# Split stdout based on white space

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/split-stdout-based-on-white-space/26964>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [March 12, 2018, 6:30am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/split-stdout-based-on-white-space/26964 "2018-03-12T06:30:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Vino\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@Vino\_B](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Vino_B)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 6:30am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/split-stdout-based-on-white-space/26964/1 "2018-03-12T06:30:31Z")

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Hi All,

Request your help on the below

- name: Check whether run level is set to Multi-User System  
command: runlevel  
register: rlevel\_status  
failed\_when: rlevel\_status.stdout.split()[1] != 3

The output of rlevel\_status = “N 3”

Error:

FAILED! =\> {“changed”: false, “cmd”: [“runlevel”], “delta”: “0:00:00.003175”, “end”: “2018-03-12 06:23:16.055125”, “failed”: true, “failed\_when\_result”: true, “rc”: 0, “start”: “2018-03-12 06:23:16.051950”, “stderr”: “”, “stderr\_lines”: , “stdout”: “N 3”, “stdout\_lines”: [“N 3”]}

From,  
Vino.B

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Thomas\_Hikade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@Thomas\_Hikade](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Thomas_Hikade)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 8:45am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/split-stdout-based-on-white-space/26964/2 "2018-03-12T08:45:41Z")

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​​Hi

try comparing strings with strings, i.e.:

failed\_when: rlevel\_status.stdout.split()[1] != ‘3’

regards,  
Thomas