Extract "name" from the list of dicts in Ansible

Question

I have the following dictionary:

"dict": [ {   "name": "a",   "surname": "b" }, {   "name": "c",   "surname": "d" }, {   "name": "e",   "surname": "f" } ]

I am trying to extract just "name" values into one list like this one:

names_list: ["a","c","e"]

It should be very simple but I'm not getting the result. This is what I tried:

- set_fact: 
    names_list: "{{ dict | json_query('[*].name') }}"

and also:

- set_fact: 
    names_list: "{{ dict | map(attribute='name') | list }}"

but I'm getting either "none" or "ansible undefined".

What I'm missing here?

Thanks.

Vladimir Botka · Accepted Answer · 2023-03-27 12:28:06Z

2

Short answer: Rename the variable dict.

Details: In Ansible 2.14.3, Python 3.9.16, jinja version = 3.1.2 both options work as expected

    - set_fact:
        names_list1: "{{ dict|map(attribute='name')|list }}"
        names_list2: "{{ dict|json_query('[*].name') }}"

give

  names_list1: [a, c, e]
  names_list2: [a, c, e]

But, I got the warning:

[WARNING]: Found variable using reserved name: dict

^{Example of a complete playbook for testing
- hosts: localhost

vars:

dict:
- {name: a, surname: b}
- {name: c, surname: d}
- {name: e, surname: f}

# names_list1: "{{ dict|map(attribute='name')|list }}"
# names_list2: "{{ dict|json_query('[*].name') }}"

tasks:

- set_fact:
names_list1: "{{ dict|map(attribute='name')|list }}"
names_list2: "{{ dict|json_query('[*].name') }}"

- debug:
var: names_list1|to_yaml
- debug:
var: names_list2|to_yaml}

answered Mar 27, 2023 at 12:28

Vladimir Botka

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2 Comments

LJS Over a year ago

We have older versions, Ansible 2.11.11 , Python 3.6

LJS Over a year ago

Actually this works, but not with set_fact like I tried first, but declared as variable, and I used instead "dict" some other name. Thanks

piercjs · Accepted Answer · 2023-03-27 11:42:21Z

-1

your "dict" above is a list of dictionaries. you are trying to create a new list with just the names. Try

names_list: "{{ names_list | d([]) + [item.name] }}"
with_items: dict

answered Mar 27, 2023 at 11:42

piercjs

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2 Comments

LJS Over a year ago

I tried but getting Ansible undefined: ok: [localhost] => (item=dict) => { "ansible_facts": { "names_list": "[AnsibleUndefined]" }, "ansible_loop_var": "item", "changed": false, "item": "dict" }

PavanDevarakonda Over a year ago

@piercjs Undefined variables no clarity on what you are suggesting here.

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