Ansible: Reference variable contents from variable name

Question

I am trying to access the contents of a variable, from a variable name. I've used ansible vault to create some passwords, and I am trying to create database users, like so:

postgresql_user:
    name: "{{ item }}"
    db: "{{ item }}"
    login_user: postgres_admin
    login_password: '{{postgres_admin}}'
    login_host: localhost
    login_port: 5433
    password: '{{ "{{item}}" }}'
loop:
   - artifactory
   - bitbucket
   - confluence
   - crowd
   - jira

In this case, I have a database user, which is the variable in the loop. The password for that user, is stored inside the (vault) variable name of that user. In the password: field like I am trying to do a double reference. It doesn't work.

I've tried a few more things, but this is my first run with Ansible and I don't want to go down the wrong path. (I did not include the reference to the vault but it's at the top of the file, and it has been tested with a simpler tasks)

Thanks!

Vladimir Botka · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-15 15:47:16Z

2

Use lookup plugin vars. For example

    password: "{{ lookup('vars', item) }}"

With the introduction of the collections the documentation of the plugins is not available online anymore. See the documentation from the command-line

shell> ansible-doc -t lookup vars

To make the code both more robust and user-friendly, I'd propose to rename the variables with the passwords. For example "artifactory_passwd" etc. Then, in the lookup, create the name of the variable dynamically

    password: "{{ lookup('vars', item ~ '_passwd') }}"

edited Oct 15, 2020 at 15:47

answered Oct 15, 2020 at 15:39

Vladimir Botka

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1 Comment

jgauthier Over a year ago

This is perfect. Thank you! (I took your excellent suggestion as well)

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