Packer seems to be ignoring my -var-file

[DarwinJS]

I have this in "variables" in my main template.

"variables": {

      "Build_with_ami": "",

}

I have this in "builders" of my main template: 

"type": "amazon-ebs",

"source_ami": "{{user `Build_with_ami`}}",

If I use packer -var 'Build_with_ami=ami-whatever' it works fine.

If, however, I put this in a varfile:

{

  "build_with_ami": "ami-whatever",

 }

and use -var-file 'variablefile.json'

Packer errors saying I must specify source_ami.

I have also tried using "source_ami" directly.

I have also tried removing it from the variables section in the template (but retaining the variables section itself.

I have tried -var-file='variablefile.json'

FYI -var-file=variablefile.json has the extension stripped off it when executing under powershell.

The only way Build_with_ami is recognized is if I set it on the command line or directly in the template "variables" section.

The log file does not show variables nor where they are read from - would be nice for debugging this.

All of the above is under PowerShell 5.0

[Rickard von Essen]

In your example you have two errors in:

{

  "build_with_ami": "ami-whatever",

}

1) Trailing , - that is invalid JSON formatting.

2) "build_with_ami" is without capital B and thus doesn't match "Build_with_ami".

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