How to use template module with different set of variables?

Question

My use case is the following :

I have a template file, and I would like to create 2 different files from that template, with the variables being filled by a different set of variables for each file.

For example, lets say I want to template the file containing the line:

mkdir -p {{myTemplateVariable}} 

I would like to find a proper way to get this variable filled by "File1" and "File2". Something like :

- name: template test 1   template:          src=myTemplateFile         dest=result1   - name: template test 2   template:          src=myTemplateFile         dest=result2 

where I could specify for the first templating that the variable to use is a = "File1" and for the second, b = "File2".

Answer 1

With Ansible 2.x you can use vars: with tasks.

Template test.j2:

mkdir -p {{myTemplateVariable}} 

Playbook:

- template: src=test.j2 dest=/tmp/File1   vars:     myTemplateVariable: myDirName  - template: src=test.j2 dest=/tmp/File2   vars:     myTemplateVariable: myOtherDir 

This will pass different myTemplateVariable values into test.j2.

Answer 2

For Ansible 2.x:

- name: template test   template:      src: myTemplateFile     dest: result1   vars:     myTemplateVariable: File1  - name: template test   template:      src: myTemplateFile     dest: result2   vars:     myTemplateVariable: File2 

---

For Ansible 1.x:

Unfortunately the template module does not support passing variables to it, which can be used inside the template. There was a feature request but it was rejected.

I can think of two workarounds:

1. Include

The include statement supports passing variables. So you could have your template task inside an extra file and include it twice with appropriate parameters:

my_include.yml:

- name: template test   template:          src=myTemplateFile         dest=destination 

main.yml:

- include: my_include.yml destination=result1 myTemplateVariable=File1  - include: my_include.yml destination=result2 myTemplateVariable=File2 

2. Re-define myTemplateVariable

Another way would be to simply re-define myTemplateVariable right before every template task.

- set_fact:      myTemplateVariable: File1  - name: template test 1   template:          src=myTemplateFile         dest=result1  - set_fact:      myTemplateVariable: File2  - name: template test 2   template:          src=myTemplateFile         dest=result2