How to loop dict with nested lists?

Ansible allows deeply nested dicts, but then doesn't actually allow you to get much use out of them! Here is my story.

I'm trying to configure a number of ini files with Ansible. To this end, I am using the ini_file module. This module requires at a minimum, four pieces of information:

File path

Section

Option

Value of that option

So, I've defined a dict:

  vars:

    conf:

      "/etc/conf1.ini":

        - section: main

          option: foo

          val: bar

        - section: main

          option: baz

          val: qux

      "/etc/otherconf.ini":

        - section: options

          option: flower

          val: bird

And so on. So, I can use:

  - name: Write ini files

    ini_file:

      path: "{{ item.0.key }}"

      section: "{{ item.1.section }}"

      option: "{{ item.1.option }}"

      value: "{{ item.1.val }}"

    loop: "{{ conf | dict2items | subelements('value') }}"

This... works. I can continue to use this. Example output of /etc/conf1.ini:

[main]

foo = bar

baz = qux

Question: Is there a better way? How can I organize my data to work better with (the new style of) Ansible loops? (i.e. nothing that starts with with_)

Note: I also really don't like having to use a fully qualified path as a dict key; I'd rather it be e.g. path: "/etc/conf1.ini" somehow.

Note 2: I don't have to have this all in one single variable, conf, but if I have one variable per ini file, how do I loop that?

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

1

I'm no ansible expert, but two things jump out at me. Is subelements('value') what you are really using or is that a typo for subelements('val')? Secondly, you can clearly use path as another entry in your dictionary and make the key be some label just for humans. (Then you could check for a path subelement...)

– Cupcake Protocol
Nov 14 '18 at 0:46

If the syntax and looping become too complex, I would suggest just using the template module instead.

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:11

Also remember that while you can do something thats complex, it might be a better idea to keep it simpler even though it means adding more tasks. At least, thats how I read the best practice guidelines: ansible.com/blog/ansible-best-practices-essentials

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:26

1

@CupcakeProtocol - Yes, it's super intentional. Subelements is looking at the list of tuples that dict2items provides. Each tuple is key, value. That's why I can't name any keys in my variable as "value". Learned this trick from: stackoverflow.com/a/50711744/3201683

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:47

@M_dk I don't see how templating is going to help me edit values in existing ini files. And, I don't really think what I am doing is all that "complex", either. I'm just sequentially setting values in some ini files, but I can't use a nice hierarchical data structure to do all the work for me -- I have to duplicate the "section" value unnecessarily all over the place. To me, that is more complex, not less. I cannot imagine writing it this way in any other language.

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:48

|
show 3 more comments

Ansible allows deeply nested dicts, but then doesn't actually allow you to get much use out of them! Here is my story.

I'm trying to configure a number of ini files with Ansible. To this end, I am using the ini_file module. This module requires at a minimum, four pieces of information:

File path

Section

Option

Value of that option

So, I've defined a dict:

  vars:

    conf:

      "/etc/conf1.ini":

        - section: main

          option: foo

          val: bar

        - section: main

          option: baz

          val: qux

      "/etc/otherconf.ini":

        - section: options

          option: flower

          val: bird

And so on. So, I can use:

  - name: Write ini files

    ini_file:

      path: "{{ item.0.key }}"

      section: "{{ item.1.section }}"

      option: "{{ item.1.option }}"

      value: "{{ item.1.val }}"

    loop: "{{ conf | dict2items | subelements('value') }}"

This... works. I can continue to use this. Example output of /etc/conf1.ini:

[main]

foo = bar

baz = qux

Question: Is there a better way? How can I organize my data to work better with (the new style of) Ansible loops? (i.e. nothing that starts with with_)

Note: I also really don't like having to use a fully qualified path as a dict key; I'd rather it be e.g. path: "/etc/conf1.ini" somehow.

Note 2: I don't have to have this all in one single variable, conf, but if I have one variable per ini file, how do I loop that?

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

1

I'm no ansible expert, but two things jump out at me. Is subelements('value') what you are really using or is that a typo for subelements('val')? Secondly, you can clearly use path as another entry in your dictionary and make the key be some label just for humans. (Then you could check for a path subelement...)

– Cupcake Protocol
Nov 14 '18 at 0:46

If the syntax and looping become too complex, I would suggest just using the template module instead.

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:11

Also remember that while you can do something thats complex, it might be a better idea to keep it simpler even though it means adding more tasks. At least, thats how I read the best practice guidelines: ansible.com/blog/ansible-best-practices-essentials

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:26

1

@CupcakeProtocol - Yes, it's super intentional. Subelements is looking at the list of tuples that dict2items provides. Each tuple is key, value. That's why I can't name any keys in my variable as "value". Learned this trick from: stackoverflow.com/a/50711744/3201683

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:47

@M_dk I don't see how templating is going to help me edit values in existing ini files. And, I don't really think what I am doing is all that "complex", either. I'm just sequentially setting values in some ini files, but I can't use a nice hierarchical data structure to do all the work for me -- I have to duplicate the "section" value unnecessarily all over the place. To me, that is more complex, not less. I cannot imagine writing it this way in any other language.

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:48

|
show 3 more comments

Ansible allows deeply nested dicts, but then doesn't actually allow you to get much use out of them! Here is my story.

I'm trying to configure a number of ini files with Ansible. To this end, I am using the ini_file module. This module requires at a minimum, four pieces of information:

File path

Section

Option

Value of that option

So, I've defined a dict:

  vars:

    conf:

      "/etc/conf1.ini":

        - section: main

          option: foo

          val: bar

        - section: main

          option: baz

          val: qux

      "/etc/otherconf.ini":

        - section: options

          option: flower

          val: bird

And so on. So, I can use:

  - name: Write ini files

    ini_file:

      path: "{{ item.0.key }}"

      section: "{{ item.1.section }}"

      option: "{{ item.1.option }}"

      value: "{{ item.1.val }}"

    loop: "{{ conf | dict2items | subelements('value') }}"

This... works. I can continue to use this. Example output of /etc/conf1.ini:

[main]

foo = bar

baz = qux

Question: Is there a better way? How can I organize my data to work better with (the new style of) Ansible loops? (i.e. nothing that starts with with_)

Note: I also really don't like having to use a fully qualified path as a dict key; I'd rather it be e.g. path: "/etc/conf1.ini" somehow.

Note 2: I don't have to have this all in one single variable, conf, but if I have one variable per ini file, how do I loop that?

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

Ansible allows deeply nested dicts, but then doesn't actually allow you to get much use out of them! Here is my story.

I'm trying to configure a number of ini files with Ansible. To this end, I am using the ini_file module. This module requires at a minimum, four pieces of information:

File path

Section

Option

Value of that option

So, I've defined a dict:

  vars:

    conf:

      "/etc/conf1.ini":

        - section: main

          option: foo

          val: bar

        - section: main

          option: baz

          val: qux

      "/etc/otherconf.ini":

        - section: options

          option: flower

          val: bird

And so on. So, I can use:

  - name: Write ini files

    ini_file:

      path: "{{ item.0.key }}"

      section: "{{ item.1.section }}"

      option: "{{ item.1.option }}"

      value: "{{ item.1.val }}"

    loop: "{{ conf | dict2items | subelements('value') }}"

This... works. I can continue to use this. Example output of /etc/conf1.ini:

[main]

foo = bar

baz = qux

Question: Is there a better way? How can I organize my data to work better with (the new style of) Ansible loops? (i.e. nothing that starts with with_)

Note: I also really don't like having to use a fully qualified path as a dict key; I'd rather it be e.g. path: "/etc/conf1.ini" somehow.

Note 2: I don't have to have this all in one single variable, conf, but if I have one variable per ini file, how do I loop that?

ansible yaml ini

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

asked Nov 13 '18 at 22:04

courtlandj

340616

1

I'm no ansible expert, but two things jump out at me. Is subelements('value') what you are really using or is that a typo for subelements('val')? Secondly, you can clearly use path as another entry in your dictionary and make the key be some label just for humans. (Then you could check for a path subelement...)

– Cupcake Protocol
Nov 14 '18 at 0:46

If the syntax and looping become too complex, I would suggest just using the template module instead.

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:11

Also remember that while you can do something thats complex, it might be a better idea to keep it simpler even though it means adding more tasks. At least, thats how I read the best practice guidelines: ansible.com/blog/ansible-best-practices-essentials

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:26

1

@CupcakeProtocol - Yes, it's super intentional. Subelements is looking at the list of tuples that dict2items provides. Each tuple is key, value. That's why I can't name any keys in my variable as "value". Learned this trick from: stackoverflow.com/a/50711744/3201683

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:47

@M_dk I don't see how templating is going to help me edit values in existing ini files. And, I don't really think what I am doing is all that "complex", either. I'm just sequentially setting values in some ini files, but I can't use a nice hierarchical data structure to do all the work for me -- I have to duplicate the "section" value unnecessarily all over the place. To me, that is more complex, not less. I cannot imagine writing it this way in any other language.

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:48

|
show 3 more comments

1

I'm no ansible expert, but two things jump out at me. Is subelements('value') what you are really using or is that a typo for subelements('val')? Secondly, you can clearly use path as another entry in your dictionary and make the key be some label just for humans. (Then you could check for a path subelement...)

– Cupcake Protocol
Nov 14 '18 at 0:46

If the syntax and looping become too complex, I would suggest just using the template module instead.

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:11

Also remember that while you can do something thats complex, it might be a better idea to keep it simpler even though it means adding more tasks. At least, thats how I read the best practice guidelines: ansible.com/blog/ansible-best-practices-essentials

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:26

1

@CupcakeProtocol - Yes, it's super intentional. Subelements is looking at the list of tuples that dict2items provides. Each tuple is key, value. That's why I can't name any keys in my variable as "value". Learned this trick from: stackoverflow.com/a/50711744/3201683

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:47

@M_dk I don't see how templating is going to help me edit values in existing ini files. And, I don't really think what I am doing is all that "complex", either. I'm just sequentially setting values in some ini files, but I can't use a nice hierarchical data structure to do all the work for me -- I have to duplicate the "section" value unnecessarily all over the place. To me, that is more complex, not less. I cannot imagine writing it this way in any other language.

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:48

I'm no ansible expert, but two things jump out at me. Is subelements('value') what you are really using or is that a typo for subelements('val')? Secondly, you can clearly use path as another entry in your dictionary and make the key be some label just for humans. (Then you could check for a path subelement...)

– Cupcake Protocol
Nov 14 '18 at 0:46

If the syntax and looping become too complex, I would suggest just using the template module instead.

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:11

Also remember that while you can do something thats complex, it might be a better idea to keep it simpler even though it means adding more tasks. At least, thats how I read the best practice guidelines: ansible.com/blog/ansible-best-practices-essentials

– M_dk
Nov 14 '18 at 11:26

@CupcakeProtocol - Yes, it's super intentional. Subelements is looking at the list of tuples that dict2items provides. Each tuple is key, value. That's why I can't name any keys in my variable as "value". Learned this trick from: stackoverflow.com/a/50711744/3201683

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:47

@M_dk I don't see how templating is going to help me edit values in existing ini files. And, I don't really think what I am doing is all that "complex", either. I'm just sequentially setting values in some ini files, but I can't use a nice hierarchical data structure to do all the work for me -- I have to duplicate the "section" value unnecessarily all over the place. To me, that is more complex, not less. I cannot imagine writing it this way in any other language.

– courtlandj
Nov 14 '18 at 15:48

|
show 3 more comments

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