# Args for Custom Module **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Tags:** ansible-project\ **Created:** [May 16, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/args-for-custom-module/12812 "2013-05-16T13:00:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Serge\_van\_Ginderacht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@Serge\_van\_Ginderacht](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Serge_van_Ginderacht)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/args-for-custom-module/12812/1 "2013-05-16T13:00:15Z")
​Set the optional item to an empty string?​ > with\_items: >     - name: name1 >       other: value1 >     - name: name2           other: ​​ ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/args-for-custom-module/12812/2 "2013-05-16T13:26:25Z")
This idiom looks like a mess to me. I’d break this into two calls and not pass it for the other case. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan2](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan2)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/args-for-custom-module/12812/3 "2013-05-16T15:23:24Z")
Or yes, empty string, empty string would be great. sorry, ENOCAFFEINE this AM 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BFMartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f1d935/32.png) [@BFMartin](https://forum.ansible.com/u/BFMartin)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/args-for-custom-module/12812/4 "2013-05-16T21:49:54Z")
Supplying an “empty string” seems messy to me where the playbook a bit messy with an extra arg. Instead of being an optional arg, it is now a required arg that needs an empty value.