# Problem with Conditional variable **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [January 23, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/problem-with-conditional-variable/32039 "2020-01-23T14:22:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yehuda\_Pinhas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@Yehuda\_Pinhas](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Yehuda_Pinhas)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/problem-with-conditional-variable/32039/1 "2020-01-23T14:22:37Z")
**Hi!** **I want to make the variable qos\_policy set on conditional basis:** **If bandwidth\_mb == ‘50’** **then qos\_policy == ‘qos-nested-50’** **else** **qos\_policy == ‘qos-nested-new-50’** **My code is this (not working):** qos\_policy: “{{ ‘qos-nested-new-’ + bandwidth\_mb }}” qos\_policy: “{{ ‘qos-nested-’ + bandwidth\_mb }}” when: - bandwidth\_mb == “50” bandwidth\_mb: “some number” **Error:** [ansible@Netauto-Dev new\_branch]$ ansible-playbook test\_new\_branch\_playbook.yml PLAY [TEST5\_TLV5] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* TASK [include\_vars] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* ok: [R-TEST5-TLV5] TASK [include\_role : new\_branch] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* ERROR! Syntax Error while loading YAML. did not find expected key The error appears to be in ‘/etc/ansible/roles/new\_branch/tasks/configure\_som\_tlv5.yml’: line 8, column 7, but may be elsewhere in the file depending on the exact syntax problem. The offending line appears to be: - qos\_policy: “{{ ‘qos-nested-’ + bandwidth\_mb }}” when: ^ here PLAY RECAP \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* R-TEST5-TLV5 : ok=1 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0 **What is the problem?** ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/problem-with-conditional-variable/32039/2 "2020-01-23T14:33:48Z")
> \*Hi!\* > \*I want to make the variable qos\_policy set on conditional basis:\* > \* > \* > \*If bandwidth\_mb == '50'\* > \* then qos\_policy == 'qos-nested-50'\* > \* > \* > \*else\* > \* qos\_policy == 'qos-nested-new-50'\* > \* > \* > \* > \* > \*My code is this (not working):\* > qos\_policy: "{{ 'qos-nested-new-' + bandwidth\_mb }}" > qos\_policy: "{{ 'qos-nested-' + bandwidth\_mb }}" > when: > - bandwidth\_mb == "50" > > bandwidth\_mb: "some number" Hello Yehuda, variables don't have a when condition, but you can try: qos\_policy: "{% if bandwidth\_mb == "50" %}{{ 'qos-nested-' + bandwidth\_mb }}{% else %}{{ 'qos-nested-new-' + bandwidth\_mb }}{% endif %}" (untested, but that's the idea) Regards           Racke ---
**Author:** ![vbotka](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/vbotka/32/359_2.png) [@vbotka](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vbotka)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/problem-with-conditional-variable/32039/3 "2020-01-23T15:21:24Z")
The problem is the dash '-' in the name of the variable 'qos-nested-'. Quoting from "Creating valid variable names" [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user\_guide/playbooks\_variables.html#creating-valid-variable-names](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/playbooks_variables.html#creating-valid-variable-names)   "Variable names should be letters, numbers, and underscores. Variables   should always start with a letter." HTH,   -vlado ---
**Author:** ![vbotka](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/vbotka/32/359_2.png) [@vbotka](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vbotka)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/problem-with-conditional-variable/32039/4 "2020-01-23T15:54:02Z")
> \> There are two options for that string: > \> 1. qos-nested-50 will be set when bandwidth\_mb is 50. > \> 2. qos-nested-new-20. 20 for example will set the string to qos-nested-new- > \> when bandwidth\_mb is not 50. It's possible to use the 'ternary' filter. For example      - set\_fact:          qos\_policy: "{{ 'qos-nested-' +                           (bandwidth\_mb == '50')|                           ternary('50', 'new-20') }}" HTH,    -vlado ---
**Author:** ![Yehuda\_Pinhas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@Yehuda\_Pinhas](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Yehuda_Pinhas)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2020, 7:20am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/problem-with-conditional-variable/32039/5 "2020-01-26T07:20:05Z")
Hi! Both solutions given are not working for some reason… Any other suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Yehuda\_Pinhas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@Yehuda\_Pinhas](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Yehuda_Pinhas)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2020, 9:22am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/problem-with-conditional-variable/32039/6 "2020-01-27T09:22:20Z")
Hi guys! Solved. Solution: qos\_policy: “{{ ‘qos-nested-50m’ if bandwidth\_mb == 50 else ‘qos-nested-new-’ ~ bandwidth\_mb ~ ‘m’ }}” Thanks for all replys. Peace out.