Convert with_X to loop: but when: condition being ignored?

[b...@tanners.org]

I do not know if this is a bug or I do not know how to use when: with the loop:

The tasks

- name: debug backuppc_client_mysql_dump

  ansible.builtin.debug:

    msg: "{{ backuppc_client_mysql_dump }}"

  when: backuppc_client_mysql_dump is defined

  tags: backuppc

- name: set up backuppc user MySQL dump authorized_keys

  ansible.posix.authorized_key:

    user: "{{ backuppc_client_item.0.username }}"

    state: "present"

    key_options: "{{ backuppc_client_item.0.key_options }}"

    key: "{{ backuppc_client_item.1 }}"

    manage_dir: true

  loop: "{{{backuppc_client_mysql_dump|subelements('authorized_keys') }}"

  loop_control:

  loop_var: backuppc_client_item

  when: backuppc_client_mysql_dump is defined

  tags: backuppc

Ansible run

TASK [backuppc-client : debug backuppc_client_mysql_dump] **********************
skipping: [docker.*.com]

TASK [backuppc-client : set up backuppc user MySQL dump authorized_keys] *******
fatal: [docker.*.com]: FAILED! => {"msg": "obj must be a list of dicts or a nested dict"}

The debug task is skipped because backuppc_client_mysql_dump is not defined. I expect the MySQL dump authorized_keys task to be skipped too but it's not.

Any help?

[Matt Martz]

`when` statements with a loop are evaluated for every iteration, and not before the loop happens.

This is documented at:  https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/devel/user_guide/playbooks_conditionals.html#using-conditionals-in-loops

> If you combine a when statement with a loop, Ansible processes the condition separately for each item. This is by design, so you can execute the task on some items in the loop and skip it on other items.

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Matt Martz
@sivel
sivel.net

[Todd Lewis]

So one solution would be to put both tasks in a block, and put the `when: backuppc_client_mysql_dump is defined` condition on the block itself.

[Brian Coca]

blocks are not a way to skip tasks, a 'when' on a block is just for
tasks inside the block to inherit.

> So one solution would be to put both tasks in a block, and put the `when: backuppc_client_mysql_dump is defined` condition on the block itself.

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Brian Coca

[Todd Lewis]

Ouch! Then you'd have to put the tasks into their own tasks file, and use include_tasks ...

Or give backuppc_client_mysql_dump a reasonable |default(...) so that the looped task(s) would do no harm.

blocks are not a way to skip tasks, a 'when' on a block is just fortasks inside the block to inherit.

​