Comparing command line variable in import_playbook

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1

I again, thank you all for your help, I’m really learning a lot.

I have a new query. I am passing via “extra-vars” a variable called wc2env and I need to compare it with a string (stage or prod).

Here is my playbook:

hosts: all
gather_facts: no
vars:
wc2env: ‘{{ wc2env }}’
tasks:

  • name: “Validando si debo deployar dominio en PROD”
    ansible.builtin.import_playbook: add_carrier_prod.yaml
    when: “{{ wc2env == ‘prod’ }}”

  • name: “Validando si debo deployar el dominio en STAGE”
    ansible.builtin.import_playbook: add_carrier_stage.yaml
    when: “{{ wc2env == ‘stage’ }}”

I run the playbook this way and for some reason the condition returns “false”:

ansible-playbook -i hosts --extra-vars “wc2env=stage” alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_target.yaml

Here the debug:

PLAYBOOK: tasks_target.yaml ************************************************************************************************************************
Positional arguments: alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_target.yaml
verbosity: 8
connection: smart
timeout: 10
become_method: sudo
tags: (‘all’,)
inventory: (‘/etc/ansible/webcheckin/hosts’,)
extra_vars: (‘wc2env=stage’,)
forks: 50
step: True
4 plays in alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_target.yaml

[WARNING]: conditional statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }} or {% %}. Found: {{ wc2env == ‘prod’ }}
skipping: [wc2-stage] => {
“changed”: false,
“skip_reason”: “Conditional result was False”
}

I’m doing something wrong and I don’t realize they could help me.

Regards,

2

Hi,

The error says all:
“[WARNING]: conditional statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }}”

So, your “when” statement should look like:
when: wc2env == ‘stage’

Something else:
You are already passing on “wc2env” as an extra variable. You don’t need the lines below, declaring it again, in the playbook:
vars:
wc2env: ‘{{ wc2env }}’

Alex

3

Alex pointed out your first mistake, but you also are using moustaches in ‘when’ when you shouldn’t

when: wc2env == ‘prod’

conditionals are already in an implied template context.

4

I’ve tried that way, but it doesn’t work either:

nsible-playbook -i hosts --extra-vars “wc2env=stage carrier=LL” alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_targe
t.yaml

PLAYBOOK: tasks_target.yaml ************************************************************************************************************************
Positional arguments: alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_target.yaml
verbosity: 5
connection: smart
timeout: 10
become_method: sudo
tags: (‘all’,)
inventory: (‘/etc/ansible/webcheckin/hosts’,)
extra_vars: (‘wc2env=stage carrier=XX’,)
forks: 50
step: True
4 plays in alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_target.yaml

TASK [Creating DataBase] ***************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /etc/ansible/webcheckin/alta_carrier/playbook/add_carrier_prod.yaml:6
skipping: [wc2-stage] => {
“changed”: false,
“skip_reason”: “Conditional result was False”
}

Here the playbook:

  • name: “select target”
    hosts: all
    gather_facts: no
    tasks:

  • name: “deploy prod”
    ansible.builtin.import_playbook: add_carrier_prod.yaml
    when: wc2env == ‘prod’

  • name: “deploy stage”
    ansible.builtin.import_playbook: add_carrier_stage.yaml
    when: wc2env == ‘stage’

any sugestions?

5

We need to see the entire output. This excerpt does not provide enough context. From what I see it is skipping the PROD because your wc2end is ‘stage’. That is expected.

Walter

6

This is the entire output:

ansible-playbook [core 2.12.9]
config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
configured module search path = [‘/home/emanuel/.ansible/plugins/modules’, ‘/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules’]
ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible
ansible collection location = /home/emanuel/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
executable location = /usr/bin/ansible-playbook
python version = 3.8.10 (default, Nov 14 2022, 12:59:47) [GCC 9.4.0]
jinja version = 2.10.1
libyaml = True
Using /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg as config file
setting up inventory plugins
host_list declined parsing /etc/ansible/webcheckin/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
script declined parsing /etc/ansible/webcheckin/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /etc/ansible/webcheckin/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Not replacing invalid character(s) “{‘-’}” in group name (kiucargo-servers)
[WARNING]: Invalid characters were found in group names but not replaced, use -vvvv to see details
Parsed /etc/ansible/webcheckin/hosts inventory source with yaml plugin
Loading collection community.mysql from /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible_collections/community/mysql
Loading collection community.general from /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible_collections/community/general
Loading callback plugin default of type stdout, v2.0 from /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible/plugins/callback/default.py
Attempting to use ‘default’ callback.
Skipping callback ‘default’, as we already have a stdout callback.
Attempting to use ‘junit’ callback.
Attempting to use ‘minimal’ callback.
Skipping callback ‘minimal’, as we already have a stdout callback.
Attempting to use ‘oneline’ callback.
Skipping callback ‘oneline’, as we already have a stdout callback.
Attempting to use ‘tree’ callback.

PLAYBOOK: tasks_target.yaml ************************************************************************************************************************
Positional arguments: alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_target.yaml
verbosity: 5
connection: smart
timeout: 10
become_method: sudo
tags: (‘all’,)
inventory: (‘/etc/ansible/webcheckin/hosts’,)
extra_vars: (‘wc2env=stage carrier=LL’,)
forks: 50
step: True
4 plays in alta_carrier/playbook/tasks_target.yaml

PLAY [Seleccionamos el destino] ********************************************************************************************************************
META: ran handlers
META: ran handlers
META: ran handlers

PLAY [Creando DNS para nuevo carrier WC2 STAGE] ****************************************************************************************************
META: ran handlers
Perform task: TASK: Creating DataBase (N)o/(y)es/(c)ontinue: yes

Perform task: TASK: Creating DataBase (N)o/(y)es/(c)ontinue: ***************************************************************************************

TASK [Creating DataBase] ***************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /etc/ansible/webcheckin/alta_carrier/playbook/add_carrier_prod.yaml:6
skipping: [wc2-stage] => {
“changed”: false,
“skip_reason”: “Conditional result was False”
}

Does this skipping: [wc2-stage] mean the playbook is skipping the stage server?

This is my hosts file:

kiucargo-servers:
hosts:
wc2-stage:
ansible_host: 172.x.x.x
wc2-prod:
ansible_host: 172.x.x.x

I understand that the import_playbook parameter function should not matter the prod playbook, am I right?

7

You still haven’t shown us a task with the name “Creating DataBase”, which is what’s being skipped. Until you show us the tasks and their conditionals that go with the outputs, we can only guess.

8

task path: /etc/ansible/webcheckin/alta_carrier/playbook/add_carrier_prod.yaml:6
skipping: [wc2-stage] => {
“changed”: false,
“skip_reason”: “Conditional result was False”
}

Look at the red text above. You have a prod task file. Your wc2env variable has a value of ‘stage’. Your task in the prod file has a condition of when wc2env == ‘prod’. Since wc2env == ‘stage’ this ‘prod’ task is the one being skipped.

The skipping message means the task itself is being skipping because the condition you place on it evaluated to false. The task would only execute if the condition evaluated to true.

You provided these two tasks in a prior message.

  • name: “deploy prod”
    ansible.builtin.import_playbook: add_carrier_prod.yaml
    when: wc2env == ‘prod’

  • name: “deploy stage”
    ansible.builtin.import_playbook: add_carrier_stage.yaml
    when: wc2env == ‘stage’

You are using ‘include_playbook’. When you place a condition on ‘import_playbook’ it does not skip importing the playbook when the condition is false. It effectively places that condition on every task inside the imported playbook. If you want to skip the import itself you should use include vs import. In one of my playbooks I have a series of include_tasks tasks. The task files included are also ansible yaml files. Some of the include_tasks tasks in my playbook have when clauses on them. If one of those ‘when’ clauses evaluates to false, the task file is NOT included. In your case if one of your include_playbook ‘when’ clauses evaluates to false the playbook is still imported and all of the tasks are assigned the added condition from your import_playbook task.

Walter

9

Read this article for a more thorough explanation of import vs include and how conditions on them are handled.

https://www.devopsschool.com/blog/ansible-include-and-import-with-differences-explanined/

Walter