# default for undefined dict

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-for-undefined-dict/23682>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [February 8, 2017, 10:29am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-for-undefined-dict/23682 "2017-02-08T10:29:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![adrien\_nayrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@adrien\_nayrat](https://forum.ansible.com/u/adrien_nayrat)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 10:29am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-for-undefined-dict/23682/1 "2017-02-08T10:29:57Z")

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Hi,

Here is my variable :

instances:

- name: ref  
mgservices:  
name: test1

My default variable:

default\_mgservice :  
name: blah

I want to use “default\_mgservice.name” when mgservices is not defined :  
instances:

- name: ref

Here is my template

{% for instance in instances %}  
pgservice : {{ instance.mgservices.name | default(default\_mgservice.name) }}  
{% endfor %}

But it failed :

“AnsibleUndefinedVariable: ‘dict object’ has no attribute ‘mgservices’”}

I don’t understand why default do not work on dict? Any idea?

Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![adrien\_nayrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@adrien\_nayrat](https://forum.ansible.com/u/adrien_nayrat)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 10:34am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-for-undefined-dict/23682/2 "2017-02-08T10:34:18Z")

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FYI :  
ansible 2.2.0.0

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**Author:** ![Johannes\_Kastl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Johannes\_Kastl](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Johannes_Kastl)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 10:41am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-for-undefined-dict/23682/3 "2017-02-08T10:41:45Z")

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Just a guess:  
Your problem is not the default, but rather how you try to address  
your dict.

Try this:  
pgservice: {{ instance["msgservices"]["name"] }}

Johannes

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**Author:** ![adrien\_nayrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@adrien\_nayrat](https://forum.ansible.com/u/adrien_nayrat)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 11:37am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-for-undefined-dict/23682/4 "2017-02-08T11:37:24Z")

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> Just a guess:  
> Your problem is not the default, but rather how you try to address  
> your dict.
> 
> Try this:  
> pgservice: {{ instance[“msgservices”][“name”] }}
> 
> Johannes

Thanks but I have the same error. I want to use default\_mgservice.name when mgservices is not defined.

I find this workarround :  
{% if instance.mgservices is defined %}  
pgservice : {{ instance.mgservices.name | default(default\_mgservice.name) }}  
{% else %}  
pgservice : {{ default\_mgservice.name }}  
{% endif %}

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**Author:** ![Stankovic\_Marko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Stankovic\_Marko](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Stankovic_Marko)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2017, 11:42am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/default-for-undefined-dict/23682/5 "2017-02-08T11:42:15Z")

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Hi,

Try with this:  
{% for instance in instances %}  
pgservice : {{ (instance['mgservices'] | default(default\_mgservice))['name'] }}  
{% endfor %}

Cheers,  
Marko  
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