# \#variables **URL:** https://forum.ansible.com/tag/variables/312.md [Latest](https://forum.ansible.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://forum.ansible.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://forum.ansible.com/tags.md) --- ## [How to validate ansible variables - any condition you like, with proper error messages](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-validate-ansible-variables-any-condition-you-like-with-proper-error-messages/46089)
**Author:** [@kks](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kks)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [July 26, 2026, 7:49am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-validate-ansible-variables-any-condition-you-like-with-proper-error-messages/46089 "2026-07-26T07:49:59Z")
There is a builtin action plugin to validate ansible variables (for the role) ansible.builtin.validate\_argument\_spec But this is sometimes very limited. It is not clear how to add condition like (0 \< a, a \> 100). It is… --- ## [Variables from not-activated roles get set](https://forum.ansible.com/t/variables-from-not-activated-roles-get-set/45732)
**Author:** [@mirabilos](https://forum.ansible.com/u/mirabilos)\ **Replies:** 46\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/variables-from-not-activated-roles-get-set/45732 "2026-04-28T14:54:07Z")
I want to have an Ansible-Jinja2 expression with which I can detect whether a specific variable with a dynamic name is set in host/group vars or a role that is included. (Concretely, something like repo\_backports\_$distro… --- ## [How to return a variable from within a block to a higher scope](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-return-a-variable-from-within-a-block-to-a-higher-scope/45620)
**Author:** [@ab203972](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ab203972)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [April 13, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-return-a-variable-from-within-a-block-to-a-higher-scope/45620 "2026-04-13T13:28:44Z")
Hi everyone, Apologies for what may be a very simple question, but I feel like I’m going in circles. I have a role that lists available updates in Linux. All I want is for that data to be returned to the playbook that c… --- ## [Using dynamic job variables in the HTTP header of a Webhook notification in AWX](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-dynamic-job-variables-in-the-http-header-of-a-webhook-notification-in-awx/45386)
**Author:** [@TomDraps](https://forum.ansible.com/u/TomDraps)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [February 24, 2026, 7:25am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-dynamic-job-variables-in-the-http-header-of-a-webhook-notification-in-awx/45386 "2026-02-24T07:25:03Z")
Hello, I am using AWX to run jobs and I want to send a Webhook notification upon completion. The issue: The API I am calling via the Webhook requires an Access Token in the HTTP header (Authorization: Bearer …). This … --- ## [Cannot change a variable passed to a role from within a role - request for docs](https://forum.ansible.com/t/cannot-change-a-variable-passed-to-a-role-from-within-a-role-request-for-docs/45368)
**Author:** [@maxwax99](https://forum.ansible.com/u/maxwax99)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [February 23, 2026, 9:01am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/cannot-change-a-variable-passed-to-a-role-from-within-a-role-request-for-docs/45368 "2026-02-23T09:01:26Z")
ansible \[core 2.16.3\] Today, from within a role, I tried to use set\_fact to change a variable that had been passed to the role from a playbook using vars:. Using -vv execution, the set\_fact task to change the variable … --- ## [How to merge several dicts](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-merge-several-dicts/45378)
**Author:** [@kks](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kks)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 23, 2026, 8:59am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-merge-several-dicts/45378 "2026-02-23T08:59:03Z")
This is continuation from discussion started with @utoddl in topic Cannot change a variable passed to a role from within a role - request for docs - #11 by utoddl The premise is following - there is a role that takes a … --- ## [ansible-test and roles variables.](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-test-and-roles-variables/45334)
**Author:** [@AntoineGGG](https://forum.ansible.com/u/AntoineGGG)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 19, 2026, 6:43am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/ansible-test-and-roles-variables/45334 "2026-02-19T06:43:53Z")
Hi, I’m trying to use Ansible Test to build an integration test and have a few questions. I read a few topics about the integration-config.yml file. What can I put in this file? Is there any documentation about it? … --- ## [How to load external group\\host\_vars into playbook.](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-load-external-group-host-vars-into-playbook/44971)
**Author:** [@matthew\_lovegreen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/matthew_lovegreen)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 9, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-load-external-group-host-vars-into-playbook/44971 "2025-12-09T21:15:20Z")
Hello community, Need your advice. Before ansible 2.16 we were able to load host\_vars and group\_vars so to say “dynamically” on the fly from external repository. The idea here was to store playbooks and variables separa… --- ## [Explicitely use role defaults](https://forum.ansible.com/t/explicitely-use-role-defaults/44958)
**Author:** [@VannTen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/VannTen)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [December 8, 2025, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/explicitely-use-role-defaults/44958 "2025-12-08T15:09:06Z")
Hello, I’m working on a playbook where I’d like to fetch some files from my hosts to the control node. I want the destination (on the control node) to be controlled by a variable local\_release\_dir in the localhost cont… --- ## [How to loop over "include\_role" with a list of variable dictionaries?](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-loop-over-include-role-with-a-list-of-variable-dictionaries/44625)
**Author:** [@Hoeze](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Hoeze)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [October 10, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-loop-over-include-role-with-a-list-of-variable-dictionaries/44625 "2025-10-10T20:43:51Z")
Hi all, I am trying to loop over my “create\_user” role with a list of “users”: - name: Setup users include\_role: name: create\_user vars: "{{ user\_vars }}" loop: "{{ users\_to\_create }}" … --- ## [Investigating extra-vars Stale Value Bug](https://forum.ansible.com/t/investigating-extra-vars-stale-value-bug/41038)
**Author:** [@3DPrintedDeveloper](https://forum.ansible.com/u/3DPrintedDeveloper)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [October 9, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/investigating-extra-vars-stale-value-bug/41038 "2025-10-09T20:38:04Z")
Hello I believe my team and I have come across an Ansible bug where variables passed in via the --extra-vars parameter are being ignored or overwritten in favor of values from previous runs of the same playbook role. I… --- ## [More ways to set variables for a scope](https://forum.ansible.com/t/more-ways-to-set-variables-for-a-scope/44433)
**Author:** [@felixfontein](https://forum.ansible.com/u/felixfontein)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [September 15, 2025, 1:19pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/more-ways-to-set-variables-for-a-scope/44433 "2025-09-15T13:19:23Z")
Right now, there are two ways to set variables in Ansible inside a role/playbook: Use the vars keyword. This creates a lazyily evaluated variable that’s evaluated every time it is used. Use the ansible.builtin.set\_fact … --- ## [Can I set a default value for the enabled\_value?](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-set-a-default-value-for-the-enabled-value/43425)
**Author:** [@ShiverTeapot](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ShiverTeapot)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [June 17, 2025, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/can-i-set-a-default-value-for-the-enabled-value/43425 "2025-06-17T19:22:24Z")
I supply AWX with inventory sources yaml files. I need a ‘easy to configure’ way to exclude hosts in an inventory from jobs with a reason attached. I came up with an idea to (ab)use the enabled\_var . I found that the… --- ## [Compute variables per host based on group\_vars](https://forum.ansible.com/t/compute-variables-per-host-based-on-group-vars/42596)
**Author:** [@TheRealBecks](https://forum.ansible.com/u/TheRealBecks)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 12, 2025, 2:41pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/compute-variables-per-host-based-on-group-vars/42596 "2025-05-12T14:41:27Z")
I have some groups defined for each OS under group\_vars: debian and opensuse directories. For this example I will only write about debian. I defined this file: group\_vars/all/ansible\_groups.yaml: Abstract groups In thi… --- ## [Inventory group\_vars loading behavior when inventory is directory](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-group-vars-loading-behavior-when-inventory-is-directory/41454)
**Author:** [@bvitnik](https://forum.ansible.com/u/bvitnik)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [April 8, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inventory-group-vars-loading-behavior-when-inventory-is-directory/41454 "2025-04-08T22:00:02Z")
So, I’ve experimented a bit with an inventory as directory, inventory group\_vars and dir/file hierarchy there of. What I have encountered is this: /some/ansible/project |-- playbook.yml # playbook |-- group\_va… --- ## [Aggregating data from complex hierarchal sources](https://forum.ansible.com/t/aggregating-data-from-complex-hierarchal-sources/41522)
**Author:** [@sirklezero](https://forum.ansible.com/u/sirklezero)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2025, 3:54am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/aggregating-data-from-complex-hierarchal-sources/41522 "2025-04-06T03:54:13Z")
I’m developing an Ansible playbook to help me automate the management of several dozen zones in Bind using the Community nsupdate module https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/general/nsupdate\_modu… --- ## [Does host\_vars override role default role](https://forum.ansible.com/t/does-host-vars-override-role-default-role/41511)
**Author:** [@sparsick](https://forum.ansible.com/u/sparsick)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 4, 2025, 9:44am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/does-host-vars-override-role-default-role/41511 "2025-04-04T09:44:22Z")
Like I understand the documentation about variable precedence, variable defined in host\_vars can override vars in roles default. I have the following playbook: --- - hosts: myhosts gather\_facts: false pre\_tasks: … --- ## [Collections should have a default vars/arg spec method like roles](https://forum.ansible.com/t/collections-should-have-a-default-vars-arg-spec-method-like-roles/41191)
**Author:** [@Jeff\_Pullen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Jeff_Pullen)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 24, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/collections-should-have-a-default-vars-arg-spec-method-like-roles/41191 "2025-03-24T13:56:39Z")
Collections have no home for default vars The best practices for developing a collection insist on role specific variables (for good reason). This leads to many different variables across the collection with a shared val… --- ## [Learning Ansible for multi-server prod deploy on DO - dependencies questions](https://forum.ansible.com/t/learning-ansible-for-multi-server-prod-deploy-on-do-dependencies-questions/41044)
**Author:** [@madsciai](https://forum.ansible.com/u/madsciai)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [March 14, 2025, 10:45am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/learning-ansible-for-multi-server-prod-deploy-on-do-dependencies-questions/41044 "2025-03-14T10:45:26Z")
Hi all, I have a few basic questions while working on a deployment to DigitalOcean droplet(s) with Ansible. If I want to use the DigitalOcean Cloud collection, does the collection need to be in the same directory as m… --- ## [Why do variables for a template need top be defined 'above' the template task?](https://forum.ansible.com/t/why-do-variables-for-a-template-need-top-be-defined-above-the-template-task/41007)
**Author:** [@halloleo](https://forum.ansible.com/u/halloleo)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 13, 2025, 11:18pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/why-do-variables-for-a-template-need-top-be-defined-above-the-template-task/41007 "2025-03-13T23:18:00Z")
I want to use ansible.builtin.template. So I tried as a task: - name: Create cfg file ansible.builtin.template: src: path/to/my/template.j2 dest: /path/to/output/file.conf vars: my\_port: 1234 with t… --- ## [Hostvars or role vars?](https://forum.ansible.com/t/hostvars-or-role-vars/40938)
**Author:** [@it-pappa](https://forum.ansible.com/u/it-pappa)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 11, 2025, 11:33am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/hostvars-or-role-vars/40938 "2025-03-11T11:33:57Z")
So i need to pick your brain about something. I have automated alot of tasks on a few servers regarding applications running on them. I have generated alot of var files for each application, license etc. Is it best to … --- ## [Inline template into variable](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inline-template-into-variable/40818)
**Author:** [@vegivamp](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vegivamp)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2025, 12:53pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/inline-template-into-variable/40818 "2025-03-06T12:53:15Z")
Hi there, I’ve been trying to do something I think I already saw done, but I can’t get it to work: I want to parse an inline template into a variable. Everything I find is either to file (ansible.builtin.template task)… --- ## [How to generate a list of formatted strings](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-generate-a-list-of-formatted-strings/40198)
**Author:** [@ianhinder](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ianhinder)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [February 12, 2025, 10:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-generate-a-list-of-formatted-strings/40198 "2025-02-12T22:58:09Z")
I would like to define a variable called test\_users with a list of test usernames: test\_users: - testuser\_001 - testuser\_002 ... - testuser\_100 I would prefer not to type them in by hand, or generate the list a… --- ## [How to access the host alias in the inventory](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-access-the-host-alias-in-the-inventory/39466)
**Author:** [@Recopy9779](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Recopy9779)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 12, 2025, 9:19pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-access-the-host-alias-in-the-inventory/39466 "2025-01-12T21:19:57Z")
I have the following inventory: \[all:vars\] ansible\_ssh\_extra\_args="-o IdentitiesOnly=yes" ansible\_user=root ansible\_ssh\_private\_key\_file=/mnt/c/Users/Recopy9779/.ssh/pubkeys/{{ inventory\_hostname }}.pub \[homeserver\] ho… --- ## [Replacing value of list elements with info from another variable](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replacing-value-of-list-elements-with-info-from-another-variable/39256)
**Author:** [@JethCalark](https://forum.ansible.com/u/JethCalark)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2024, 9:30am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replacing-value-of-list-elements-with-info-from-another-variable/39256 "2024-12-26T09:30:58Z")
Working on a role for Authentik; as with any IdP, I’m dealing with users and groups. Authentik gives an idempotent API path to use for updating groups, and it uses JSON for the body of its API calls, which is convenient,… --- ## [A simple approach to locally scoped facts; asking for feedback](https://forum.ansible.com/t/a-simple-approach-to-locally-scoped-facts-asking-for-feedback/10797)
**Author:** [@pieterjanv](https://forum.ansible.com/u/pieterjanv)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [November 30, 2024, 10:43am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/a-simple-approach-to-locally-scoped-facts-asking-for-feedback/10797 "2024-11-30T10:43:45Z")
For the last few weeks I’ve been using Ansible quite extensively, and I realized for the first time that facts set in roles are not locally scoped. It so happens I like to name my variables as generically as the context … --- ## [Template with to\_ini in a loop: 'str' object has no attribute 'items'](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-with-to-ini-in-a-loop-str-object-has-no-attribute-items/11007)
**Author:** [@daks](https://forum.ansible.com/u/daks)\ **Replies:** 14\ **Last updated:** [November 25, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-with-to-ini-in-a-loop-str-object-has-no-attribute-items/11007 "2024-11-25T16:49:44Z")
I’m trying to generate some files using ansible.builtin.template and I would like to use the community.general.to\_ini jinja filter. The problem is that I have an error The error was: ansible.errors.AnsibleFilterError: … --- ## [\`undef()\` cannot be used on dictionary members](https://forum.ansible.com/t/undef-cannot-be-used-on-dictionary-members/10879)
**Author:** [@pieterjanv](https://forum.ansible.com/u/pieterjanv)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [November 19, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/undef-cannot-be-used-on-dictionary-members/10879 "2024-11-19T21:32:15Z")
undef() behaves unexpectedly when set to a dictionary member. I expected the following code to ensure that more or less foo == {}. - hosts: localhost gather\_facts: no vars: foo: bar: baz tasks: - var… --- ## [Using variables in changed\_when/failed\_when directives](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-variables-in-changed-when-failed-when-directives/10652)
**Author:** [@S1ructure](https://forum.ansible.com/u/S1ructure)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 3, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-variables-in-changed-when-failed-when-directives/10652 "2024-11-03T16:54:04Z")
Hello lovley ansible community, i have a question regarding the usage of variables in changed\_when/failed\_when directives due to the warning \[WARNING\]: conditional statements should not include jinja2 templating delimit… --- ## [Using Jinja2 loops inside inventory variables files](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-jinja2-loops-inside-inventory-variables-files/10275)
**Author:** [@N-Mi](https://forum.ansible.com/u/N-Mi)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 14, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-jinja2-loops-inside-inventory-variables-files/10275 "2024-10-14T18:05:12Z")
Hi, I’m trying to organize my inventory variables, and I’m struggling with the syntax. I have an inventory structure similar to one suggested in documentation : admin@ansible:~/ansible/environments$ find . . ./000\_cro… [Next page](https://forum.ansible.com/tag/variables/312.md?match_all_tags=true&page=1&tags%5B%5D=variables)