Set variable before hosts in playbook?

[Anthony Cheng]

Is it possible to set variable before hosts in playbook?

Something like this doesn't work:

var:
 VARHOSTNAME: test

- hosts: "{{ VARHOSTNAME }}"
  gather_facts: true
  become: yes

I know I can set variable in vars file or pass in environment values at command line but wanted to know if i can just define variable directly at the playbook level.

[Kai Stian Olstad]

You can have vars as part of the play

- hosts: "{{ VARHOSTNAME }}"
gather_facts: true
become: yes

vars:
VARHOSTNAME: test

--
Kai Stian Olstad

[Anthony Cheng]

Are you sure that it actually works?  It didn't when I tested it (looks like order matters).

[Kai Stian Olstad]

On 06. april 2017 19:32, Anthony Cheng wrote:
> Are you sure that it actually works? It didn't when I tested it (looks
> like order matters).

Yes I'm sure, if not I would not have written it.

https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/playbooks_variables.html#variables-defined-in-a-playbook

> On Thursday, April 6, 2017 at 1:22:43 PM UTC-4, Kai Stian Olstad wrote:
>>
>> On 06. april 2017 18:57, Anthony Cheng wrote:
>>> Is it possible to set variable before hosts in playbook?
>>>
>>> Something like this doesn't work:
>>>
>>> var:
>>> VARHOSTNAME: test
>>>
>>> - hosts: "{{ VARHOSTNAME }}"
>>> gather_facts: true
>>> become: yes
>>>
>>> I know I can set variable in vars file or pass in environment values at
>>> command line but wanted to know if i can just define variable directly
>> at
>>> the playbook level.
>>
>> You can have vars as part of the play
>>
>> - hosts: "{{ VARHOSTNAME }}"
>> gather_facts: true
>> become: yes
>> vars:
>> VARHOSTNAME: test
>>

Take notice that I wrote vars: not var: as you did.


--
Kai Stian Olstad

[Anthony Cheng]

Thanks!

Somehow I missed that vars (and IDE missed it as well..)