problem quoting string

Archives Ansible Project
1

Hello,

having something like this in my playbook
vars:
somevar:
command:

  • run: |
    “somecommand ‘somestring’ | awk ‘{print $2}’”

tasks:

  • name: output var to file
    copy:
    content: “{{ somevar | to_nice_yaml(sort_keys=false,indent=2) }}”
    dest: /tmp/tempfile

when I look at /tmp/tempfile it looks like ansible doubles apostrophes:

command:
– run: ‘"somecommand ‘‘somestring’’ | awk ‘’{print $2}’'"

is there any way to make ansible produce file without extra apostrophes?

thanks.

2

When I try that code I get something different altogether, note the
single dash for the list item:

~$ cat /tmp/tempfile
command:
- run: '"somecommand ''somestring'' | awk ''{print $2}''"

    '

But this seems OK as that is what ansible is instructed to do.

So, the better question is what are you trying to do?
What do you want that file to look like - exactly?

Also, you ask for yaml, and when that is emitted, ansible (or the yaml
library) emits whatever is needed to make it valid YAML.

3

Hello,

having something like this in my playbook
vars:
  somevar:
     command:
            - run: |
                    "somecommand 'somestring' | awk '{print $2}'"

tasks:
   - name: output var to file
      copy:
          content: "{{ somevar | to_nice_yaml(sort_keys=false,indent=2) }}"
           dest: /tmp/tempfile

when I look at /tmp/tempfile it looks like ansible doubles apostrophes:
command:
     -- run: '"somecommand ''somestring'' | awk ''{print $2}''"

is there any way to make ansible produce file without extra apostrophes?

thanks.

Let's simplify the variable for testing

  cmd: |
    "somecommand 'somestring'"

1) The filters *to_yaml* and *to_nice_yaml* will quote the strings

    - copy:
        dest: /tmp/tempfile
        content: "{{ cmd|to_yaml }}"

gives (note the empty line and the closing single-quote

cat /tmp/tempfile

'"somecommand ''somestring''"

  '

Remove the trailing new line by adding the dash to the block

  cmd: |-
    "somecommand 'somestring'"

now the task creates the file

cat /tmp/tempfile

'"somecommand ''somestring''"'

In a single-quoted block, the single-quote is the only character that
have to be escaped; by itself. This is the reason of the 'extra
apostrophes'.

2) Add the dash to your block to remove the new line

  somevar:
     command:
       - run: |-
           "somecommand 'somestring' | awk '{print $2}'"

The filter *to_nice_yaml* will quote the string

    - copy:
        dest: /tmp/tempfile
        content: "{{ somevar|to_nice_yaml }}"

gives valid YAML with the list *command* and single item

cat /tmp/tempfile

command:
- run: '"somecommand ''somestring'' | awk ''{print $2}''"'

Read the file and use the command

    - include_vars:
         file: /tmp/tempfile
    - command: "echo {{ command.0.run }}"
      register: out
    - debug:
        var: out.stdout

gives probably what you want

  out.stdout: somecommand 'somestring' | awk '{print $2}'

The run-string was properly expanded and used in the command line.

3) If you really want to get rid of the 'extra apostrophes' you'll
have to expand the strings in the template. For example,

    - copy:
        dest: /tmp/tempfile
        content: |
          {% for key,val in somevar.items() %}
          {{ key }}:
          {% for i in val %}
          {% for k,v in i.items() %}
          - {{ k }}: {{ v }}
          {% endfor %}
          {% endfor %}
          {% endfor %}

gives

cat /tmp/tempfile

command:
- run: "somecommand 'somestring' | awk '{print $2}'"

Note that now the double-quotes are not part of the string stored
in command.0.run

HTH,