# default filter on with\_items with from\_json **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [August 8, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-filter-on-with-items-with-from-json/28296 "2018-08-08T20:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rjwagner.dba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@rjwagner.dba](https://forum.ansible.com/u/rjwagner.dba)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-filter-on-with-items-with-from-json/28296/1 "2018-08-08T20:10:11Z")
I’m running into the infamous issue where with\_items isn’t skipped if when evaluates to false ([https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/13791](https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/13791)). That said, I’m at loss as to how to workaround my particular issue. Consider these two tasks (simplified for discussion): ` #\> cat b.yml ---
**Author:** ![Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kai_Stian_Olstad)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-filter-on-with-items-with-from-json/28296/2 "2018-08-08T21:33:49Z")
> I'm running into the infamous issue where with\_items isn't skipped if when > evaluates to false ([https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/13791](https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/13791)). That > said, I'm at loss as to how to workaround my particular issue. It's not that infamous, it's just how Jinja work, and when you understand the concept it is easy to deal with. > Consider these two tasks (simplified for discussion): > > #\> cat b.yml > --- > - hosts: 127.0.0.1 >   connection: local >   gather\_facts: False >   tasks: >   - name: get json >     shell: "echo '{ \"a\": [1,2,3] }'" >     register: b >     when: X=='1' >   - name: echo a array >     debug: msg="{{ item }}" >     with\_items: "{{ (b.stdout | from\_json).a }}" >     when: X=='1' When X=0 the variable b will be defined, it contains data about the sipped reason. But b will not contain the key stdout so this variable need to be filtered through default filter. Since b.stdout is filter through from\_json the default filter need to provide a empty json string to satisfy the filter.    with\_items: "{{ (b.stdout | from\_json).a }}" becomes    with\_items: "{{ (b.stdout | default('{}') | from\_json).a }}" but this will also fail since the empty {} json string doesn't contain a key name "a" so this also need to go through the default filter. Since with\_items need a list this must be an empty list , so it becomes    with\_items: "{{ (b.stdout | default('{}') | from\_json).a | default() }}" So the principle is, if a variable is not defined it need to go through the default filter. I hope this explanation gave some meaning. ---
**Author:** ![rjwagner.dba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@rjwagner.dba](https://forum.ansible.com/u/rjwagner.dba)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 1:47pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-filter-on-with-items-with-from-json/28296/3 "2018-08-09T13:47:15Z")
Thanks very much, Kai. This does help my understanding. I was trying to use default() after the b.stdout to generate the JSON (i.e., have default generate ‘{ “a”: “” }’) and wasn’t having any luck because of all the nested quotes. I still consider it counterintuitive that Ansible evaluates with\_items: even if when: skips it, but no use arguing here. Thanks again for your help. Appreciate it. Rob ---
**Author:** ![Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kai_Stian_Olstad)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-filter-on-with-items-with-from-json/28296/4 "2018-08-09T16:06:41Z")
That's because when is evaluated for each element in with\_items, so with\_items must run before when. Remember that you can use the item variable in when, just to illustrate    - debug: msg="I run"      when: item == True      with\_items:        - True        - False        - True with\_items must run first so when has the correct value for the variable item. ---
**Author:** ![rjwagner.dba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@rjwagner.dba](https://forum.ansible.com/u/rjwagner.dba)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-filter-on-with-items-with-from-json/28296/5 "2018-08-10T21:04:41Z")
Ah, yes. Makes sense now. Thanks Kai. Rob