# Create a variable based on a variable **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Tags:** vmware\ **Created:** [May 8, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772 "2024-05-08T16:34:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dyioulos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/dyioulos/32/8363_2.png) [@dyioulos](https://forum.ansible.com/u/dyioulos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772/1 "2024-05-08T16:34:36Z")
Hello, all. The subject of this post is probably terribly named. That said, here’s what I’m trying to accomplish: I have two VMware vCenter hosts - [vcenter1.mycompany.com](http://vcenter1.mycompany.com) and [vcenter2.mycompany.com](http://vcenter2.mycompany.com). Within each host is are two datacenters - datacenter1 and datacenter2. for each host, the datacenter alignments are vcenter1 – datacenter1 and vcenter2 – datacenter2. I have a number of playbooks that do actions against vCenter. For example, I have one deletes all snapshots. It looks like this: ---
**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 8, 2024, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772/2 "2024-05-08T17:26:54Z")
A dictionary would solve this using the guest name as the key. vcenter: host1: { datacenter: datacenter1, vcenter: vcenter2 } host2: { datacenter: datacenter1, vcenter: vcenter1 } host3: { datacenter: datacenter2, vcenter: vcenter2 } host4: { datacenter: datacenter2, vcenter: vcenter1 } {{ vcenter[inventory\_hostname].datacenter }} {{ vcenter[inventory\_hostname].vcenter }} Keeping that dictionary update to date will be tedious but could be automated too. Query each vcenter / datacenter pair for its list of VMs and generate a vars file with the above dictionary. Include that vars file in your playbooks. Alternatively (and more expensive) is to create an initial task that queries the each vcenter / datacenter pair and creates this dictionary in real time. Walter ---
**Author:** ![astrakid](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/astrakid/32/1789_2.png) [@astrakid](https://forum.ansible.com/u/astrakid)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772/3 "2024-05-08T17:52:26Z")
i am quite a newbee with ansible, but i would suggest to a) use host-variables with e.g. “datacenter” set to the matching datacenter value or b) use a regex on the host variable to create the datacenter on it regards, andre ---
**Author:** ![John1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@John1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/John1)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772/4 "2024-05-08T22:49:38Z")
Just off the top of my head you can use set\_fact. - name: Set datacenter variable based on hostname set\_fact: datacenter: “datacenter{{ ansible\_hostname[-1] }}” when: ansible\_hostname | regex\_search(‘\[1\]\*[1-2]’) You can then just use {{ datacenter }} and it should populate correctly. I haven’t tested the above, but if it doesn’t work it should at least put you in the ball park. * * * 1. a-zA-Z0-9 ---
**Author:** ![dyioulos](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/dyioulos/32/8363_2.png) [@dyioulos](https://forum.ansible.com/u/dyioulos)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772/5 "2024-05-17T19:03:01Z")
Than you all. I’ll make note of your suggestions. I solved my issue like this (whether it’s "optimal, I don;t know): **vars:** **vcenter\_datacenter: \>-** **{% if vcenter\_hostname == ‘vcenter1’ %}** **Datacenter1** **Datacenter** **{% elif vcenter\_hostname == ‘vcenter2’ %}** **Datacenter2** **Datacenter** **{% else %}** **Default Datacenter** **{% endif %}** ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/original/1X/1882d9a01da5d8996a862359b0913cc568a39b84.svg) [@system](https://forum.ansible.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772/6 "2024-05-17T21:01:45Z")
Also: vars:   vcenter\_datacenter: '{{ vcenter\_hostname == "vcenter1"|ternary("First", vcenter\_hostname == "vcenter2"|ternary("datacenter1", "datacenter2")) }}' Dataceenter but i would do this: vars:    DCS:       vcenter1: First       vcenter2: datacenter1   vcenter\_datacenter: '{{ DCS[vcenter\_hostname]|default("datacenter2") }}' Datacenter ---
**Author:** ![abhijeetJanwalkar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9e8a1a/32.png) [@abhijeetJanwalkar](https://forum.ansible.com/u/abhijeetJanwalkar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2024, 11:19am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/create-a-variable-based-on-a-variable/38772/7 "2024-05-23T11:19:33Z")
Not exactly based on the variables, but I use this to find the datacenter in the vCenter (in my case I have only one datacenter per vCenter so it works) - name: Gather information about all datacenters in vCenter community.vmware.vmware\_datacenter\_info: hostname: “{{ hostname }}” username: “{{ username }}” password: “{{ password }}” validate\_certs: “{{ false}}” delegate\_to: localhost register: datacenterInfo #- name: Display datacenter Info #ansible.builtin.debug: #msg: “{{ datacenterInfo.datacenter\_info[0].name }}” - name: set Fact - datacenter set\_fact: datacenter: “{{ datacenterInfo.datacenter\_info[0].name }}” Hope this helps. Warm Regards, Abhi