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

Note

This filter plugin is part of the ansible.utils collection (version 5.1.2).

You might already have this collection installed if you are using the ansible package. It is not included in ansible-core. To check whether it is installed, run ansible-galaxy collection list.

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

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

New in ansible.utils 1.0.0

Synopsis

  • Use a path to retrieve a nested value from a var.

  • get_path is also available as a lookup plugin for convenience.

  • Using the parameters below- var|ansible.utils.get_path(path, wantlist)

Keyword parameters

This describes keyword parameters of the filter. These are the values key1=value1, key2=value2 and so on in the following example: input | ansible.utils.get_path(key1=value1, key2=value2, ...)

Parameter

Comments

path

string / required

The path in the var to retrieve the value of.

The path needs to be a valid jinja path.

var

any / required

The variable from which the value should be extracted.

This option represents the value that is passed to the filter plugin in pipe format.

For example config_data|ansible.utils.get_path(), in this case config_data represents this option.

wantlist

boolean

If set to True, the return value will always be a list.

Choices:

  • false

  • true

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: "{{ a|ansible.utils.get_path(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: "{{ look_in|ansible.utils.get_path(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: "{{ a|ansible.utils.to_paths(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: "{{ vars|ansible.utils.get_path(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: "{{ rekeyed|ansible.utils.get_path(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: ''

Authors

  • Bradley Thornton (@cidrblock)

Hint

Configuration entries for each entry type have a low to high priority order. For example, a variable that is lower in the list will override a variable that is higher up.