How to specify variables to be used in roles?

[Chethan S]

I am in the process of migrating to Ansible roles model and I have the following structure - 

../roles/vms/tasks/main.yml

---
# To Create VMs on the VMware vCenter Server
  - name: Creation of Windows 8.1 VMs
    vsphere_guest:
      vcenter_hostname: "name"
      guest: "{{ item }}"
      from_template: yes
      template_src: "templatename"
      validate_certs: no
      esxi:
        datacenter: dc
        hostname: hname
    with_items: "{{ vmname81 }}"

../roles/vms/vars/main.yml

---
vmname81:
  - Client1
  - Client2
  - Client3


vmname10:
  - Client4
  - Client5

playbook.yml

---
# To Create VMs on the VMware vCenter Server
- hosts: localhost
  name: Creation of Windows 8.1 VMs
  roles:
    - { role: vmcreation }

As you can see in the playbook, I am trying to create Windows 8.1 VMs and I am unable to figure out how to pass the vmname81 in the roles for the creation of 8.1 VMs. I am also interested to know if this can be done in a better way.

[ZillaYT]

What is your file structure? You show a vms role, but not a vmcreation role, but yet your playbook includes the vmcreation role?

[ZillaYT]

I think I know what you're after. Try this.

Have two files in ../roles/vms/vars, namely,

../roles/vms/vars/vmname81.yml

---
windows_vms:

  - Client1
  - Client2
  - Client3

...and ...

../roles/vms/vars/vmnames10.yml

---
windows_vms:
  - Client4
  - Client5

Then your role will be this. Note include_vars line, and the "with_items" change

../roles/vms/tasks/main.yml

---
# To Create VMs on the VMware vCenter Server

  - include_vars: "vars/windows{{ windows_ver }}.yml"

  - name: Creation of Windows 8.1 VMs
    vsphere_guest:
      vcenter_hostname: "name"
      guest: "{{ item }}"
      from_template: yes
      template_src: "templatename"
      validate_certs: no
      esxi:
        datacenter: dc
        hostname:

hname
    with_items: "{{ windows_vms }}"

Then

playbook.yml

---
# To Create VMs on the VMware vCenter Server
- hosts: localhost
  name: Creation of Windows 8.1 VMs
  roles:

    - { role: vms, windows_ver: 81 } # to create the windows in vars/windows81.yml

    - { role: vms, windows_ver: 10 } # to create the windows in vars/windows10.yml




Make sense?

On Friday, September 23, 2016 at 5:25:29 AM UTC-4, Chethan S wrote:

[ZillaYT]

Sorry, the include_vars should be:

- include_vars: "vars/vmname{{ windows_ver }}.yml"

[Chethan S]

Thank you, Zilla. I got a simpler solution for this question which I posted at Stack Overflow wherein I didn't have to split vars files. I have had success following it.