import_tasks: vs include: when using when: conditional

[Bob Tanner]

Simple tasks, where I want the "Remote git configuration" task to only be run when  apache2_configuration == 'git'

- debug:

    msg: "DEBUG: {{ apache2_configuration }}"

  tags: apache2-servers

- name: Remote git configuration

  import_tasks: remote-git.yml

  when: apache2_configuration == 'git'

  tags: apache2-servers

Running ansible, apache2_configuration is "role" but for some reason the import_tasks: remote-git-yml is being imported?

TASK [apache2-servers : debug] *************************************************

ok: [www.aws.comap.com] => {

    "msg": "DEBUG: role"

}

TASK [apache2-servers : XXXXXXXXX inside remote-git.yml] ***********************

Trying with include: 

- debug:

    msg: "DEBUG: {{ apache2_configuration }}"

  tags: apache2-servers

- name: Remote git configuration

  include: remote-git.yml

  when: apache2_configuration == "git"

  tags: apache2-servers

TASK [apache2-servers : debug] *************************************************

ok: [www.aws.comap.com] => {

    "msg": "DEBUG: role"

}

TASK [apache2-servers : XXXXXXXXX inside remote-git.yml] ***********************

I do not understand why import_tasks: or include: is importing/including remote-git.yml when apache2_configuration is not equal to git.

Any help?

[Sebastian Meyer]

Hi Bob,

On 05.08.19 23:21, Bob Tanner wrote:
> Simple tasks, where I want the "Remote git configuration" task to only be
> run when apache2_configuration == 'git'
>

> I do not understand why import_tasks: or include: is importing/including
> remote-git.yml when apache2_configuration is not equal to git.
>
> Any help?
>

So for me the following happens:

When the when condition is false import_tasks still imports the tasks
file, but skips all tasks in it. include_tasks on the other hand is
skipped as a task itself.

include without the _tasks (which you shouldn't use anymore) behaves a
lot like import_tasks in this case. If you want it to behave like
include_tasks, you'll have to set the static: no option to the include task.

If you look at the documentation, it's in the examples:

https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/lib/ansible/modules/utilities/logic/import_tasks.py#L58
https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/lib/ansible/modules/utilities/logic/include_tasks.py#L70
https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/lib/ansible/modules/utilities/logic/include.py#L79

Playbook:

---
- hosts: localhost
roles:
- foobar

Role:

---
# foobar/tasks/main.yml
- debug:
var: config

- import_tasks: foo.yml
when: config == 'git'

- include_tasks: foo.yml
when: config == 'nogit'

- debug:
msg: 'End'

---
# foobar/tasks/foo.yml
- debug:
msg: ABCDE


------------------------

ansible-playbook test.yml -e config=abc

PLAY [localhost] *****************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] ***********************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [foobar : debug] ************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"config": "abc"
}

TASK [foobar : debug] ************************
skipping: [localhost]

TASK [foobar : include_tasks] ****************
skipping: [localhost]

TASK [foobar : debug] ************************
ok: [localhost] => {
"msg": "End"
}

PLAY RECAP [...]

Sebastian

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Sebastian Meyer
Linux Consultant & Trainer
Mail: me...@b1-systems.de

B1 Systems GmbH
Osterfeldstraße 7 / 85088 Vohburg / http://www.b1-systems.de
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[Matt Martz]

To start, I'll say, don't use `include` any more.  It has been replaced by `import_tasks` and `include_tasks`.  The behavior of `include` was hard to reason about, and as such we are in the process of deprecating it.

Now as for the differences:

`import_tasks` is a pre-processor, that is parsed and imported during playbook parsing time. Effectively the result, is that the import is replaced at playbook parsing time with the list of tasks within. Any keyword/argument applied to the `import_tasks` is effectively merged down or inherited by the individual tasks within.

`include_tasks` is JIT (Just in Time) processed during task execution. As such, when encountered during normal task execution, any when statement (or other keyword/argument) will affect whether or not it is included at that point. If included, the tasks within do not inherit the keywords/arguments on the `include_tasks`, to get that behavior you would use `apply`.  If the keywords or arguments, such as when or tags, prevent the `include_tasks` from running, none of the included tasks wihin will be seen in the playbook execution.

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