# Ansible variable register in two tasks either one or the other **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Tags:** playbook, zabbix, ansible-core\ **Created:** [September 24, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071 "2023-09-24T17:08:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markfree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dfb087/32.png) [@markfree](https://forum.ansible.com/u/markfree)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071/1 "2023-09-24T17:08:40Z")
I have an Ansible role that manipulates some Zabbix components. This role has this set of tasks to check the Zabbix Agent type (1 or 2) and version. ```auto - name: Check if Zabbix Agent 2 is installed ansible.builtin.shell: cmd: which zabbix_agent2 register: zabbix_agent2_installed ignore_errors: yes - name: Check if Zabbix Agent D is installed ansible.builtin.shell: cmd: which zabbix_agentd when: not zabbix_agent2_installed.stdout register: zabbix_agentd_installed ignore_errors: yes - name: Stop if there is no Agent installed ansible.builtin.fail: msg: | Zabbix Agent is not installed. when: not zabbix_agent2_installed.stdout and not zabbix_agentd_installed.stdout and zabbix_component == "agent" - name: Fetch Zabbix Agent 2 version ansible.builtin.shell: cmd: zabbix_agent2 -V | grep "zabbix_agent" | cut -d' ' -f3 when: zabbix_agent2_installed.stdout register: zabbix_agent_ver_old failed_when: zabbix_agent_ver_old.stderr - name: Fetch Zabbix Agent D version ansible.builtin.shell: cmd: zabbix_agentd -V | grep "zabbix_agent" | cut -d' ' -f4 when: not zabbix_agentd_installed.skipped register: zabbix_agent_ver_old failed_when: zabbix_agent_ver_old.stderr ``` When I run the playbook, the variable `zabbix_agentd_ver_old` is registered twice in the last two tasks, with the same name. Even if the last task is skipped, the variable is registered as skipped. ```auto TASK [zabbix_ansible : Check if Zabbix Agent 2 is installed] ********************************************************************* changed: [zbxproxy] TASK [zabbix_ansible : Check if Zabbix Agent D is installed] ********************************************************************* skipping: [zbxproxy] TASK [zabbix_ansible : Stop if there is no Agent installed] ********************************************************************** skipping: [zbxproxy] TASK [zabbix_ansible : Fetch Zabbix Agent 2 version] ***************************************************************************** changed: [zbxproxy] TASK [zabbix_ansible : ansible.builtin.debug] ************************************************************************************ ok: [zbxproxy] => zabbix_agent_ver_old: changed: true cmd: zabbix_agent2 -V | grep "zabbix_agent" | cut -d' ' -f3 delta: '0:00:00.005897' end: '2023-09-24 10:07:50.014208' failed: false failed_when_result: false msg: '' rc: 0 start: '2023-09-24 10:07:50.008311' stderr: '' stderr_lines: [] stdout: 6.4.6 stdout_lines: - 6.4.6 TASK [zabbix_ansible : Fetch Zabbix Agent D version] ***************************************************************************** skipping: [zbxproxy] TASK [zabbix_ansible : ansible.builtin.debug] ************************************************************************************ ok: [zbxproxy] => zabbix_agent_ver_old: changed: false skip_reason: Conditional result was False skipped: true ``` I want to avoid changing the variable name, so I need the variable to be registered in either one of the last two tasks, not both. How can I skip the last task altogether, including the registration, if its condition is not met? ---
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071/2 "2023-09-24T18:11:13Z")
Put the two fetch tasks into separate files and then `include_tasks` using the `when` condition? ---
**Author:** ![Kevinwincott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kevinwincott](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kevinwincott)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071/3 "2023-09-24T19:53:54Z")
Personally id reduce this a bit. I’d use the shell module to check which of the versions exist, and then assign that as the variable ---
**Author:** ![kurokobo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/kurokobo/32/182_2.png) [@kurokobo](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kurokobo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071/4 "2023-09-25T01:38:09Z")
F.Y.I. > **If a task fails or is skipped, Ansible still registers a variable with a failure or skipped status** , unless the task is skipped based on tags. > [Using Variables — Ansible Documentation](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/playbook_guide/playbooks_variables.html#registering-variables) ---
**Author:** ![utoddl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/utoddl/32/249_2.png) [@utoddl](https://forum.ansible.com/u/utoddl)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 8:12pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071/5 "2023-09-25T20:12:48Z")
You’re already using `shell:` so keep the complexity in one place. ```yml - name: Register the Zabbix agent ansible.builtin.shell: | if [-x "$(which zabbix_agent2)"] ; then echo zabbix_agent2 echo "$(zabbix_agent2 -V | grep "zabbix_agent" | cut -d' ' -f3)" elif [-x "$(which zabbix_agentd)"] ; then echo zabbix_agentd echo "$(zabbix_agentd -V | grep "zabbix_agent" | cut -d' ' -f4)" else echo none echo none fi ignore_errors: true register: zabbix_agent ``` After that, `{{ zabbix_agent.stdout_lines[0] }}` is the agent name, and `{{ zabbix_agent.stdout_lines[1] }}` is the version. ---
**Author:** ![markfree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dfb087/32.png) [@markfree](https://forum.ansible.com/u/markfree)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071/6 "2023-09-25T21:09:48Z")
I understand that variables are registered with skipped status. My attempt was to bypass that somehow. It appears that it may not be the most practical solution after all. @chris, I have to say that I appreciate the `include_tasks` option, which I find quite appealing. However, I liked @utoddl’s suggestion even more. 😁 It seems a more straightforward approach. Here is the resulting Yaml: ```yaml - name: Register the Zabbix agent ansible.builtin.shell: | if [-x "$(which zabbix_agent2)"] ; then echo "Zabbix Agent 2" echo "$(zabbix_agent2 -V | grep "zabbix_agent" | cut -d' ' -f3)" elif [-x "$(which zabbix_agentd)"] ; then echo "Zabbix Agent" echo "$(zabbix_agentd -V | grep "zabbix_agent" | cut -d' ' -f4)" else echo none echo none fi ignore_errors: true register: zabbix_agent - name: Stop if there is no Agent installed ansible.builtin.fail: msg: | Zabbix Agent is not installed. when: zabbix_agent.stdout_lines[0] == "none" and zabbix_component == "agent" ``` Also, the results from some test I made, which includes the 3 scenarios, Agent 2, Agent D and none. ```auto TASK [zabbix_ansible : Register the Zabbix agent] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** changed: [zbxproxy] changed: [ldap] changed: [redhat] TASK [zabbix_ansible : Stop if there is no Agent installed] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* skipping: [zbxproxy] skipping: [ldap] fatal: [redhat]: FAILED! => changed=false msg: |- Zabbix Agent is not installed. ``` **(…)** ```auto TASK [zabbix_ansible : Display Zabbix Agent current version] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ ok: [zbxproxy] => msg: |- PLAYBOOK FINISHED Zabbix Agent 2 version 6.4.6 ok: [ldap] => msg: |- PLAYBOOK FINISHED Zabbix Agent version 6.4.6 ``` Thanks for the invaluable feedback guys. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/original/1X/1882d9a01da5d8996a862359b0913cc568a39b84.svg) [@system](https://forum.ansible.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-variable-register-in-two-tasks-either-one-or-the-other/1071/7 "2023-10-25T21:10:04Z")
This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.