Packer user variables not working

[Doug T]

I'm having some trouble with the user variable function of packer. This is very important to our infrastructure because we rely on a flexible ansible playbook to push out roles to docker containers. I would like to make it possible to have 1 template to allow for easier management. The following does not work. 

{

  "variables": 

    {   

     "role": ""

    },  

  "builders": ....

  "provisioners": [

    {   

      "type": "ansible-local",

      "role_paths": "/ansible/roles/{{user 'role'}}/",

      "playbook_file": "/ansible/playbooks/pushroledocker.yml",

      "extra_arguments": "-e roletag={{user 'role'}}"

    }   

  ],  

Then I run 'packer build -var 'role=docker' template.json and it errors,

invalid 'extra_arguments': template: root:1: malformed character constant: 'role' in:

-e roletag={{user 'role'}}

In multiple attempts, it also errors out on the rolepath as well. Is it possible to replace vars in this fashion? 

[Doug T]

I should mention:

Packer version 0.8.5

[Alvaro Miranda Aguilera]

Hello

looks like the quotes you are using aren't the correct ones

it should be user `variable`

note are the quotes ` and not simple quotes '

I know this quote is not in every keyboard layout

Can you test?

Alvaro.

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[Doug T]

Weird, but works! 

Thanks for the help.