# Ask for variable value if variable not defined. **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [January 28, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442 "2014-01-28T14:25:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marcin\_Praczko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Marcin\_Praczko](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Marcin_Praczko)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442/1 "2014-01-28T14:25:50Z")
Hi, Have question whether is possible (ansible 1.4.2 \>) setup prompt for volue for variable in variable is not defined. For example: First run of playbook: - variable is not defined - ask for value - task write value of variable to some ansible vars file … Do other tasks… Next run of playbook: - variable is read from ansible vars file - no prompt for value … Do other tasks … Tried find this in ansible help, but so far no luck. Best regards, Marcin Praczko ---
**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:** [January 28, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442/2 "2014-01-28T14:42:14Z")
There’s no mechanism for this. vars\_prompt always prompts for the variable. ---
**Author:** ![adam2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@adam2](https://forum.ansible.com/u/adam2)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442/3 "2014-01-28T17:25:12Z")
The following is pseudo code, parts of it may not be entirely correct. But the real trick is to use when. ---
**Author:** ![Serkan\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Serkan\_C](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Serkan_C)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2014, 8:59am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442/4 "2014-09-10T08:59:32Z")
Hi Micheal, Do you have any advice for it? It doesn’t accept when condition. Best. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan1)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442/5 "2014-09-10T13:21:36Z")
As politely as possible… Please don’t share made-up syntax on this list, it confuses everyone 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan1)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2014, 1:22pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442/6 "2014-09-10T13:22:56Z")
Nope, it doesn’t do this. Simple as that 🙂 I’d suggest setting a role default instead, or putting a good default value in group\_vars/all, and you can override that on the CLI with “-e”. vars\_prompt in Ansible is not _usually_ a good idea as it limits the ability of someone to automate a workflow in Ansible, since it’s interactive. ---
**Author:** ![Serkan\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Serkan\_C](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Serkan_C)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 10:45am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ask-for-variable-value-if-variable-not-defined/14442/7 "2014-09-12T10:45:03Z")
Hi, You’re right, i was using default variables and extra parameters to override but i thought that maybe i can also use it for basic system playbooks. Thanks.