# Reading variable values set in a role which is called multiple times using with-items **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [December 9, 2020, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/reading-variable-values-set-in-a-role-which-is-called-multiple-times-using-with-items/34308 "2020-12-09T05:24:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AnsibleUser707](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@AnsibleUser707](https://forum.ansible.com/u/AnsibleUser707)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2020, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/reading-variable-values-set-in-a-role-which-is-called-multiple-times-using-with-items/34308/1 "2020-12-09T05:24:19Z")
Hello everyone, First time poster here so apologies if something is not in correct format. I am trying to read a two values in a script which are set inside a role using set\_fact. The role is called twice using with-items from the script. But do not know how to get values in calling script. In below example, I am expecting two values in variable **value\_in\_role\_register** Could someone please help how to achieve this ? Here is the role which is emitting value\_in\_role with time stamp. ---
**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:** [December 9, 2020, 9:09am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/reading-variable-values-set-in-a-role-which-is-called-multiple-times-using-with-items/34308/2 "2020-12-09T09:09:47Z")
> # dummy\_role.yml > - name: set x >   set\_fact: >     value\_in\_role: "{{ ansible\_date\_time.iso8601 }}" > > # test.yaml > - hosts: local >   connection: local >   tasks: >     - name: Task 1 >       include\_role: >         name: dummy\_role >       register: "value\_in\_role\_register" >       with\_items: >         - call-1st-Time >         - call-2nd-Time > >     - debug: >         msg="value\_in\_role\_register =\> {{ value\_in\_role\_register.results }}" > > #     - debug:         msg="value\_in\_role =\> {{ value\_in\_role }}" > > # Output (expecting two values in \*value\_in\_role\_register\* but that is not the case > > ok: [local] =\> { >     "msg": "\*value\_in\_role\_register\* =\> [{'item': u'call-1st-Time', > 'ansible\_loop\_var': u'item', 'include\_args': {u'name': u'dummy\_role'}}, > {'item': u'call-2nd-Time', 'ansible\_loop\_var': u'item', 'include\_args': > {u'name': u'dummy\_role'}}]" > } "include\_role" does not return the tasks' results. Instead, you might want to iterate the task inside the role and create the list of the results there. For example   \> cat roles/dummy\_role/tasks/main.yml   - shell: "sleep 1 && date +%T"     register: value\_in\_role     loop: "{{ calls }}"   \> cat playbook.yml   - hosts: localhost     tasks:       - include\_role:           name: dummy\_role         vars:           calls: [call-1st-Time,call-2nd-Time,call-3nd-Time]       - debug:           msg: "{{ dict(value\_in\_role.results|                         json\_query('.[item,stdout]')) }}" give   ok: [localhost] =\>     msg:       call-1st-Time: '10:04:22'       call-2nd-Time: '10:04:23'       call-3nd-Time: '10:04:24' > TASK [debug] > \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* > ok: [local] =\> { >     "msg": "\*value\_in\_role\* =\> 2020-12-09T04:56:22Z" > } JFYI, the value of "ansible\_date\_time" is set by the module "setup". It's not updated automatically. You have to execute "setup" to update "ansible\_date\_time". ---
**Author:** ![AnsibleUser707](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@AnsibleUser707](https://forum.ansible.com/u/AnsibleUser707)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/reading-variable-values-set-in-a-role-which-is-called-multiple-times-using-with-items/34308/3 "2020-12-09T19:36:07Z")
Thanks Vladimir for complete working example. Yes it resolved the use case I have. Wondering if it is the issue with ‘set\_fact’ vs ‘register’ used in role when role is called multiple times. Seems like set\_fact (sets only last value) instead of maintaining multiple values as register does when called in a loop. Yours \>\> register: value\_in\_role Mine \>\> set\_fact: value\_in\_role: Anyways, thanks again ! ---
**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:** [December 9, 2020, 8:35pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/reading-variable-values-set-in-a-role-which-is-called-multiple-times-using-with-items/34308/4 "2020-12-09T20:35:58Z")
> ... Seems like set\_fact (sets only last value) instead of > maintaining multiple values as register does when called in a loop. Correct. The next option would be the addition of an item to the list, e.g. \*my\_dates\*, in each invocation of the role   \> cat roles/dummy\_role\_02/tasks/main.yml   - setup:       gather\_subset: date\_time   - set\_fact:       my\_dates: "{{ my\_dates|default() +                     [ansible\_date\_time.iso8601\_micro] }}" Then the playbook   - hosts: localhost     vars:       calls: [call-1st-Time,call-2nd-Time,call-3nd-Time]     tasks:       - include\_role:           name: dummy\_role\_02         loop: "{{ calls }}"       - debug:           msg: "{{ dict(calls|zip(my\_dates)) }}" gives   msg:     call-1st-Time: '2020-12-09T20:33:06.776459Z'     call-2nd-Time: '2020-12-09T20:33:07.267783Z'     call-3nd-Time: '2020-12-09T20:33:07.862950Z' If you're interested in profiling see [https://ansible-runner.readthedocs.io/en/latest/intro.html#runner-profiling-data-directory](https://ansible-runner.readthedocs.io/en/latest/intro.html#runner-profiling-data-directory) ---
**Author:** ![AnsibleUser707](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@AnsibleUser707](https://forum.ansible.com/u/AnsibleUser707)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/reading-variable-values-set-in-a-role-which-is-called-multiple-times-using-with-items/34308/5 "2020-12-09T20:43:42Z")
Thanks for sharing… always good to know multiple approaches to solve a problem 🙂 .