# Ansible playbook -read array variables from external file recursively

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-playbook-read-array-variables-from-external-file-recursively/28424>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [August 26, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-playbook-read-array-variables-from-external-file-recursively/28424 "2018-08-26T19:13:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Saravanan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Saravanan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Saravanan)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-playbook-read-array-variables-from-external-file-recursively/28424/1 "2018-08-26T19:13:42Z")

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Variables declared as an array in an external file. Need to read these variables recursively in the playbook during play for multiple records. Request to suggest right looping to use in Ansible playbook.

Currently able to get the item and not item.[variable].

Playbook:

```auto
---
- hosts: 127.0.0.1
  gather_facts: no

  tasks:
    - debug:
        var: "{{ item }}"
      with_lines: cat array.yaml

```

$ cat array.yaml

```auto
    - { name: user1, uid: 1001, env: dev, app: app1 }
    - { name: user2, uid: 1002, env: cit, app: app2 }

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kai_Stian_Olstad)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-playbook-read-array-variables-from-external-file-recursively/28424/2 "2018-08-26T20:37:47Z")

</div>

You need to put them in a dictionary, then you can do this.

array.yml

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Saravanan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Saravanan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Saravanan)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 10:38pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-playbook-read-array-variables-from-external-file-recursively/28424/3 "2018-08-26T22:38:22Z")

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It works. Thanks a lot Kai Stian Olstad.