W3cubDocs

/Ansible 2.11

ansible.utils.get_path – Retrieve the value in a variable using a path

Note

This plugin is part of the ansible.utils collection (version 2.0.0).

To install it use: ansible-galaxy collection install ansible.utils.

To use it in a playbook, specify: ansible.utils.get_path.

New in version 1.0.0: of ansible.utils

Synopsis

  • Use a path to retrieve a nested value from a var
  • get_path is also available as a filter plugin for convenience
  • Using the parameters below- lookup('ansible.utils.get_path', var, path, wantlist)

Parameters

Parameter Choices/Defaults Configuration Comments
path
string / required
The path in the var to retrieve the value of. The path needs to a be a valid jinja path.
var
raw / required
The variable from which the value should be extracted.
wantlist
boolean
    Choices:
  • no
  • yes
If set to True, the return value will always be a list. This can also be accomplished using query or q instead of lookup. https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/plugins/lookup.html.

Examples

- ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    a:
      b:
        c:
          d:
          - 0
          - 1
          e:
          - True
          - False

- name: Retrieve a value deep inside a using a path
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    value: "{{ lookup('ansible.utils.get_path', a, path) }}"
  vars:
    path: b.c.d[0]

# TASK [Retrieve a value deep inside a using a path] ******************
# ok: [localhost] => changed=false
#   ansible_facts:
#     value: '0'


#### Working with hostvars

- name: Retrieve a value deep inside all of the host's vars
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    value: "{{ lookup('ansible.utils.get_path', look_in, look_for) }}"
  vars:
    look_in: "{{ hostvars[inventory_hostname] }}"
    look_for: a.b.c.d[0]

# TASK [Retrieve a value deep inside all of the host's vars] ********
# ok: [nxos101] => changed=false
#   ansible_facts:
#     as_filter: '0'
#     as_lookup: '0'


#### Used alongside ansible.utils.to_paths

- name: Get the paths for the object
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    paths: "{{ lookup('ansible.utils.to_paths', a, prepend='a') }}"

- name: Retrieve the value of each path from vars
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg: "The value of path {{ path }} in vars is {{ value }}"
  loop: "{{ paths.keys()|list }}"
  loop_control:
    label: "{{ item }}"
  vars:
    path: "{{ item }}"
    value: "{{ lookup('ansible.utils.get_path', hostvars[inventory_hostname], item) }}"

# TASK [Get the paths for the object] *******************************
# ok: [nxos101] => changed=false
#   ansible_facts:
#     paths:
#       a.b.c.d[0]: 0
#       a.b.c.d[1]: 1
#       a.b.c.e[0]: True
#       a.b.c.e[1]: False

# TASK [Retrieve the value of each path from vars] ******************
# ok: [nxos101] => (item=a.b.c.d[0]) =>
#   msg: The value of path a.b.c.d[0] in vars is 0
# ok: [nxos101] => (item=a.b.c.d[1]) =>
#   msg: The value of path a.b.c.d[1] in vars is 1
# ok: [nxos101] => (item=a.b.c.e[0]) =>
#   msg: The value of path a.b.c.e[0] in vars is True
# ok: [nxos101] => (item=a.b.c.e[1]) =>
#   msg: The value of path a.b.c.e[1] in vars is False


#### Working with complex structures and transforming results

- name: Retrieve the current interface config
  cisco.nxos.nxos_interfaces:
    state: gathered
  register: interfaces

- name: Get the description of several interfaces
  ansible.builtin.debug:
    msg: "{{ lookup('ansible.utils.get_path', rekeyed, item) }}"
  vars:
    rekeyed:
      by_name: "{{ interfaces.gathered|ansible.builtin.rekey_on_member('name') }}"
  loop:
  - by_name['Ethernet1/1'].description
  - by_name['Ethernet1/2'].description|upper
  - by_name['Ethernet1/3'].description|default('')


# TASK [Get the description of several interfaces] ******************
# ok: [nxos101] => (item=by_name['Ethernet1/1'].description) => changed=false
#   msg: Configured by ansible
# ok: [nxos101] => (item=by_name['Ethernet1/2'].description|upper) => changed=false
#   msg: CONFIGURED BY ANSIBLE
# ok: [nxos101] => (item=by_name['Ethernet1/3'].description|default('')) => changed=false
#   msg: ''

Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this lookup:

Key Returned Description
_raw
string
success
One or more zero-based indices of the matching list items.
See wantlist if a list is always required.



Authors

  • Bradley Thornton (@cidrblock)

© 2012–2018 Michael DeHaan
© 2018–2021 Red Hat, Inc.
Licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.
https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/2.11/collections/ansible/utils/get_path_lookup.html