# Debugging Roles vs Debugging plays

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/debugging-roles-vs-debugging-plays/28594>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [September 17, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/debugging-roles-vs-debugging-plays/28594 "2018-09-17T20:08:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sloan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Sloan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Sloan)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 8:08pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/debugging-roles-vs-debugging-plays/28594/1 "2018-09-17T20:08:39Z")

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I am having issues formatting a role, I am trying to use register: and debug. Can anyone show the the formatting for debugging roles with register in ansible.

This is not working in a role:

- name: Generate Hostnames for AD Group Names

- debug:  
msg: “before we run our role”  
set\_fact:  
server\_hostname: “{{ server\_hostname }} + [‘{{ item.0.server\_category + item.1.server\_numbers + location.short + ‘V’ }}’]”  
domain\_controller\_group: “{{ server\_specs.0.win\_domain|lower}}DC”  
domain\_controller: “{{ hostvars[groups[server\_specs.0.win\_domain|lower + ‘DC’][0]][‘ansible\_host’] }}”  
with\_subelements:

- “{{ server\_specs }}”

- server\_numbers\_subnet  
register: domain

- debug:  
msg: “after we run our role”  
var: domain  
verbosity: 2

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/original/1X/1882d9a01da5d8996a862359b0913cc568a39b84.svg) [@system](https://forum.ansible.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/debugging-roles-vs-debugging-plays/28594/2 "2018-09-17T20:34:06Z")

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formats dont change for tasks, the problem is you are running to tasks toghether

&nbsp;&nbsp;- debug:  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;msg: "before we run our role"

&nbsp;&nbsp;- set\_fact:  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;server\_hostname: "{{ server\_hostname }} + [ '{{  
item.0.server\_category + item.1.server\_numbers + location.short + 'V'  
}}' ]"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;domain\_controller\_group: "{{ server\_specs.0.win\_domain|lower}}DC"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;domain\_controller: "{{  
hostvars[groups[server\_specs.0.win\_domain|lower +  
'DC'][0]]['ansible\_host'] }}"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;with\_subelements:  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- "{{ server\_specs }}"  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- server\_numbers\_subnet  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;register: domain

also msg and var are mutually exclusive, use one, not both.