Possible bug with 1.8.x : Loading environment specific variable files via vars_files no longer working for - [] syntax

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1

I have a variable ourenv that defines specific environment. This variable is defined in inventory file a used to load environment specific values via vars_files as demonstrated in https://gist.github.com/marktheunissen/2979474
After upgrade to 1.8.0 I’m facing problem with loading environment specific properties via - [] syntax

Sample site.yml

---
- name: CheckIt
  hosts: all
  sudo: yes
  gather_facts: yes
  vars_files:
  - ['vars/env_{{ourenv}}.yml', vars/env_defaults.yml]
  tasks:
  - name: debug
    debug: msg="ourenv {{ ourenv }} pg_wal_buffers {{ pg_wal_buffers }}"

Sample inventory file

[singlebox]
localbox ourenv=dev_single host=devsrv ansible_ssh_host=192.168.18.129 alias=dev

Sample vars/env_dev_single.yml

pg_wal_buffers: 4MB

Sample vars/env_defaults.yml

pg_wal_buffers: value

Output in 1.8.X/1.9 (UNEXPECTED)

PLAY [CheckIt] **************************************************************** 

GATHERING FACTS *************************************************************** 
ok: [localbox]

TASK: [debug] ***************************************************************** 
ok: [localbox] => {
    "msg": "ourenv dev_single pg_wal_buffers value"
}

Output in 1.4.X/…/1.7.2 (CORRECT)

PLAY [CheckIt] **************************************************************** 

GATHERING FACTS *************************************************************** 
ok: [localbox]
localbox: importing /bla-bla-bla/vars/env_dev_single.yml

TASK: [debug] ***************************************************************** 
ok: [localbox] => {
    "msg": "ourenv dev_single pg_wal_buffers 4MB"
}

It seams to me that no issues with loading these variables directly if I replace - ['vars/env_{{ourenv}}.yml', vars/env_defaults.yml] with - 'vars/env_{{ourenv}}.yml' but I want to have ‘failback to defaults’ option.
Also if I pass ourenv via command line (-e "ourenv=dev_single") it works as expected but I think it’s bad practice (splitting environment knowledge between inventory file and command line arguments).

Can somebody point me to the right direction?

I also opened ticket https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/10000 but hope to get faster response here.

2

Upgrading into 1.8.2 (from 1.6.x) produces the same behaviour for me.

I use:

vars_files:

  • “vars/DEFAULTS.yml”
  • “vars/{{ansible_system}}.yml”
  • [“vars/{{ansible_distribution}}.yml”, “vars/empty.yml”]
  • [“vars/{{ansible_distribution}}_{{ansible_distribution_major_version}}.yml”, “vars/empty.yml”]

and it is not loading the correct files anymore, it loads just the “vars/{{ansible_system}}.yml” and that’s it.