# Need help parsing output from VMware collection **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Tags:** vmware, playbook, collections\ **Created:** [December 4, 2023, 1:06am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714 "2023-12-04T01:06:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![newbie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dc4da7/32.png) [@newbie](https://forum.ansible.com/u/newbie)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 1:06am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/1 "2023-12-04T01:06:01Z")
I’m trying to use the community.vmware collection to automate the creation of a number of VMs (fine with that bit), where I am coming unstuck is parsing the output of community.vmware.vmware\_datastore\_info “datastores”: [ { “name”: “datastore1”, “summary”: { “\_vimtype”: “vim.Datastore.Summary”, “accessible”: true, “capacity”: 119990648832, “datastore”: “vim.Datastore:656bd379-a008a098-6ed8-d05099c155c9”, “freeSpace”: 84916830208, “maintenanceMode”: null, “multipleHostAccess”: null, “name”: “datastore1”, “type”: “VMFS”, “uncommitted”: 3793282394, “url”: “/vmfs/volumes/656bd379-a008a098-6ed8-d05099c155c9” } }, { “name”: “datastore2”, “summary”: { “\_vimtype”: “vim.Datastore.Summary”, “accessible”: true, “capacity”: 239981297664, “datastore”: “vim.Datastore:656bd392-48951fa8-1f7f-d05099c155c9”, “freeSpace”: 238469251072, “maintenanceMode”: null, “multipleHostAccess”: null, “name”: “datastore2”, “type”: “VMFS”, “uncommitted”: 0, “url”: “/vmfs/volumes/656bd392-48951fa8-1f7f-d05099c155c9” } } ] ```auto --- # find free space on cluster datastores - name: Retrieve information on free space in each datastore community.vmware.vmware_datastore_info: hostname: "{{ '>' }}" username: "{{ 'root' }}" password: "{{ '>' }}" validate_certs: False schema: vsphere properties: - name - summary delegate_to: localhost register: info - name: datastore info output ansible.builtin.debug: msg="{{ info }}" # msg="{{ info | type_debug}}" ``` So the output is of type “dict” but I can’t seem identify the correct syntax to extract the fields i want from the output. I want to extract the datastore name and the available free space to evaluate whether I have enough free space to deploy on that datastore (make sense?). Can someone who knows what their doing point me the in the right direction, or offer some example code? I tried using _map_ to pull the relevant fields but I can’t make this work, there is a gap in my understanding… ---
**Author:** ![utoddl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/utoddl/32/249_2.png) [@utoddl](https://forum.ansible.com/u/utoddl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 3:03am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/2 "2023-12-04T03:03:25Z")
Like this: ```yml $ cat newbie01.yml --- # newbie01.yml - name: Result stuff hosts: localhost gather_facts: false vars: info: "datastores": [ { "name": "datastore1", "summary": { "_vimtype": "vim.Datastore.Summary", "accessible": true, "capacity": 119990648832, "datastore": "vim.Datastore:656bd379-a008a098-6ed8-d05099c155c9", "freeSpace": 84916830208, "maintenanceMode": null, "multipleHostAccess": null, "name": "datastore1", "type": "VMFS", "uncommitted": 3793282394, "url": "/vmfs/volumes/656bd379-a008a098-6ed8-d05099c155c9" } }, { "name": "datastore2", "summary": { "_vimtype": "vim.Datastore.Summary", "accessible": true, "capacity": 239981297664, "datastore": "vim.Datastore:656bd392-48951fa8-1f7f-d05099c155c9", "freeSpace": 238469251072, "maintenanceMode": null, "multipleHostAccess": null, "name": "datastore2", "type": "VMFS", "uncommitted": 0, "url": "/vmfs/volumes/656bd392-48951fa8-1f7f-d05099c155c9" } } ] tasks: - name: Show names, freeSpace ansible.builtin.debug: msg: '{{ item }}' loop: - '{{ info.datastores | map(attribute="name") | zip(info.datastores | map(attribute="summary.freeSpace")) }}' $ ansible-playbook newbie01.yml PLAY [Result stuff] ******************************************************************************************** TASK [Show names, freeSpace] ******************************************************************************************** ok: [localhost] => (item=[['datastore1', 84916830208], ['datastore2', 238469251072]]) => { "msg": [ [ "datastore1", 84916830208 ], [ "datastore2", 238469251072 ] ] } PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************************************** localhost : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0 ``` Or another way to say it is: ```auto if info.datastores[0].summary.freeSpace > lower_limit: deploy_on(info.datastores[0].name) ``` That’s pseudo-code, but the expression is right. ---
**Author:** ![newbie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dc4da7/32.png) [@newbie](https://forum.ansible.com/u/newbie)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/3 "2023-12-04T13:58:31Z")
> [@utoddl](#): > > `info.datastores[0].summary.freeSpace` Thank you Sir! You’ve been a big help to me, much appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![newbie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dc4da7/32.png) [@newbie](https://forum.ansible.com/u/newbie)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/4 "2023-12-05T17:30:55Z")
Next stupid question, how do I loop through every value in the dictionary “index” e.g. info.datastores[0].name info.datastores[0].summary.freeSpace until: info.datastores[n].name info.datastores[n].summary.freeSpace where n is the final integer in the index ? I want to be able to examine every datastore for free space and also only deploy on a select set of datastores whose name corresponds to a particular pattern… i.e. How do I translate this example in the ansible documentation to my particular use case: - name: Count our fruit ansible.builtin.debug: msg: “{{ item }} with index {{ my\_idx }}” loop: - apple - banana - pear loop\_control: index\_var: my\_idx ---
**Author:** ![utoddl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/utoddl/32/249_2.png) [@utoddl](https://forum.ansible.com/u/utoddl)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2023, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/5 "2023-12-05T20:44:01Z")
_I’d_ do something like this maybe: ```yaml - name: Conditional deploy on datastore ansible.builtin.include_tasks: file: deploy_on_datastore.yml vars: min_free_space: 4916830208 when: - datastore.summary.freeSpace > min_free_space - datastore['summary']['type'] == 'VMFS' # another way to address "summary" - datastore.name is regex("^data.*[13579]$") # odd-numbered datastore# - datastore.name is regex("a.t.*e") # another arbitrary conditon loop: '{{ info.datastores }}' loop_control: loop_var: datastore ``` ---
**Author:** ![U6crgb0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/2bfe46/32.png) [@U6crgb0](https://forum.ansible.com/u/U6crgb0)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 1:23am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/6 "2024-05-13T01:23:27Z")
I’m having the same problem need help with zos JCL output trying to do a fine on the sis out ---
**Author:** ![utoddl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/utoddl/32/249_2.png) [@utoddl](https://forum.ansible.com/u/utoddl)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:14am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/7 "2024-05-13T03:14:11Z")
Please be more specific. Show the data, and perhaps what you’ve tried so far. ---
**Author:** ![Incrediblestorm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/incrediblestorm/32/3561_2.png) [@Incrediblestorm](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Incrediblestorm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/need-help-parsing-output-from-vmware-collection/2714/8 "2024-05-25T15:37:20Z")
This should be able to be done with filters required\_space being how much you need ```auto "{{ info.datastores | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt' , required_space) | map(attribute='name') | first }}" ``` That should select the first one it finds that is large enough. You could also throw in a sort to get the datastore with the most available space. ```auto "{{ info.datastores | sort(attribute='summary.freeSpace', reverse=true) | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt' , required_space) | map(attribute='name') | first }}" ``` I ran a test against one of our datacenters: ```yaml - name: Name hosts: thathost gather_facts: false tasks: - name: Retrieve information on free space in each datastore environment: "{{ vcenter_env }}" community.vmware.vmware_datastore_info: schema: vsphere properties: - name - summary delegate_to: localhost register: info - name: show total length ansible.builtin.debug: var: info.datastores | length - name: unsorted first ansible.builtin.debug: var: output vars: output: candidates: "{{ info.datastores | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt', 9999999999999 ) | map(attribute='summary.freeSpace') }}" first_num: "{{ info.datastores | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt', 9999999999999 ) | map(attribute='summary.freeSpace') | first }}" first_name: "{{ info.datastores | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt', 9999999999999 ) | map(attribute='name') | first }}" - name: sorted first ansible.builtin.debug: var: output vars: output: candidates: "{{ info.datastores | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt', 9999999999999 ) | sort(attribute='summary.freeSpace', reverse=true) | map(attribute='summary.freeSpace') }}" first_num: "{{ info.datastores | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt', 9999999999999 ) | sort(attribute='summary.freeSpace', reverse=true) | map(attribute='summary.freeSpace') | first }}" first_name: "{{ info.datastores | selectattr('summary.freeSpace', 'gt', 9999999999999 ) | sort(attribute='summary.freeSpace', reverse=true) | map(attribute='name') | first }}" ``` And output: ```auto PLAY [Name] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* Saturday 25 May 2024 11:51:14 -0400 (0:00:00.019) 0:00:00.019 ********** TASK [Retrieve information on free space in each datastore] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* ok: [thathost -> localhost] Saturday 25 May 2024 11:51:22 -0400 (0:00:07.445) 0:00:07.465 ********** TASK [show total length] ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** ok: [thathost] => info.datastores | length: '56' Saturday 25 May 2024 11:51:22 -0400 (0:00:00.108) 0:00:07.573 ********** TASK [unsorted first] ok: [thathost] => **output: candidates: - 28662707519488 - 18981516738560 - 31680767197184 - 15031020290048 - 10736076062720 - 57689932562432 first_name: AKT_500_UGN_DR_MMM first_num: '28662707519488' ** Saturday 25 May 2024 11:51:22 -0400 (0:00:00.342) 0:00:07.915 ********** TASK [sorted first] ok: [thathost] => **output: candidates: - 57689932562432 - 31680767197184 - 28662707519488 - 18981516738560 - 15031020290048 - 10736076062720 first_name: KTR_DR_FGND first_num: '57689932562432' ** PLAY RECAP thathost : ok=4 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0 Playbook run took 0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 8 seconds Saturday 25 May 2024 11:51:22 -0400 (0:00:00.229) 0:00:08.145 ********** =============================================================================== ``` You can see that it filtered out 50 of our datastores based on size (I hope I never deploy any one thing that big). And you can see the differences between sorting. That should allow you to just specify the parameter for deployment rather than looping.