How to pass multiple values to "with_items" through ad-hoc command?

Question

Here is the example ansible-playbook, if I want to pass the values of {{ item.first }} and {{ item.second }} through ad-hoc command from the terminal.

How can we do it ?

Thanks in advance..

---
- hosts: localhost
  tasks:
  - name: Here we are providing a list which have items containing multiple 
    debug:
      msg: "current first value is {{ item.first }} and second value is {{ item.second }}"
    with_items:
      - { first: lemon, second: carrot }
      - { first: cow, second: goat }

Solution

So, to loop your debug task by passing the values from command line (or anywhere else), you will need to use a variable for the task (e.g. with_items: "{{ my_var }}").

There are many ways to supply value to variables, but for this specific requirement, we can use --extra-vars.

Considering a playbook myplaybook.yml as below:

- hosts: localhost

  tasks:
    - name: Here we are providing a list which have items containing multiple
      debug:
        msg: "current first value is {{ item.first }} and second value is {{ item.second }}"
      with_items: "{{ my_var }}"

Can be run by passing this variable on the command line as:

ansible-playbook myplaybook.yml -e '{my_var: [{first: lemon, second: carrot}, {first: cow, second: goat}]}'

Do note the other ways (linked above) using which variables can be supplied and use them if they are more efficient than this approach.

Comments

[seshadri_c]

Do you want to run this task/play, taking value from command line instead? If its the ad-hoc mode, you won't be able to use with_items and item.

[U880D]

Does variables in Ansible ad-hoc commands answer your quesstion?

[Sashi K]

thank you @seshadri_c can you please let me know what needs to be changed in the playbook. So, that the above task/play could be run from the command line. thanks in advance.

[phandox]

Can you open Command prompt (win8 pcsupport.about.com/od/windows-8/a/command-prompt-windows-8.‌​htm Win7 - just click on start and write cmd then enter) and provide a output of ipconfig /all command ?

[phandox]

OT: Next time, for long output, you can use pastebin.com So, can you ping 192.168.1.1 ? What is the output? Again, do it in command prompt. What happened when you enter 192.168.1.1 into browser? Are you directly connected to router? Router <-> PC

[user292033]

ok, thanks. When i ping 192.168.1.1, i am getting a "request timed out". And when i hit 192.168.1.1, it tries to connect for a long time and displays "couldnt connect message". Yes, I am directly connected to the router. Modem->Router->PC

[user292033]

Also, I just did a reset of modem and here is the output of ipconfig /all.ipconfig

[phandox]

You did reset modem or router? Anyway, now try to ping 192.168.0.1 (as I see your IP address has changed) and type it to browser to see what happens. Basicly, you need to get to router configuration, that's why we are doing this...

[user292033]

Sorry, I meant reset of router. It again changed to 192.168.1.1. Now, I am able to see the router page. Please let me know what changes i need to do here. Thank you so much.

[100rabh]

ugh, please edit your question and add the details, don't cram it into comments

[Sashi K]

it worked...thank you. @seshadri_c