# can we not use 2 var\_files in a playbook **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [May 19, 2023, 5:21am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011 "2023-05-19T05:21:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Narmada\_Karthika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@Narmada\_Karthika](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Narmada_Karthika)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 5:21am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011/1 "2023-05-19T05:21:36Z")
I am getting error saying I am using 2 var\_files. ERROR! failed at splitting arguments, either an unbalanced jinja2 block or quotes: I also tried using include\_vars which gave me same error, the values in these 2 files need to be replace at diff locations at play book some one please suggest what is the best way for this name: post call to get servergroup hosts: localhost become: true gather\_facts: no tasks: - name: set the facts per host set\_fact: access\_token: “{{ hostvars.localhost.output.stdout }}” # this is the output of the above play - name: Make a post call to get server details shell: | cd /var/output/ curl --location --request GET “{{ serverlist }}” --header 'Authorization: Bearer “{{ access\_token }}” \> /var/output/“{{ item }}”.json jq -r ‘.|.serverData.servers’ “{{ item }}”.json \> /home/deploy-user/ansible/group\_vars/“{{ item }}”.yml # item and server list from one file and register: data - debug: msg=“data , {{ repo }}” # this need to replaced from one var file loop: - dev - uat - stg2 ---
**Author:** ![dnmvisser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8e8cbc/32.png) [@dnmvisser](https://forum.ansible.com/u/dnmvisser)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 7:49am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011/2 "2023-05-19T07:49:48Z")
> I am getting error saying I am using 2 var\_files. What is that error exactly? > ERROR! failed at splitting arguments, either an unbalanced jinja2 block or quotes: This is another error then? > I also tried using include\_vars which gave me same error, the values in these 2 files need to be replace at diff locations at play book > some one please suggest what is the best way for this > name: post call to get servergroup >   hosts: localhost >   become: true >   gather\_facts: no >   tasks: >     - name: set the facts per host >       set\_fact: >         access\_token: "{{ hostvars.localhost.output.stdout }}" # this is the output of the above play >     - name: Make a post call to get server details >       shell: | >         cd /var/output/ >         curl --location --request GET "{{ serverlist }}" \--header 'Authorization: Bearer "{{ access\_token }}" \> /var/output/"{{ item }}".json >         jq -r '.|.serverData.servers' "{{ item }}".json \> /home/deploy-user/ansible/group\_vars/"{{ item }}".yml >       # item and server list from one file and Instead of having ansible execute several shell commands piped together, you should use native modules, like [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/uri\_module.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/uri_module.html), register the result, and then operate/make decisions based on that. > register: data >     - debug: msg="data , {{ repo }}" # this need to replaced from one var file >       loop: >         - dev >         - uat >         - stg2 "replaced from" is unclear - you usually replace something with something, or by something. Rather than guessing what you might mean, please try to be more clear. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2023, 10:59am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011/3 "2023-05-19T10:59:08Z")
Your problem is overquoting. The in-line shell script is already in a kind of quotes, so you don’t have to quote again your jinja expressions’ mustaches. All those double-quotes remain in the fully templated shell script. Or it might be that the opening single quote of your --header value is never closed. Or both of those things. ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Rowe](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/walter_rowe/32/4506_2.png) [@Walter\_Rowe](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Walter_Rowe)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 12:07pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011/4 "2023-05-19T12:07:27Z")
Your curl command places the output in /var/output/{{ item }}.json. Your jq command reads the output from {{ item }}.json which is not /var/output/{{ item }}.json. Walter ---
**Author:** ![Narmada\_Karthika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@Narmada\_Karthika](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Narmada_Karthika)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011/5 "2023-05-19T19:19:16Z")
thank you all for your findings and recommendations In the same playbook I would like to explain one more scenario , I am using set\_facts to use above playbook output as input in the playbook, and I have variables.yml It has to go through loop and get the server details from each environment, will my below playbook work my variables.yml file # Environment and os as input to pull all servers out of this serverlist: “[https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment={{](https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment=%7B%7B) item }}&os=linux” +# # item should be replaced with the item from the loop and pass it to below playbook vars\_files: - “variables.yml” tasks: - name: set the facts per host set\_fact: access\_token: “{{ hostvars.localhost.output.stdout }}” # this is the output of the above play - name: Make a post call to get server details shell: | cd /var/output/ curl --location --request GET {{ serverlist }} --header Authorization: Bearer {{ access\_token }} \> /var/output/servers1.json jq -r ‘.|.serverData.servers’ servers1.json \> /home/deploy-user/ansible/group\_vars/servers1.yml register: data - debug: msg=“data , {{ serverlist }}” # this need to replaced from one var file loop: - dev - uat - stg2 ---
**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:** [May 19, 2023, 8:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011/6 "2023-05-19T20:37:37Z")
> will my below playbook work > I don’t think so. 1. Your serverlist is a string with “{{ item }}” in it, but you’re using it in a shell module invocation with no loops, i.e. where “item” isn’t defined. 2. In your shell script, your jq output is being directed in group\_vars/server1.yml _with replacement_. Once you fix issue #1 and start looping, you’ll find servers1.yml contains the data only for the last iteration. I’m puzzled by your placement of the serverlist definition in a separate file rather than in a vars: section in the playbook, or even hard-coded directly in the embedded shell script. Nor is it clear to me what you expect the final debug step to show you. I mean, we know it will look like this: > TASK [unnamed debug loop] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* > ok: [localhost] =\> (item=dev) =\> { > “msg”: “data , [https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment=dev&os=linux](https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment=dev&os=linux)” > } > ok: [localhost] =\> (item=uat) =\> { > “msg”: “data , [https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment=uat&os=linux](https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment=uat&os=linux)” > } > ok: [localhost] =\> (item=stg2) =\> { > “msg”: “data , [https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment=stg2&os=linux](https://test-dev.test.com/testapi/test/server?environment=stg2&os=linux)” > } but what’s the point? ---
**Author:** ![Narmada\_Karthika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@Narmada\_Karthika](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Narmada_Karthika)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-we-not-use-2-var-files-in-a-playbook/38011/7 "2023-05-19T20:58:03Z")
Thankyou for taking time and looking into it… you made a valid questions, 1. I am trying this approach so that I can pass {item} as jenkins parameters. when dev fro item group is given it should print all servers from that env. 2. group\_vars/server1.yml I am trying to get the first part working so I did not specify the output file here. ( will make a note next time not to miss it) also can you please elaborate more here “Your serverlist is a string with “{{ item }}” in it, but you’re using it in a shell module invocation with no loops, i.e. where “item” isn’t defined.” I mean best possibilities to fulfill my need.