ignoring an empty list when using with_flattened

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1

I have the following in a role:

  • name: Create readonly user groups
    group:
    name={{ item.name|default }}
    gid={{ item.gid|default }}
    with_flattened:

  • users_ro

  • host_users_ro
    ignore_errors: yes

  • name: Create readonly users
    user:
    name={{ item.name|default }}
    comment={{ item.fullname|default }}
    groups=users
    group={{ item.name|default }}
    shell=/bin/bash
    createhome=yes
    uid={{ item.uid|default }}
    password=“*”
    update_password=always
    with_flattened:

  • users_ro

  • host_users_ro

ignore_errors: yes

I have use cases where I know that various combinations of the groups I’m looping through (users_ro and host_users_ro, in this example) are empty/undefined. I’d prefer to not use the default filter for each of my variables I’m referencing here, but this, in combination with ignore_errors, appears to be the only way I can get the play to continue if one of the lists is undefined.

If the list is undefined, I get an error, and if I use something like host_users_ro|default(omit), I get an error on ‘name’ not being defined instead.

Simply using ignore_errors: yes without using the default filter results in a fatal error and ansible also does not continue.

I assume this is expected/by design. But is there no way to tell ansible to ignore when a list is undefined or empty? I’d much rather have ansible continue if a list isn’t defined, rather than having to define an empty list with an empty user, just so ansible can create an ‘empty’ user on the system.

2

You already know the way to do this: "mylist |default()", you can do
this on the list, so you would not need to do that on each module
argument.

Also, 'omit' is for removing module parameters, not for skipping an
item in a loop, and, of course, it does not work well with required
parameters.

3

works perfectly… much thanks.

when working after a long day… it’s easy to get lost with the changes being made, once you start to get a little desperate :wink:

4

We all get tunnel vision, you already had the solution, just needed someone to turn your head to it :wink: