# iisue when evaluating a complex var in become **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [December 13, 2017, 11:55am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/iisue-when-evaluating-a-complex-var-in-become/26280 "2017-12-13T11:55:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike\_C1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mike\_C1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mike_C1)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2017, 11:55am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/iisue-when-evaluating-a-complex-var-in-become/26280/1 "2017-12-13T11:55:33Z")
Hi all, im trying to use a ‘complex’ expression to evaluate if a task should run as root or not. Here is what i have defined: ```auto debian_based_system: ansible_os_family == 'Debian' or ansible_os_family == 'Linuxmint' ``` My tasks look like this ```auto - debug: var=ansible_os_family - debug: var={{ debian_based_system }} - debug: var=debian_based_system - shell: echo $EUID args: executable: /bin/bash become: "{{ debian_based_system }}" - shell: echo $EUID args: executable: /bin/bash become: true - shell: echo $EUID args: executable: /bin/bash become: debian_based_system ``` and when i run them, i get ```auto TASK [test : debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* ok: [localhost] => { "ansible_os_family": "Linuxmint" } TASK [test : debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* ok: [localhost] => { "ansible_os_family == 'Debian' or ansible_os_family == 'Linuxmint'": true } TASK [test : debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* ok: [localhost] => { "debian_based_system": "ansible_os_family == 'Debian' or ansible_os_family == 'Linuxmint'" } TASK [test : command] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* changed: [localhost] => {"changed": true, "cmd": "echo $EUID", "delta": "0:00:00.003180", "end": "2017-12-13 11:48:16.830302", "rc": 0, "start": "2017-12-13 11:48:16.827122", "stderr": "", "stderr_lines": [], "stdout": "1000", "stdout_lines": ["1000"]} TASK [test : command] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* changed: [localhost] => {"changed": true, "cmd": "echo $EUID", "delta": "0:00:00.002833", "end": "2017-12-13 11:48:16.988274", "rc": 0, "start": "2017-12-13 11:48:16.985441", "stderr": "", "stderr_lines": [], "stdout": "0", "stdout_lines": ["0"]} TASK [test : command] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* changed: [localhost] => {"changed": true, "cmd": "echo $EUID", "delta": "0:00:00.002869", "end": "2017-12-13 11:48:17.143074", "rc": 0, "start": "2017-12-13 11:48:17.140205", "stderr": "", "stderr_lines": [], "stdout": "1000", "stdout_lines": ["1000"]} ``` which means that only `become: true` gave my task sudo access (and not any of the other two). If i change the definition to `debian_based_system: '{{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }}'`, then i get correct results for the first two shell tasks but i also get a warning about using {{ }} in when statements. ```auto TASK [test : debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* [WARNING]: when statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }} or {% %}. Found: {{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }} ok: [localhost] => { "ansible_os_family": "Linuxmint" } TASK [test : debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* [WARNING]: when statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }} or {% %}. Found: {{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }} ok: [localhost] => { "true": "VARIABLE IS NOT DEFINED!" } TASK [test : debug] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* [WARNING]: when statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }} or {% %}. Found: {{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }} ok: [localhost] => { "debian_based_system": true } TASK [test : command] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* [WARNING]: when statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }} or {% %}. Found: {{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }} changed: [localhost] => {"changed": true, "cmd": "echo $EUID", "delta": "0:00:00.002737", "end": "2017-12-13 11:51:29.057079", "rc": 0, "start": "2017-12-13 11:51:29.054342", "stderr": "", "stderr_lines": [], "stdout": "0", "stdout_lines": ["0"]} TASK [test : command] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* [WARNING]: when statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }} or {% %}. Found: {{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }} changed: [localhost] => {"changed": true, "cmd": "echo $EUID", "delta": "0:00:00.003077", "end": "2017-12-13 11:51:29.227123", "rc": 0, "start": "2017-12-13 11:51:29.224046", "stderr": "", "stderr_lines": [], "stdout": "0", "stdout_lines": ["0"]} TASK [test : command] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* [WARNING]: when statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters such as {{ }} or {% %}. Found: {{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }} changed: [localhost] => {"changed": true, "cmd": "echo $EUID", "delta": "0:00:00.003351", "end": "2017-12-13 11:51:29.386325", "rc": 0, "start": "2017-12-13 11:51:29.382974", "stderr": "", "stderr_lines": [], "stdout": "1000", "stdout_lines": ["1000"]} ``` What is the correct way to define this so that it works and i dont get the warning ? Cheers, Mike ```auto $ ansible --version ansible 2.3.1.0 config file = configured module search path = Default w/o overrides python version = 2.7.12 (default, Nov 20 2017, 18:23:56) [GCC 5.4.0 20160609] ``` ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_C1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mike\_C1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mike_C1)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2017, 12:12pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/iisue-when-evaluating-a-complex-var-in-become/26280/2 "2017-12-18T12:12:53Z")
bump ---
**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:** [December 19, 2017, 6:05am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/iisue-when-evaluating-a-complex-var-in-become/26280/3 "2017-12-19T06:05:38Z")
You don't say where you define this, but debian\_based\_system is literally equal to the string ansible\_os\_family == 'Debian' or ansible\_os\_family == 'Linuxmint' I thing you are trying to make debian\_based\_system true or false, to do this you need to enclose them in expression syntax {{ }} ansible\_os\_family == "{{ 'Debian' or ansible\_os\_family == 'Linuxmint' }}" ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_C1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mike\_C1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mike_C1)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 11:21am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/iisue-when-evaluating-a-complex-var-in-become/26280/4 "2017-12-20T11:21:21Z")
> > Hi all, > > > > im trying to use a ‘complex’ expression to evaluate if a task should > > run as > > root or not. > > > > Here is what i have defined: > > > > ```auto > > debian_based_system: ansible_os_family == 'Debian' or ansible_os_family > > == > > 'Linuxmint' > > > > ``` > > You don’t say where you define this, but debian\_based\_system is > literally equal to the string > ansible\_os\_family == ‘Debian’ or ansible\_os\_family == ‘Linuxmint’ > > I thing you are trying to make debian\_based\_system true or false, to do > this you need to enclose them in expression syntax {{ }} > > ansible\_os\_family == “{{ ‘Debian’ or ansible\_os\_family == ‘Linuxmint’ > }}” > > – > Kai Stian Olstad Thanks for the reply. > You don’t say where you define this > I define this in `defaults/main.yml`. I didnt mention it as im not sure how that could make a difference. > I thing you are trying to make debian\_based\_system true or false, to do > this you need to enclose them in expression syntax {{ }} > ansible\_os\_family == “{{ ‘Debian’ or ansible\_os\_family == ‘Linuxmint’ > }}” im failing to see how what you are suggesting is different to what i’ve mentioned already with: > If i change the definition to `debian_based_system: '{{ ansible_os_family == "Debian" or ansible_os_family == "Linuxmint" }}'`, This gives me a warning ‘when statements should not include jinja2 templating delimiters’ Cheers, Mike ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_C1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mike\_C1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mike_C1)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2017, 12:30pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/iisue-when-evaluating-a-complex-var-in-become/26280/5 "2017-12-20T12:30:40Z")
I think this is fixed with [https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/25092](https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/25092), so ill ignore the warnings for now and then fix them when i update ansible version.