Ansible transform mixed list structure to a uniform structure

Question

In Ansible, if I have a list variable with the following mixed structure:

input_items:
    - mainkey: 'main.value.1'
      subkey: 'subvalue_1.1'

    - mainkey: 'main.value.2'
        group:
            - subkey: 'subvalue_2.1'
            - subkey: 'subvalue_2.2'

Is there a way to transform it to a flat structure like this:

transformed:
    - mainkey: 'main.value.1'
      subkey: 'subvalue_1.1'

    - mainkey: 'main.value.2'
      subkey: 'subvalue_2.1'

    - mainkey: 'main.value.2'
      subkey: 'subvalue_2.2'

The idea being to allow a more compact structure to define the list, then transform it to a flat structure that is simple to feed in to a module using with_items.

I've exhausted every shape of loop, include, set_fact and jinja filter I can muster but I'm sure there must be a way.

Highly unlikely this will be solvable inside Ansible. You should look into creating a custom filter plugin. docs.ansible.com/ansible/developing_plugins.html#filter-plugins — udondan
– udondan, Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 4:56

Dominic Barnard · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-23 18:53:34Z

1

As per udondan's suggestion I've created a filter plugin to do just this. Here is a gist with the full python code and example data. I've also suggested it to the ansible google group for inclusion into core. You can comment there if you'd like to see it in core.

answered Jan 23, 2016 at 18:53

Dominic Barnard

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