Hello. This is a continuation of the post “Passing a var between tasks”. Thanks all who chimed in on that one, your help is immensely appreciated! There is no need to read that previous post, as the question is stated clearly enough herein.
I have a playbook that does the following:
Go to ServiceNow ticketing system, get a Change Request meeting specific parameters, pass its SYS_ID to the next task which will download all the attachments in it. Each such attachment bears a unique SYS_ID, just like the master CR which has its own SYS_ID as well.
I managed to write it (barely!) in such a way that it only gets the first attachment to the Change Request and ignores the remaining ones. That means I will have to limit the users to upload multiple scripts to a request, which is unreasonable.
sys_id: "{{ dcr_new_cr_request_found_out.records[0].sys_id }}"
However, a Change Request may and will have multiple attachments.
Therefore, I need to re-write the playbook below in such a way that downloads all attachments, however many there may be.
The playbook and output below are downloading only one attachment.
Change Request “sys_id”: “fc2b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a5”
attachments:
“sys_id”: “fc2b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a5”
“sys_id”: “742b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a7”
“sys_id”: “f82b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a8”
---
- name: Oracle database Data Change Request Process ID 2872.56
# hosts: dbservers
hosts: localhost
gather_facts: true
vars_files:
- vars/main.yml
tasks:
- name: 0. Prepare. Display Ansible date_time fact and register | itsm_dcr
delegate_to: localhost
run_once: true
set_fact:
currenttime: "{{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}"
tags: linux
- name: 1. Retrieve new DCR change requests
servicenow.itsm.change_request_info:
instance:
host: "{{ sn_instance}}"
username: "{{ sn_username }}"
password: "{{ sn_password }}"
query:
- state: = new
- short_description: LIKE DCR
register: dcr_new_cr_request_found_out
delegate_to: localhost
- name: 1.1 Debug the ServiceNow Change Request details to get the attachment SYS_ID | itsm_dcr
debug: var=dcr_new_cr_request_found_out
- name: Cache the CR SYS_ID {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }} | itsm_dcr
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
sys_id: "{{ dcr_new_cr_request_found_out.records[0].sys_id }}"
- name: 2. Download the Change Request attachment with its hardcoded SYS_ID from Step 1 | itsm_dcr
servicenow.itsm.attachment:
instance:
host: "{{ sn_instance}}"
username: "{{ sn_username }}"
password: "{{ sn_password }}"
dest: /tmp/DCR_{{ currenttime }}_00000001.sql
sys_id: "{{ dcr_new_cr_request_found_out.records[0].attachments[0].sys_id }}"
# sys_id: 003a3ef24ff1120031577d2ca310c74b
register: dcr_new_cr_attachment_out
- name: 2.1 Debug the hardcoded-SYS-ID attachment download details | itsm_dcr
debug: var=dcr_new_cr_attachment_out
and the output (note there are four *.sql attachments in that CR):
[ansible_admin@ctrl ansible]$ ansible-playbook ./playbooks/dcr_03.yml
PLAY [Oracle database Data Change Request Process ID 2872.56] *************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
[WARNING]: Using run_once with the free strategy is not currently supported. This task will still be executed for every host in the inventory list.
TASK [0. Prepare. Display Ansible date_time fact and register | itsm_dcr] *************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [1. Retrieve new DCR change requests] ********************************************************************************************************************************************
[WARNING]: Encountered unknown value while mapping field risk.
[WARNING]: Encountered unknown value Software while mapping field category.
ok: [localhost]
TASK [1.1 Debug the ServiceNow Change Request details to get the attachment SYS_ID | itsm_dcr] ****************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"dcr_new_cr_request_found_out": {
"changed": false,
"failed": false,
"records": [
{
"active": "true",
"activity_due": "",
"additional_assignee_list": "",
"approval": "approved",
"approval_history": "",
"approval_set": "2026-01-27 19:29:50",
"assigned_to": "3c589a008334f210f28198c6feaad375",
"assignment_group": "db53580b0a0a0a6501aa37c294a2ba6b",
"attachments": [
{
"average_image_color": "",
"chunk_size_bytes": "700000",
"compressed": "true",
"content_type": "text/x-sql",
"download_link": "https://dev276659.service-now.com/api/now/attachment/fc2b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a5/file",
"file_name": "DCR_002.sql",
"hash": "495a9dfd6868afb81786f3edb5183ebbde68fe136395373d7bacabb1fa36c24a",
"image_height": "",
"image_width": "",
"size_bytes": "76",
"size_compressed": "92",
"state": "available",
"sys_created_by": "admin",
"sys_created_on": "2026-02-01 10:42:41",
"sys_id": "fc2b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a5",
"sys_mod_count": "1",
"sys_tags": "",
"sys_updated_by": "system",
"sys_updated_on": "2026-02-01 10:42:41",
"table_name": "change_request",
"table_sys_id": "34a34e0883f6f210f28198c6feaad380"
},
{
"average_image_color": "",
"chunk_size_bytes": "700000",
"compressed": "true",
"content_type": "text/x-sql",
"download_link": "https://dev276659.service-now.com/api/now/attachment/742b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a7/file",
"file_name": "DCR_003.sql",
"hash": "468948ef7571706b68865cb9617fa979decc5664d30353742f03c024c0e6f3c5",
"image_height": "",
"image_width": "",
"size_bytes": "148",
"size_compressed": "141",
"state": "available",
"sys_created_by": "admin",
"sys_created_on": "2026-02-01 10:42:41",
"sys_id": "742b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a7",
"sys_mod_count": "1",
"sys_tags": "",
"sys_updated_by": "system",
"sys_updated_on": "2026-02-01 10:42:41",
"table_name": "change_request",
"table_sys_id": "34a34e0883f6f210f28198c6feaad380"
},
{
"average_image_color": "",
"chunk_size_bytes": "700000",
"compressed": "true",
"content_type": "text/x-sql",
"download_link": "https://dev276659.service-now.com/api/now/attachment/f82b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a8/file",
"file_name": "DCR_004_controlled_failure.sql",
"hash": "5d48a20d5bd0003a1d3bad56aa43127b33b4274f55978e6404aeb1b49d602aa1",
"image_height": "",
"image_width": "",
"size_bytes": "264",
"size_compressed": "198",
"state": "available",
"sys_created_by": "admin",
"sys_created_on": "2026-02-01 10:42:41",
"sys_id": "f82b752983bab210f28198c6feaad3a8",
"sys_mod_count": "1",
"sys_tags": "",
"sys_updated_by": "system",
"sys_updated_on": "2026-02-01 10:42:41",
"table_name": "change_request",
"table_sys_id": "34a34e0883f6f210f28198c6feaad380"
}
],
"backout_plan": "",
"business_duration": "",
"business_service": "281a4d5fc0a8000b00e4ba489a83eedc",
"cab_date_time": "",
"cab_delegate": "",
"cab_recommendation": "",
"cab_required": "false",
"calendar_duration": "",
"category": "Software",
"change_plan": "",
"chg_model": "007c4001c343101035ae3f52c1d3aeb2",
"close_code": "",
"close_notes": "",
"closed_at": "",
"closed_by": "",
"cmdb_ci": "0c43d5e2c61122750182c132a8b9e2d9",
"comments": "",
"comments_and_work_notes": "",
"company": "",
"conflict_last_run": "",
"conflict_status": "Not Run",
"contact_type": "",
"contract": "",
"copied_from": "",
"correlation_display": "",
"correlation_id": "",
"delivery_plan": "",
"delivery_task": "",
"description": "--- Managed by r-able.com hyperautomation (TurboCharged, V2.2.2). Do not change manually. Do not deviate. ---\r\n--- This Change Request adds a new deployment to an already installed GoldenGate hub binaries ---\r\n--- Enter the required parameters on the right side of the \":\" below ---\r\nRun dcr\r\n",
"due_date": "",
"end_date": "",
"escalation": "0",
"expected_start": "",
"follow_up": "",
"group_list": "",
"impact": "low",
"implementation_plan": "",
"justification": "",
"knowledge": "false",
"location": "",
"made_sla": "true",
"number": "CHG0030971",
"on_hold": false,
"on_hold_reason": "",
"on_hold_task": "",
"opened_at": "2026-01-27 19:28:56",
"opened_by": "6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441",
"order": "",
"outside_maintenance_schedule": "false",
"parent": "",
"phase": "requested",
"phase_state": "open",
"priority": "low",
"production_system": "false",
"reason": "",
"reassignment_count": "0",
"requested_by": "6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441",
"requested_by_date": "",
"review_comments": "",
"review_date": "",
"review_status": "",
"risk": "",
"risk_impact_analysis": "",
"route_reason": "",
"scope": "3",
"service_offering": "04b89573835e7210f28198c6feaad3f0",
"short_description": "DCR",
"sla_due": "",
"start_date": "",
"state": "new",
"std_change_producer_version": "",
"sys_class_name": "change_request",
"sys_created_by": "admin",
"sys_created_on": "2026-01-27 19:29:50",
"sys_domain": "global",
"sys_domain_path": "/",
"sys_id": "34a34e0883f6f210f28198c6feaad380",
"sys_mod_count": "9",
"sys_tags": "",
"sys_updated_by": "admin",
"sys_updated_on": "2026-02-01 10:49:31",
"task_effective_number": "CHG0030971",
"test_plan": "",
"time_worked": "",
"type": "normal",
"unauthorized": "false",
"universal_request": "",
"upon_approval": "proceed",
"upon_reject": "cancel",
"urgency": "low",
"user_input": "",
"watch_list": "",
"work_end": "",
"work_notes": "",
"work_notes_list": "",
"work_start": ""
}
],
"warnings": [
"Encountered unknown value while mapping field risk.",
"Encountered unknown value Software while mapping field category."
]
}
}
TASK [Cache the CR SYS_ID 2026-02-01T12:24:11Z | itsm_dcr] ****************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [2. Download the Change Request attachment with its hardcoded SYS_ID from Step 1 | itsm_dcr] *************************************************************************************
changed: [localhost]
TASK [2.1 Debug the hardcoded-SYS-ID attachment download details | itsm_dcr] **********************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"dcr_new_cr_attachment_out": {
"changed": true,
"failed": false,
"record": {
"elapsed": 0.41,
"msg": "OK",
"size": 76,
"status_code": 200
}
}
}
PLAY RECAP ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
localhost : ok=7 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
[ansible_admin@ctrl ansible]$
Please help me tackle this monster.
Nestor Kandinsky-Clerambeau.
