# Using community.general.json\_query in vars/main.yml with an Ansible role and ansible-core 2.19.x **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Tags:** jmespath\ **Created:** [August 4, 2025, 6:36am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202 "2025-08-04T06:36:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 6:36am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/1 "2025-08-04T06:36:13Z")
I have a [Ansible PHP role](https://git.coop/roles/php) which uses [json\_query](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/general/docsite/filter_guide_selecting_json_data.html) in the `vars/main.yml` file. With `ansible-core` prior to 2.19.x this has been fine but with 2.19.x it doesn’t work, I have created a [minimal test case](https://git.coop/webarch/test) to demonstrate this. In the test case there is a [roles/test/defaults/main.yml](https://git.coop/webarch/test/-/blob/main/roles/test/defaults/main.yml) which defines a list of PHP packages like this: ```yaml test_php_versions: - name: PHP 8.4 packages version: "8.4" state: present pkg_absent: - libapache2-mod-php8.4 - php8.4-phpdbg pkg_present: - php8.4-apcu - php8.4-bcmath - php8.4-bz2 - php8.4-cli - php8.4-common - php8.4-curl - php8.4-gd - php8.4-gmp - php8.4-fpm - php8.4-imagick - php8.4-imap - php8.4-intl - php8.4-ldap - php8.4-mbstring - php8.4-mysql - php8.4-opcache - php8.4-readline - php8.4-redis - php8.4-sqlite3 - php8.4-soap - php8.4-uploadprogress - php8.4-xml - php8.4-xmlrpc - php8.4-xsl - php8.4-zip - php-pear - name: PHP 8.3 packages version: "8.3" state: present pkg_absent: - libapache2-mod-php8.3 - php8.3-phpdbg pkg_present: - php8.3-apcu - php8.3-bcmath - php8.3-bz2 - php8.3-cli - php8.3-common - php8.3-curl - php8.3-gd - php8.3-gmp - php8.3-fpm - php8.3-imagick - php8.3-imap - php8.3-intl - php8.3-ldap - php8.3-mbstring - php8.3-mysql - php8.3-opcache - php8.3-readline - php8.3-redis - php8.3-sqlite3 - php8.3-soap - php8.3-uploadprogress - php8.3-xml - php8.3-xmlrpc - php8.3-xsl - php8.3-zip - php-pear ``` And a [roles/test/vars/main.yml](https://git.coop/webarch/test/-/blob/main/roles/test/vars/main.yml) which contains: ```yaml test_php_ver_present: "{{ test_php_versions | community.general.json_query('sort([?state==`present`].version)') }}" ``` Running the role fails with the task in [roles/test/tasks/main.yml](https://git.coop/webarch/test/-/blob/main/roles/test/tasks/main.yml) to print the `test_php_ver_present` variable: ```yaml - name: PHP versions that are set to be present ansible.builtin.debug: var: test_php_ver_present ``` The error is: ```auto TASK [test : PHP versions that are set to be present] ******************************************************************************** [ERROR]: Task failed: Error while resolving `var` expression: The filter plugin 'community.general.json_query' failed: JMESPathError in json_query filter plugin: In function sort(), invalid type for value: 8.4, expected one of: ['array-string', 'array-number'], received: "_AnsibleTaggedStr" Task failed. Origin: /test/roles/test/tasks/main.yml:5:7 3 block: 4 5 - name: PHP versions that are set to be present ^ column 7 <<< caused by >>> Error while resolving `var` expression: The filter plugin 'community.general.json_query' failed. Origin: /test/roles/test/tasks/main.yml:7:14 5 - name: PHP versions that are set to be present 6 ansible.builtin.debug: 7 var: test_php_ver_present ^ column 14 <<< caused by >>> JMESPathError in json_query filter plugin: In function sort(), invalid type for value: 8.4, expected one of: ['array-string', 'array-number'], received: "_AnsibleTaggedStr" fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => msg: |- Task failed: Error while resolving `var` expression: The filter plugin 'community.general.json_query' failed: JMESPathError in json_query filter plugin: In function sort(), invalid type for value: 8.4, expected one of: ['array-string', 'array-number'], received: "_AnsibleTaggedStr" ``` This can also be tested using [yq](https://github.com/mikefarah/yq) and [jp](https://github.com/jmespath/jp): ```bash cat roles/test/defaults/main.yml | yq -o=json -P | jp "sort(test_php_versions[?state=='present'].version)" [ "7.4", "8.0", "8.1", "8.2", "8.3", "8.4" ] ``` Is this error behaviour correct or is this a bug? If it is correct how could I update the role to work with `ansible-core` 2.19.x? 1. Replace the use of JMESPath via `community.general.json_query` with Jinja2 in `/vars/main.yml`? 2. Move all the setting of variables in `/vars/main.yml` to tasks? 3. Something else? ---
**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:** [August 4, 2025, 9:04am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/2 "2025-08-04T09:04:35Z")
FWIW. - Do not use the `json_query` sort ```yaml test_php_ver_presen3: "{{ test_php_versions | community.general.json_query('[?state==`present`].version') | sort }}" ``` - You don’t need `json_query` ```yaml test_php_ver_presen2: "{{ test_php_versions | selectattr('state', '==', 'present') | map(attribute='version') | sort }}" ``` ---
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 9:18am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/3 "2025-08-04T09:18:18Z")
Thanks @vbotka you are right, the JMESPath `sort` does appear to be the cause, is this a bug or a feature? You are also right that it can be done using Jinja2, I find JMESPath easier so tend to use it a lot… ---
**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:** [August 4, 2025, 9:27am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/4 "2025-08-04T09:27:52Z")
I don’t know. I also use JMESPath a lot. It works for me in 2.18 too. (I don’t have 2.19). You might want to look at the result of `[?state==`present`].version` in 2.19. How could this be `_AnsibleTaggedStr` ? ---
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 9:32am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/5 "2025-08-04T09:32:30Z")
Thanks @vbotka I don’t understand why 2.19 thinks a list is a `_AnsibleTaggedStr`. I have also just come across another issue with a JMESPath query that doesn’t use sort that also generates an error, I’ll distil it to a minimal test case and post it, perhaps there is a general issue with the [json\_query filter](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/general/json_query_filter.html) and `ansible-core` 2.19.x? ---
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 11:08am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/6 "2025-08-04T11:08:43Z")
I’ve another case where `json_query` fails with Ansible 2.19.0 but is fine with earlier versions, given a list like this: ```yaml test_php_fpm_pool_file_contents: - www74: group: www-data listen: /run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock listen.group: www-data listen.mode: '0666' listen.owner: www-data pm: dynamic pm.max_children: '4' pm.max_requests: '5000' pm.max_spare_servers: '2' pm.min_spare_servers: '2' pm.start_servers: '2' pm.status_path: /fpm-www74-status user: www-data - www81: group: www-data listen: /run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock listen.group: www-data listen.mode: '0666' listen.owner: www-data pm: dynamic pm.max_children: '4' pm.max_requests: '5000' pm.max_spare_servers: '2' pm.min_spare_servers: '2' pm.start_servers: '2' pm.status_path: /fpm-www81-status user: www-data ``` The following task to set a fact: ```yaml - name: Set a fact based on a list of PHP-FPM socket paths and pool names ansible.builtin.set_fact: test_php_fpm_pool_names_and_socket_paths: "{{ test_php_fpm_pool_file_contents | community.general.json_query('[].{name: keys(@)|[0],socket: *.listen|[0]}') }}" ``` Fails with: ```auto TASK [test : Set a fact based on a list of PHP-FPM socket paths and pool names] ****************************************************** [ERROR]: Task failed: Finalization of task args for 'ansible.builtin.set_fact' failed: Error while resolving value for 'test_php_fpm_pool_names_and_socket_paths': The filter plugin 'community.general.json_query' failed: JMESPathError in json_query filter plugin: In function keys(), invalid type for value: {'www74': {'group': 'www-data', 'listen': '/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock', 'listen.group': 'www-data', 'listen.mode': '0666', 'listen.owner': 'www-data', 'pm': 'dynamic', 'pm.max_children': '4', 'pm.max_requests': '5000', 'pm.max_spare_servers': '2', 'pm.min_spare_servers': '2', 'pm.start_servers': '2', 'pm.status_path': '/fpm-www74-status', 'user': 'www-data'}}, expected one of: ['object'], received: "unknown" Task failed. Origin: /test/roles/test/tasks/main.yml:29:7 27 var: test_php_fpm_pool_file_contents 28 29 - name: Set a fact based on a list of PHP-FPM socket paths and pool names ¦^ column 7 <<< caused by >>> Finalization of task args for 'ansible.builtin.set_fact' failed. Origin: /test/roles/test/tasks/main.yml:30:7 28 29 - name: Set a fact based on a list of PHP-FPM socket paths and pool names 30 ansible.builtin.set_fact: ¦^ column 7 <<< caused by >>> Error while resolving value for 'test_php_fpm_pool_names_and_socket_paths': The filter plugin 'community.general.json_query' failed. Origin: /test/roles/test/tasks/main.yml:31:51 29 - name: Set a fact based on a list of PHP-FPM socket paths and pool names 30 ansible.builtin.set_fact: 31 test_php_fpm_pool_names_and_socket_paths: "{{ test_php_fpm_pool_file_contents | community.general.json_que... ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ^ column 51 <<< caused by >>> JMESPathError in json_query filter plugin: In function keys(), invalid type for value: {'www74': {'group': 'www-data', 'listen': '/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock', 'listen.group': 'www-data', 'listen.mode': '0666', 'listen.owner': 'www-data', 'pm': 'dynamic', 'pm.max_children': '4', 'pm.max_requests': '5000', 'pm.max_spare_servers': '2', 'pm.min_spare_servers': '2', 'pm.start_servers': '2', 'pm.status_path': '/fpm-www74-status', 'user': 'www-data'}}, expected one of: ['object'], received: "unknown" fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => changed: false msg: |- Task failed: Finalization of task args for 'ansible.builtin.set_fact' failed: Error while resolving value for 'test_php_fpm_pool_names_and_socket_paths': The filter plugin 'community.general.json_query' failed: JMESPathError in json_query filter plugin: In function keys(), invalid type for value: {'www74': {'group': 'www-data', 'listen': '/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock', 'listen.group': 'www-data', 'listen.mode': '0666', 'listen.owner': 'www-data', 'pm': 'dynamic', 'pm.max_children': '4', 'pm.max_requests': '5000', 'pm.max_spare_servers': '2', 'pm.min_spare_servers': '2', 'pm.start_servers': '2', 'pm.status_path': '/fpm-www74-status', 'user': 'www-data'}}, expected one of: ['object'], received: "unknown" ``` With an older version of `ansible-core` the task works: ```auto TASK [test : Set a fact based on a list of PHP-FPM socket paths and pool names] ****************************************************** ok: [localhost] => ansible_facts: test_php_fpm_pool_names_and_socket_paths: - name: www74 socket: /run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock - name: www81 socket: /run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock changed: false ``` I have added a task for the above to the demo repo and a couple of others, it does looks to me that there is an issue with `community.general.json_query` and `ansible-core` 2.19.0? **EDIT:** I have [opened an issue at GitHub](https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/issues/10575) for this problem. ---
**Author:** ![bcoca](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/bcoca/32/9269_2.png) [@bcoca](https://forum.ansible.com/u/bcoca)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/7 "2025-08-04T13:58:57Z")
> > > \##### SUMMARY > Fixes https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85600. > > \##### I…SSUE TYPE > \- Bugfix Pull Request > > \##### COMPONENT NAME > json\_query filter ---
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/8 "2025-08-04T14:04:08Z")
Thanks @bcoca I’m now looking forward to the next release of `community.general` so I can easily test this fix — after manually editing `json_query.py` locally to apply [this fix](https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/commit/3de073fb6f3c0558b57b6c8d2d58713987ebba27) I still get the same error ☹ , I also tried clobbering the local file like this: ```bash wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/felixfontein/community.general/a52c88a6bb72e3d06701e69bd842ced8f66ccba4/plugins/filter/json_query.py -O ~/.local./pipx/venvs/ansible/lib/python3.11/site-packages/ansible_collections/community/general/plugins/filter/json_query.py ``` And I still have the same error, @felixfontein any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![felixfontein](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/felixfontein/32/7530_2.png) [@felixfontein](https://forum.ansible.com/u/felixfontein)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/9 "2025-08-04T18:26:05Z")
I wasn’t able to reproduce this with the fix (only without it). community.general 11.1.2 just got released with the fix, can you try it from there? Maybe that works better. ---
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-community-general-json-query-in-vars-main-yml-with-an-ansible-role-and-ansible-core-2-19-x/44202/10 "2025-08-05T14:14:28Z")
Thanks @felixfontein `community.general` `11.1.2` does fix it for me.