: var=hostvars['localhost']['var_one']
- debug: var=hostvars['localhost']['var_two']
However, when I run this play the vars aren't defined:
PLAY [Set hostvars] ************************************************************
TASK [setup] *******************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"hostvars['localhost']['var_one']": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
}
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"hostvars['localhost']['var_two']": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
}
How can I save these vars in hostvars?
You can set host facts runtime using set_fact module:
---
- name: Set hostvars
hosts: localhost
tasks:
- set_fact: var_one="I am a"
- set_fact: var_two="test"
- debug: var=hostvars['localhost']['var_one']
- debug: var=hostvars['localhost']['var_two']
Quoting the documentation:
These variables will survive between plays during an Ansible run, but will not be saved across executions even if you use a fact cache.
This is where the difference between facts (variables bound to Ansible target hosts) and regular variables can be seen.
Variables are internally stored in vars structure, so you can access them with:
tasks:
- debug: var=vars['var_one']
- debug: var=vars['var_two']
Facts, on the other hand are stored in hostvars.
In either case, unless you were referring to a variable name with a dynamic name, or a fact bound to another host than the one executing the task, you can simply use the variable/fact name by using its name:
tasks:
- debug: var=var_one
- debug: var=var_two
Try using
msg=
instead of var=. As per help of debug module
var - A variable name to debug. Mutually exclusive with the 'msg' option.
- name: Set hostvars
hosts: localhost
vars:
var_one: I am a
var_two: est
tasks:
- debug: msg=hostvars['localhost']['var_one']
- debug: msg=hostvars['localhost']['var_two']
...
PLAY [Set hostvars] ************************************************************
TASK [setup] *******************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "hostvars['localhost']['var_one']"
}
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "hostvars['localhost']['var_two']"
}
PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
localhost : ok=3 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0
Related
I created a "main" playbook that create and deploy a complex application let's say an entire house.
The "main" looks like this :
- hosts: host1
roles:
- { role: role1 }
- hosts: host2
roles:
- { role: role2 }
- hosts: localhost
roles:
- { role: role3 }
- { role: role4 }
- { role: role5 }
- { role: role6 }
I would like now to be able to deploy multiple houses using a CSV as input, containing my variables.
I was expecting to just import that "main" playbook, and loop over my CSV so that I can create multiple houses.
Based on the documentation I'm not able to loop using import_playbook, so I'm a stuck on how I could use this "main" for multiple creations in series.
Has anybody been in that situation or has an idea on how I could resolve this ?
You can use the csvfile lookup to read data from CSV files.
Example CSV file roles.csv:
host1,role1
host2,role2
localhost,role3 role4 role5 role6
Create mock-up roles:
for i in {1,2,3,4,5,6}; do
mkdir -p roles/role$i/tasks &&
echo "- debug: msg=\"role$i\"" > roles/role$i/tasks/main.yaml
done
And in the playbook you use the include_role syntax instead of roles, because include_role can be used in a loop. By this you can loop over the array read from the CSV file.
---
- hosts: localhost
connection: local
tasks:
- name: Use role in loop
include_role:
name: '{{ roleinputvar }}'
loop: "{{ lookup('csvfile', inventory_hostname + ' file=roles.csv delimiter=,').split(' ') }}"
loop_control:
loop_var: roleinputvar
connection: local is just for this example.
When run the roles 3 to 6 are executed:
$ ansible-playbook roles.yaml
[WARNING]: provided hosts list is empty, only localhost is available. Note that the
implicit localhost does not match 'all'
PLAY [localhost] **********************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [Use role in loop] ***************************************************************
TASK [role3 : debug] ******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "role3"
}
TASK [role4 : debug] ******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "role4"
}
TASK [role5 : debug] ******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "role5"
}
TASK [role6 : debug] ******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "role6"
}
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************
localhost : ok=5 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0
I'm using the latest version of Ansible, and I am trying to use a default variable in role-one used on host one, in role-two, used on host two, but I can't get it to work.
Nothing I have found in the documentation or on StackOverflow has really helped. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Ideally I want to set the value of the variable once, and be able to use it in another role for any host in my playbook.
I've broken it down below.
In my inventory I have a hosts group called [test] which has two hosts aliased as one and two.
[test]
one ansible_host=10.0.1.10 ansible_connection=ssh ansible_user=centos ansible_ssh_private_key_file=<path_to_key>
two ansible_host=10.0.1.20 ansible_connection=ssh ansible_user=centos ansible_ssh_private_key_file=<path_to_key>
I have a single playbook with a play for each of these hosts and I supply the hosts: value as "{{ host_group }}[0]" for host one and "{{ host_group }}[1]" for host two.
The play for host one uses a role called role-one and the play for host two uses a role called role-two.
- name: Test Sharing Role Variables
hosts: "{{ host_group }}[0]"
roles:
- ../../ansible-roles/role-one
- name: Test Sharing Role Variables
hosts: "{{ host_group }}[1]"
roles:
- ../../ansible-roles/role-two
In role-one I have set a variable variable-one.
---
# defaults file for role-one
variable_one: Role One Variable
I want to use the value of variable_one in a template in role-two but I haven't had any luck. I'm using the below as a task in role-two to test and see if the variable is getting "picked-up".
---
# tasks file for role-two
- debug:
msg: "{{ variable_one }}"
When I run the playbook with ansible-playbook test.yml --extra-vars "host_group=test" I get the below failure.
TASK [../../ansible-roles/role-two : debug] ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
fatal: [two]: FAILED! => {"msg": "The task includes an option with an undefined variable. The error was: \"hostvars['test']\" is undefined\n\nThe error appears to be in 'ansible-roles/role-two/tasks/main.yml': line 3, column 3, but may\nbe elsewhere in the file depending on the exact syntax problem.\n\nThe offending line appears to be:\n\n# tasks file for role-two\n- debug:\n ^ here\n"}
Variables declared in roles are scoped to the play. If you want to access a variable from role-one in role-two, they would both need to be in the same play. For example, you could write:
- name: Test Sharing Role Variables
hosts: "{{ host_group }}"
tasks:
- import_role:
name: role-one
when: inventory_hostname == "one"
- import_role:
name: role-two
when: inventory_hostname == "two"
Alternatively, you could restructure your roles so that the variables can be imported separately from your actions. That is, have a role_one_vars role that does nothing but define variables, and then you can import that in both role-one and role-two. That is, you would have a structure something like:
playbook.yml
hosts
roles/
role-one/
tasks/
main.yml
role-one-vars/
variables/
main.yml
role-two/
tasks/
main.yml
And role-one/tasks/main.yml would look like:
- import_role:
name: role-one-vars
- debug:
msg: "in role-one: {{ variable_one }}"
role-two/tasks/main.yml would look like:
---
- import_role:
name: role-one-vars
- debug:
msg: "in role-two: {{ variable_one }}"
And role-one-vars/vars/main.yml would look like:
---
variable_one: role one variable
Putting this all together, the output looks like:
PLAY [Test Sharing Role Variables] *****************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [one]
TASK [role-one : debug] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [one] => {
"msg": "in role-one: role one variable"
}
PLAY [Test Sharing Role Variables] *****************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [two]
TASK [role-two : debug] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [two] => {
"msg": "in role-two: role one variable"
}
PLAY RECAP *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
one : ok=2 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
two : ok=2 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
Q: "Access variable from one role in another role in an Ansible playbook with multiple hosts"
A: Short answer: Use set_fact and put the variable into the hostvars.
Details: Given the roles
shell> cat roles/role-one/defaults/main.yml
variable_one: Role One Variable
shell> cat roles/role-one/tasks/main.yml
- debug:
var: variable_one
shell> cat roles/role-two/tasks/main.yml
- debug:
var: variable_one
The playbook
- hosts: one
roles:
- role-one
tasks:
- debug:
var: variable_one
- hosts: two
roles:
- role-two
- hosts: one
tasks:
- debug:
var: variable_one
gives (abridged)
PLAY [one] ************************************************
TASK [role-one : debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
TASK [debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
PLAY [two] ************************************************
TASK [role-two : debug] ****
ok: [two] =>
variable_one: VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!
PLAY [one] ************************************************
TASK [debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!
As expected, the variable variable_one is visible to the tasks in the first play. But, there is no reason the variable should be visible to the host two in the second play. The variable is not visible also to the same host in the third play because it hasn't been stored in the hostvars aka "instantiated". The playbook below
- hosts: one
roles:
- role-one
tasks:
- debug:
var: variable_one
- set_fact:
variable_one: "{{ variable_one }}"
- hosts: two
roles:
- role-two
- hosts: one
tasks:
- debug:
var: variable_one
gives (abridged)
PLAY [one] ************************************************
TASK [role-one : debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
TASK [debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
TASK [set_fact] ****
ok: [one]
PLAY [two] ************************************************
TASK [role-two : debug] ****
ok: [two] =>
variable_one: VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!
PLAY [one] ************************************************
TASK [debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
Now, the variable is visible to the host one in the whole playbook and can be visible to other hosts using hostvars as well. For example, the playbook below
- hosts: one
roles:
- role-one
tasks:
- debug:
var: variable_one
- set_fact:
variable_one: "{{ variable_one }}"
- hosts: two
tasks:
- set_fact:
variable_one: "{{ hostvars.one.variable_one }}"
- include_role:
name: role-two
gives (abridged)
PLAY [one] ************************************************
TASK [role-one : debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
TASK [debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
TASK [set_fact] ****
ok: [one]
PLAY [two] ************************************************
TASK [set_fact] ****
ok: [two]
TASK [include_role : role-two] ****
TASK [role-two : debug] ****
ok: [two] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
The problem with the above setting is that the host referencing hostvars is hardcoded. A better approach is to "instantiate" the variable in the first play for all hosts. For example, add a dummy task to the role
shell> cat roles/role-one/tasks/noop.yml
- meta: noop
Then, in the first play, include all hosts, run_once import the role, run the dummy task only, and "instantiate" the variable for all hosts. For example
- hosts: all
tasks:
- import_role:
name: role-one
tasks_from: noop.yml
run_once: true
- set_fact:
variable_one: "{{ variable_one }}"
run_once: true
- hosts: two
roles:
- role-two
- hosts: one
roles:
- role-two
gives (abridged)
PLAY [all] ************************************************
TASK [set_fact] ****
ok: [one]
PLAY [two] ************************************************
TASK [role-two : debug] ****
ok: [two] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
PLAY [one] ************************************************
TASK [role-two : debug] ****
ok: [one] =>
variable_one: Role One Variable
I trying to set an environment variable for an ansible play.
Based on this, I should be able to do something like:
---
- hosts: localhost
connection: local
environment:
test_var: "a vault here"
tasks:
- debug:
msg: "Test var is: {{lookup('env', 'test_var')}}"
- debug:
msg: "Home is here {{lookup('env', 'HOME')}}"
But I am clearly missing something or encountered a bug?
osboxes#osboxes:~$ ansible-playbook --version
ansible-playbook 2.9.6
<snip...>
osboxes#osboxes:~$ ansible-playbook test.yaml
<snip...>
TASK [debug] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "Test var is: " # where is the env variable?
}
TASK [debug] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "Home is here /home/osboxes"
}
When you set env using environment plugin, you do not affect the ansible session which is already running.
You would have to do as follow:
---
- hosts: localhost
connection: local
environment:
test_var: "a vault here"
tasks:
- shell: echo $test_var
register: test_var
- debug:
msg: "Test var is: {{ test_var.stdout }}"
- debug:
msg: "Home is here {{lookup('env', 'HOME')}}"
The above playbook would return the following output:
PLAY [localhost] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] **********************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [shell] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
changed: [localhost]
TASK [debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "Test var is: a vault here"
}
TASK [debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "Home is here /home/ps"
}
PLAY RECAP **********************************************************************************************************************************************************
localhost : ok=4 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
Note: See this link to official documents.
When you set a value with environment: at the play or block level, it
is available only to tasks within the play or block that are executed
by the same user. The environment: keyword does not affect Ansible
itself, Ansible configuration settings, the environment for other
users, or the execution of other plugins like lookups and filters.
Variables set with environment: do not automatically become Ansible
facts, even when you set them at the play level. You must include an
explicit gather_facts task in your playbook and set the environment
keyword on that task to turn these values into Ansible facts.
Important points to highlight in the above text:
The environment: keyword does not affect Ansible itself, Ansible
configuration settings, the environment for other users, or the
execution of other plugins like lookups and filters
I have a nested ansible playbook (master) file and I want to call included playbook (slave) with their own JSON vars.
Master.yaml
- name: this is a play at the top level of a file
hosts: local
connection: local
tasks:
- debug: msg=hello
- include: slave_first.yaml
- include: slave_second.yaml
slave_first.yaml should make use of "vars/slave_first_vars.json" file and slave_second.yaml should make use of "vars/slave_second_vars.json" file.
When including playbooks you can only override variables with vars statement, like:
- include: slave_first.yaml
vars:
myvar: foo
- include: slave_second.yaml
vars:
myvar: foo
There are no other options for PlaybookInclude.
If you need to load variables from files, you have to use vars_files or include_vars inside your slave playbooks.
In your scenario, I'll use like this, master.yml:
- hosts: localhost
connection: local
tasks:
- include: slave_first.yml
vars:
VAR_FILE: "slave_first_vars"
- include: slave_second.yml
vars:
VAR_FILE: "slave_second_vars"
While slave_first.yml and slave_second.yml are like this, in my case both are same but you get an idea that how you can use them:
slave_first.yml:
---
- include_vars: "{{ VAR_FILE }}.yml"
- debug:
msg: "{{ DOMAIN_NAME }}"
slave_second.yml:
---
- include_vars: "{{ VAR_FILE }}.yml"
- debug:
msg: "{{ DOMAIN_NAME }}"
Now come to the different variable part:
slave_first_vars.yml: in your case it will be json
---
DOMAIN_NAME: "first.com"
slave_second_vars.yml:
---
DOMAIN_NAME: "second.com"
Then you can run and verify that if work as expected:
➤ansible-playbook -i localhost, master.yml
PLAY [localhost] **********************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] **********************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [include_vars] **********************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [debug] **********************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"changed": false,
"msg": "first.com"
}
TASK [include_vars] **********************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [debug] **********************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"changed": false,
"msg": "second.com"
}
PLAY RECAP **********************************************************************************
localhost : ok=5 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0
Hope that might help you!
I'm trying to access the variable called "count" from the first "play" in my playbook in the second playbook. I found some other posts here about the same issue and I thought I was following the right steps, but the code below is still failing.
The Code
- hosts: group1
tasks:
- name: count registrations on primary node
shell: psql -U widgets widgets -c 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM location' -t
register: count
- debug: var=count.stdout
- hosts: group2
tasks:
#the line below works...
# - debug: msg={{ hostvars['myserver1.mydomain.com']['count']['stdout'] }}
# but this one fails
- debug: msg={{ hostvars['group1']['count']['stdout'] }}
This produces the following output:
PLAY ***************************************************************************
TASK [setup] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com]
TASK [count registrations on node] **************************************
changed: [myserver1.mydomain.com]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com] => {
"count.stdout": " 2"
}
PLAY ***************************************************************************
TASK [setup] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver2.mydomain.com]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
fatal: [myserver1.mydomain.com]: FAILED! => {"failed": true, "msg": "'ansible.vars.hostvars.HostVars object' has no attribute 'can_sip1'"}
NO MORE HOSTS LEFT *************************************************************
[ERROR]: Could not create retry file 'playbooks/test.retry'. The error was: [Errno 13] Permission denied: 'playbooks/test.retry'
PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
myserver1.mydomain.com : ok=3 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=0
myserver2.mydomain.com : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=1
The other post that I referring to is found here:
How do I set register a variable to persist between plays in ansible?
It's probably something simple, but I can't see where the bug lies.
Thanks.
EDIT 1
I've also tried to use set_fact like this:
- hosts: group1
tasks:
- name: count registrations on primary node
shell: psql -U widget widget -c 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM location' -t
register: result
- debug: var=result.stdout
- set_fact: the_count=result.stdout
- debug: var={{the_count}}
- hosts: group2
tasks:
- name: retrieve variable from previous play
shell: echo hello
- debug: var={{hostvars}}
The results I get are:
PLAY ***************************************************************************
TASK [setup] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com]
TASK [count reg on primary] ****************************************************
changed: [myserver1.mydomain.com]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com] => {
"result.stdout": " 2"
}
TASK [set_fact] ****************************************************************
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com] => {
"result.stdout": " 2"
}
PLAY ***************************************************************************
TASK [setup] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver2.mydomain.com]
TASK [retrieve variable from previous play] ************************************
changed: [myserver2.mydomain.com]
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [myserver2.mydomain.com] => {
"<ansible.vars.hostvars.HostVars object at 0x7f3b6602b290>": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
}
PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************
myserver1.mydomain.com : ok=5 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=0
myserver2.mydomain.com : ok=3 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=0
So It looks like there are no objects in the hostvars...
EDIT 3
This is what the playbook looks like this morning.
- hosts: group1
tasks:
- name: count reg on primary
shell: psql -U widgets widgets -c 'SELECT COUNT(*) FROM location' -t
register: result
- debug: var=result.stdout
- set_fact: the_count={{result.stdout}}
- debug: var={{the_count}}
- hosts: group2
tasks:
- name: retrieve variable from previous play
shell: echo hello
- debug: var={{hostvars}}
The "debug: var={{the_count}}" line from the first play prints out the correct value for the count but it also says the VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED... like so:
TASK [set_fact] ****************************************************************
task path: /etc/ansible/playbooks/test.yml:8
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com] => {"ansible_facts": {"the_count": " 2"}, "changed": false, "invocation": {"module_args": {"the_count": " 2"}, "module_name": "set_fact"}}
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
task path: /etc/ansible/playbooks/test.yml:10
ok: [myserver1.mydomain.com] => {
" 2": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
}
And then once I hit the second play, I still get the message
TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
task path: /etc/ansible/playbooks/test.yml:16
ok: [myserver2.mydomain.com] => {
"<ansible.vars.hostvars.HostVars object at 0x7fb077fdc310>": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
}
In your example, you are suggestion that I use "debug: var={{hostlers}}". If you can clarify that for me please. It looks like it's a typo.
EDIT 4:
If you take a look at Edit 3 carefully, you will see that I have implemented "debug:var={{hostvars}}" as you suggest in your answer. But it gives me the same error that the variable is not defined.
I'm not just trying to pass variables from one play to another.. but from one set of hosts to another. Notice how play 1 uses group1 and play two applies only to group2.
Register variables, like facts, are per host. The values can differ depending on the machine. So you can only use host/ip defined in the inventory as key, not the group name. I think you have already knowed this, as you marked this in code snippet 1.
In the code snippet 2, the set_fact line (- set_fact: the_count=result.stdout) actually set the key the_count to the text value result.stdout, since result.stdout is treated as plain text, not a variable. If you want to treat it as a variable, you'd better use {{ result.stdout }}. You can verify this via running the playbook with -v option.
Tasks:
set_fact: the_content1=content.stdout
set_fact: the_content2={{ content.stdout }}
Output:
TASK [set_fact] ****************************************************************
ok: [192.168.1.58] => {"ansible_facts": {"the_content1": "content.stdout"}, "changed": false}
TASK [set_fact] ****************************************************************
ok: [192.168.1.58] => {"ansible_facts": {"the_content2": "hello world"}, "changed": false}
The debug module has two possible parameter: var and msg. The var parameter expect a variable name.
debug: var={{hostvars}}
In this line, first of all, Ansible extracts the value of hostvars, since it is enclosed with two brackets. Secondly, it tries to find a variable whose name is the value of hostvars, since var parameter expects a variable name directly. That is why you see the following strange output. This means Ansible couldn't find a variable whose name is <ansible.vars.hostvars.HostVars object at 0x7f3b6602b290>.
"<ansible.vars.hostvars.HostVars object at 0x7f3b6602b290>": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!"
You can use the following:
debug: var=hostvars
debug: msg={{hostvars}}
References:
Register variables don't survive across plays with different hosts
set_fact - Set host facts from a task
debug - Print statements during execution