Using a variable from one Ansible var file in a second var file

Question

In using Ansible, I'm trying to use a vaulted vars file to store private variables, and then using those in another vars file, in the same role. (The idea from 'Vault Pseudo leaf encryption' here.)

e.g. I have one standard vars file, roles/myrole/vars/main.yml:

---
my_variable: '{{ my_variable_vaulted }}'

and then one which is encrypted, roles/myrole/vars/vaulted_vars.yml:

---
my_variable_vaulted: 'SECRET!'

But when I run the playbook I always get '"ERROR! ERROR! 'my_variable_vaulted' is undefined"'.

I've tried it without encrypting the second file, to make sure it's not an issue with encryption, and I'm getting the same error.

Answer 1

The reason why my_variable_vaulted wasn't available was because I hadn't included the variable file. I'd assumed that all files in a role's vars/ directory were picked up automatically, but I think that's only the case with vars/main.yml.

So, to make the vaulted variables available to all tasks within the role, in roles/myrole/tasks/main.yml I added this before all the tasks:

- include_vars: vars/vaulted_vars.yml