# Assign and print variable inside a with\_items loop based on condition. **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [September 25, 2019, 7:58am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359 "2019-09-25T07:58:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 7:58am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/1 "2019-09-25T07:58:05Z")
`- debug:` `msg: "User was {{ item.split('\t')[3] }}"` `with_items: "{{ command_result.stdout_lines }}"` The above give me the below output: > “msg”: “User was FrontEnd” > “msg”: “User was BackEnd” I now wish to set USER variable as user1 is returned value is FrontEnd else USER value should be user2. I dont know how to do this but below is my failing playbook. `- debug:` `vars:` `USER: "{{ 'user1' if item.split('\t')[3] == 'FrontEnd' else 'user2' }}"` `msg: "User is {{ USER }}"` `with_items: "{{ command_result.stdout_lines }}"` Expected output is: > “msg”: “User is user1” > “msg”: “User is user2” Can you please suggest ? ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 8:10am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/2 "2019-09-25T08:10:14Z")
> \> - debug: > msg: "User was {{ item.split('\t')[3] }}" > with\_items: "{{ command\_result.stdout\_lines }}"| > > The above give me the below output: > >     "msg": "User was FrontEnd" >     "msg": "User was BackEnd" > > I now wish to set USER variable as user1 is returned value is FrontEnd else USER value should be user2. > > I dont know how to do this but below is my failing playbook. > > \> - debug: > vars: > USER: "{{ 'user1' if item.split('\t')[3] == 'FrontEnd' else 'user2' }}" > msg: "User is {{ USER }}" > > ``` > with\_items: "\{\{ command\_result\.stdout\_lines \}\}"| > > ``` > > Expected output is: > >     "msg": "User is user1" >     "msg": "User is user2" > > Can you please suggest ? Hello, what is the output that you actually get ... and please don't post the same question twice. Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 8:44am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/3 "2019-09-25T08:44:57Z")
@Stefan here is the output ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 8:52am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/4 "2019-09-25T08:52:59Z")
> @Stefan here is the output Sorry but there is no "Hello world" in the tasks you posted. Providing inaccurate information isn't helpful. Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 9:13am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/5 "2019-09-25T09:13:12Z")
@Stefan. The information provided by me is complete. The variable if not assigned a value defaults as “Hello World” Reference: [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/debug\_module.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/debug_module.html) You can recreate the playbook output. ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 9:34am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/6 "2019-09-25T09:34:16Z")
Here is my entire playbook: ` ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 9:59am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/7 "2019-09-25T09:59:55Z")
> @Stefan. The information provided by me is complete. > > The variable if not assigned a value defaults as "Hello World" > > Reference: [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/debug\_module.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/debug_module.html) Ha - I never ran in that one. Alas, you need to resort to proper if else statements in order to get your logic to work:   - debug:       msg: "{% if item.split('\t')[3] == 'FrontEnd' %}user1{% else %}'user2'{% endif %}"     with\_items: "{{ command\_result.stdout\_lines }}" Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 11:13am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/8 "2019-09-25T11:13:19Z")
There are two issues that i see. 1. I do not know how-to assign a variable USER value based on condition in the loop Thus, instead of printing msg: “{% if item.split(‘\t’)[3] == ‘FrontEnd’ %}user1{% else %}‘user2’{% endif %}” i wish to print “{{ USER }}” 1. msg: “{% if item.split(‘\t’)[3] == ‘FrontEnd’ %}user1{% else %}‘user2’{% endif %}” always prints user2. I guess it is not able to match FrontEnd. The issue could be with the if else statement or item.split(‘\t’)[3] may have some space due to which the match fails. Below is the current output for this playbook: `- debug:` `msg: "User was {{ item.split('\t')[3] }}"` `with_items: "{{ command_result.stdout_lines }}"` `- debug:` `vars:` `USER: "{% if item.split('\t')[3] == 'FrontEnd' %}user1{% else %}'user2'{% endif %}"` `msg: "User is {{ USER }}"` `with_items: "{{ command_result.stdout_lines }}"` `- debug:` `msg: "{% if item.split('\t')[3] == 'FrontEnd' %}user1{% else %}'user2'{% endif %}" with_items: "{{ command_result.stdout_lines }}"` Output: ---
**Author:** ![jolleye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jolleye](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jolleye)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 11:29am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/9 "2019-09-25T11:29:29Z")
Hello Mohtashim, In your debug statement, try “var” instead of “vars”. ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 11:49am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/10 "2019-09-25T11:49:33Z")
@ej does not help ! `- debug:` `var:` `USER: "{% if item.split('\t')[3] == 'FrontEnd' %}user1{% else %}'user2'{% endif %}"` `with_items: "{{ command_result.stdout_lines }}"` `ERROR! 'var' is not a valid attribute for a Task` `The error appears to be in '/app/testinclude.yml.bkp': line 24, column 6, but may` `be elsewhere in the file depending on the exact syntax problem.` `The offending line appears to be:` `- debug:` `^ here` ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 11:52am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/11 "2019-09-25T11:52:39Z")
> @ej does not help ! > > \> > -debug: > var: > USER:"{% if item.split('\t')[3] == 'FrontEnd' %}user1{% else %}'user2'{% endif %}" with\_items:"{{ > command\_result.stdout\_lines }}" > \> It's better to split this into two tasks, IMHO debug should just output the message. - set\_fact:     USER: ....    with\_items: ... - debug:     msg: "{{ USER }}" Regards          Racke ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/12 "2019-09-25T12:15:55Z")
I did this but for some reason is is not getting user1 … it is still getting user2 as the value. ` - set\_fact: USER: “user1” when: item.split(‘\t’)[3] == “FrontEnd” with\_items: “{{ command\_result.stdout\_lines }}” - set\_fact: USER: “user2” when: item.split(‘\t’)[3] == “BackEnd” with\_items: “{{ command\_result.stdout\_lines }}” - debug: msg: “User has {{ USER }}” with\_items: “{{ command\_result.stdout\_lines }}” ` Output: ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 12:20pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/13 "2019-09-25T12:20:09Z")
> I did this but for some reason is is not getting user1 ... it is still getting user2 as the value. > > \> > -set\_fact: > USER: "user1" > when:item.split('\t')[3]=="FrontEnd" > with\_items:"{{ command\_result.stdout\_lines }}" > > -set\_fact: > USER: "user2" > when:item.split('\t')[3]=="BackEnd" > > ``` > with\_items:"\{\{ command\_result\.stdout\_lines \}\}" > > ``` > > -debug: > msg:"User has {{ USER }}" > with\_items:"{{ command\_result.stdout\_lines }}" Did you take in account that the array index starts with zero, so item.split('\t')[3] addresses the fourth column in your output? Regards           Racke ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 12:27pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/14 "2019-09-25T12:27:12Z")
Yes, If you look at my original post the very first post the same array item.split(‘\t’)[3] very much prints FrontEnd and BackEnd text. ---
**Author:** ![jolleye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jolleye](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jolleye)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 1:27pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/15 "2019-09-25T13:27:12Z")
Your debug statement appears to not be indebted properly. ---
**Author:** ![Easy\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Easy\_King](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Easy_King)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/assign-and-print-variable-inside-a-with-items-loop-based-on-condition/31359/16 "2019-09-25T17:00:20Z")
There are no issues with the debug. I rest this case with the experts of this forum to suggest.