# Can I loop over multipe actions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [January 9, 2015, 8:21am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228 "2015-01-09T08:21:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peter\_Mooshammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Peter\_Mooshammer](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Peter_Mooshammer)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 8:21am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/1 "2015-01-09T08:21:14Z")
Hello, So include and with\_items is depricated and I am wondering how to implement the following: I have to create a couple of similar services: (I know this is not working) ` - name: loopy shell: download something template: src: dest: service: name={{ service }} state=started with\_items: listing ` Is the only way to do this? ` - name: download everything shell: download something with\_items: listing - name: copy templates template: src: dest: with\_items: listing - name: download everything service: name={{ service }} state=started with\_items: listing ` What would be a better approach? thanks Peter ---
**Author:** ![Tomasz\_Kontusz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tomasz\_Kontusz](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Tomasz_Kontusz)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2015, 8:31am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/2 "2015-01-09T08:31:57Z")
The solution you’ve shown is the only one at the moment. Peter Mooshammer [pmoosha@gmail.com](mailto:pmoosha@gmail.com) napisał: ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Mooshammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Peter\_Mooshammer](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Peter_Mooshammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/3 "2015-01-10T00:34:23Z")
thanks for getting back to me. Here is what i intended: I have a list of docker services: ` services: - servicename: zapp containername: zapp port: 5555 protocol: tcp exposed: false image: zapp - servicename: xox containername: xox port: 4444 protocol: udp exposed: true linkto: zapp image: xox ` And I wanted to use a loop to create those services, but now I am doing this: ` - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[0] }}” } - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[1] }}” } ` And I wanted to do this as a loop. But maybe I am completely off. Any ideas? Note one of the reasons I am doing this is because ansible does not support docker restarts at the moment (it will with 1.9) thanks Peter ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Coca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@Brian\_Coca](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Brian_Coca)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/4 "2015-01-10T00:38:02Z")
there is not currently a way to loop through roles, you can make the role accept a list and have it's tasks loop over it though. also i would advice to not use a variable named 'service' as it can conflict with the module of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Mooshammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Peter\_Mooshammer](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Peter_Mooshammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/5 "2015-01-10T00:58:31Z")
thanks - good point!!! ---
**Author:** ![Tomasz\_Kontusz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@Tomasz\_Kontusz](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Tomasz_Kontusz)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 11:03am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/6 "2015-01-10T11:03:02Z")
I'm pretty sure modules and actions live in a different name space than variables. Or do you mean visually? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Mooshammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Peter\_Mooshammer](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Peter_Mooshammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/7 "2015-01-10T19:29:33Z")
I think Tomasz it correct, it was working. Changed it anyways so people don’t get confused. One more question. I tried: And I wanted to use a loop to create those services, but now I am doing this: ` - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[0] }}”, when: services[0] is defined } - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[1] }}”, when: services[1] is defined } ` or ` - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[0] }}”, when: “{{ services[0] }}” is defined } - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[1] }}”, when: “{{ services[0] }}” is defined } ` But none of that is working, this however works: ` - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[1] }}”, when: simple\_var is defined } ` thanks Peter ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Mooshammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Peter\_Mooshammer](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Peter_Mooshammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/8 "2015-01-10T19:45:07Z")
just an update: ` - name: debug {{ services[0][‘hostname’] }} debug: msg={{ services[0][‘hostname’] }} when: services[0] is defined - name: debug {{ services[3][‘hostname’] }} debug: msg={{ services[3][‘hostname’] }} when: services[3] is defined ` This, it is just not working as a conditional for roles… ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Mooshammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Peter\_Mooshammer](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Peter_Mooshammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-loop-over-multipe-actions/17228/9 "2015-01-10T20:17:19Z")
Got it: ` - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[0] }}”, when: services.0 is defined } - { role: some-services, service: “{{ services[1] }}”, when: services.1 is defined } `