How can I write variables inside the tasks file in ansible

Question

I have this play.yml

---
- hosts: 127.0.0.1
  connection: local
  sudo: false

  tasks:
     - include: apache.yml

My Apache look like this:

vars:
    url: czxcxz

- name: Download apache
  shell: wget {{url}} 

This is giving me error.

If I remove vars then it works. But I want to include the vars inside tasks so that I can keep different vars for different tasks separate.

Answer 1

NOTE: Using set_fact as described below sets a fact/variable onto the remote servers that the task is running against. This fact/variable will then persist across subsequent tasks for the entire duration of your playbook.

Also, these facts are immutable (for the duration of the playbook), and cannot be changed once set.

---

ORIGINAL ANSWER

Use set_fact before your task to set facts which seem interchangeable with variables:

- name: Set Apache URL
  set_fact:
    apache_url: 'http://example.com/apache'

- name: Download Apache
  shell: wget {{ apache_url }}

See http://docs.ansible.com/set_fact_module.html for the official word.

Answer 2

I know, it is long ago, but since the easiest answer was not yet posted I will do so for other user that might step by.

Just move the var inside the "name" block:

- name: Download apache
  vars:
    url: czxcxz
  shell: wget {{url}} 

Answer 3

Variable definitions are meant to be used in tasks. But if you want to include them in tasks probably use the register directive. Like this:

- name: Define variable in task.
  shell: echo "http://www.my.url.com"
  register: url

- name: Download apache
  shell: wget {{ item }}
  with_items: url.stdout

You can also look at roles as a way of separating tasks depending on the different roles roles. This way you can have separate variables for each of one of your roles. For example you may have a url variable for apache1 and a separate url variable for the role apache2.

Answer 4

In Your example, apache.yml is tasklist, but not playbook

In depends on desired architecture, You can do one of:

1. Convert apache.yml to role. Then define tasks in roles/apache/tasks/mail.yml and variables in roles/apache/defaults/mail.yml (vars in defaults can be overriden when role applied)

2. Set vars in play.yml playbook

play.yml

---
- hosts: 127.0.0.1
  connection: local
  sudo: false

  vars:
    url: czxcxz

  tasks:
     - include: apache.yml

apache.yml

- name: Download apache
  shell: wget {{url}} 

Answer 5

Whenever you have a module followed by a variable on the same line in ansible the parser will treat the reference variable as the beginning of an in-line dictionary. For example:

- name: some example
  command: {{ myapp }} -a foo

The default here is to parse the first part of {{ myapp }} -a foo as a dictionary instead of a string and you will get an error.

So you must quote the argument like so:

- name: some example
  command: "{{ myapp }} -a foo"