Dynamically expand dictionary variables

[Kees de Jong]

I'm trying to unify the way I install packages, I have the following vars/main.yml:

---
packages:
  system:
    common:
      - crudini
      - dump
      - duplicity
      - git
      - mdadm
      - irssi
      - lynx
      - postfix
      - powerline
      - rsync
      - tmux
      - vim
    Debian:
      - ntp
    Fedora:
      - langpacks-en
      - langpacks-nl
      - livecd-tools
      - rktime
      - tmux-powerline
      - tuned
      - vim-powerline

And the following task:

- block:

  - name: install ansible dependencies

    package: name={{ item }} state=present

    with_flattened:

      - "{{ packages.system.common }}"

      - "{{ packages.system.Fedora }}"

      - "{{ vars['packages.system.' + ansible_distribution] }}"

  when: ansible_distribution == "Fedora"

  tags:

    install_custom2

Which results in the following error:

TASK [common : install ansible dependencies] *******************************************************************************************
fatal: [host]: FAILED! => {"msg": "'dict object' has no attribute u'packages.system.Fedora'"}

Please note that the "{{ packages.system.Fedora }}"  works fine but the "{{ vars['packages.system.' + ansible_distribution] }}" fails (which expands to packages.system.Fedora as well). It looks like a type error. When I organize the package names in vars/main.yml as separate lists, it does work. But I would like to create this dictionary structure since it organizes the variables nicely. Is there a way to expand dictionary variables dynamically just like list variables?

[Kees de Jong]

Got it, it works with: "{{ packages.system[ansible_distribution] }}"