# Range function in Ansible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [May 8, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/range-function-in-ansible/32887 "2020-05-08T15:49:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Albert\_Short](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Albert\_Short](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Albert_Short)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/range-function-in-ansible/32887/1 "2020-05-08T15:49:14Z")
Can anyone tell me there is a solution I can use to do the same thing a Python range function in Ansible? Scenario: Variables I am using ` access\_hostname: - name: dariusz\_access1 nodeid\_access: 1001 from\_port: ‘04’ vlanid: - 201-204,500-510 podid: 1 int\_mode: regular depl\_immediacy: lazy - name: dariusz\_access2 nodeid\_access: 1001 from\_port: ‘05’ vlanid: - 10,1200 podid: 1 int\_mode: regular depl\_immediacy: lazy ` What I want to achieve is to expand my ‘vlanid’ variable into a list of individual items: So from this ` vlanid: - 201-204,500-510 ` to something like this, hopefully to the use that info in loops, etc. ` dariusz\_access1: vlanid: - ‘0201’ - ‘0202’ - ‘0203’ - ‘0204’ - ‘0500’ - ‘0501’ - ‘0502’ - ‘0503’ - ‘0504’ - ‘0505’ - ‘0506’ - ‘0507’ - ‘0508’ - ‘0509’ - ‘0510’ - |- dariusz\_access2: vlanid: - ‘0010’ - ‘1200’ ` I also need to get a leading zero ‘0’ added to each vlanid that is not 4 characters in length. The idea is to avoid having to ask the end user to input each vlanid individually, which could take some time. I have a python code that can split the ranges for me, with no problem, but if there was an option in Ansible, i would prefer that. Any guidance would be great. ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Visser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@Dick\_Visser](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Dick_Visser)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/range-function-in-ansible/32887/2 "2020-05-08T17:54:36Z")
This works for me: ---
**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:** [May 8, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/range-function-in-ansible/32887/3 "2020-05-08T19:06:17Z")
> Scenario: > Variables I am using >     access\_hostname: >     - name: dariusz\_access1 >       nodeid\_access: 1001 >       from\_port: '04' >       vlanid: >         - 201-204,500-510 >       podid: 1 >       int\_mode: regular >       depl\_immediacy: lazy > >     - name: dariusz\_access2 >       nodeid\_access: 1001 >       from\_port: '05' >       vlanid: >         - 10,1200 >       podid: 1 >       int\_mode: regular >       depl\_immediacy: lazy > > What I want to achieve is to expand my 'vlanid' variable into a list of > individual items: It's possible to create "filter\_plugins" [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/dev\_guide/developing\_plugins.html#filter-plugins](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/dev_guide/developing_plugins.html#filter-plugins) For example   \> cat filter\_plugins/my\_filters.py   def my\_range(s):       interval = str(s).split("-")       start = int(interval[0])       if len(interval) \> 1:           stop = int(interval[1]) + 1       else:           stop = start + 1       return [i for i in range(start,stop)]   def my\_split(s):       return str(s).split(",")   class FilterModule(object):       def filters(self):           return {               'my\_range': my\_range,               'my\_split': my\_split               } Then this task does the job     - debug:         msg: "{{ item.vlanid|                  map('my\_split')|flatten|                  map('my\_range')|flatten }}"       loop: "{{ access\_hostname }}" HTH,   -vlado ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Short](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Albert\_Short](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Albert_Short)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/range-function-in-ansible/32887/4 "2020-05-11T07:41:02Z")
Dick, thanks for that, other than the strange behavior for anything with the 8 or 9 in it not formatting correctly. My next issue I can’t resolve is to make this loop through a ‘multi-layer’ dictionary ` top: device1: name: test\_name1 vlanid: 2-10,800-810 device2: name: test\_name2 vlanid: 100-120 ` My brain is a bit frazzled right now but I may be looking at this from the wrong angle. My idea, if possible is to be able to: 1. User to input ‘name:’ for each device/endpoint (‘device1:’ , ‘device2:’) 2. User input of ‘vlanid:’ for each specific device/endpoint (‘device1:’ , ‘device2:’) 3. Ansible to loop through ‘top:’ 4. Use ‘name:’ input 5. Expand ‘vlanid:’ 6. Build required objects in ACI, on per device/endpoint deployment If I can get this work once, I hope to be able to use it on other ACI object creations that are endpoint specific. I have tried using sub\_elements in my past playbook, which works fine, but I have to input each ‘vlanid’ individually into a list ` top: device1: name: test\_name1 vlanid: - ‘0002’ - ‘0003’ - ‘0004’ … - ‘0919’ device2: name: test\_name2 vlanid: - ‘0100’ - ‘0101’ - ‘0102’ - ‘0103’ … - ‘0120’ ` Again, any assistance would be great. Regards