On the same server, how to run a role twice with different arguments

[Olivier Lauret]

Hello all,

I am new with ansible and trying to understand how, on the same server, to run a role twice with different arguments.

What I am trying to do is to install twice the same software but using a different path.

I have tried to use the host file like:

   [grp1]
   192.168.1.10

   [grp2]
   192.168.1.10

and then set the group_vars like:

group_vars/grp1:
   ---
   install_path = '/opt/install1'

group_vars/grp2:
   ---
   install_path = '/opt/install2'

The problem is that my playbook always get "install_path = '/opt/install1'" not matter if I only include only grp2.

Any idea to solve this issue?

Regards,
Olivier

[George Boobyer]

The group vars will overwrite each other - if a host is in two groups that share vars.
Try putting a dictionary car in the host vars for the host:

install_paths:
- '/opt/install1'
- '/opt/install2'

Then in the task use with_items: install_paths (not sure what task you are using so here using the copy module for example)

- copy
src: localsrc
dest: "{item}"
with_items: install_paths

That should do it as item is replaces with each element in the with_items.

[George Boobyer]

Darn auto correct - should read dictionary var not car in the above! ; )

George

[Jonathan Davila]

Another method you could use is passing the variable value directly into the role when you call it as such

---
- name: SomePlaybook
  hosts: yourgroup
  roles:
        - {role: yourrole, install_path: '/opt/install1' }
        - {role: yourrole, install_path: '/opt/install2' }



[Olivier Lauret]

Thank you George and Jonathan for your feedback,

I like the idea of the roles in the playbook as the installation is a bit more complex than explained in the email. Thank you for the tip, I will try it write now :)

Regards,
Olivier

[Dan Vaida]

Obvious for some, helpful for others, a more condensed version could look like:

---
- name: SomePlaybook
  hosts: yourgroup
  roles:

        - { role: yourrole, install_path: [ '/opt/install1', '/opt/install2' ] }