Compare output of file with string / list or whatever in ansible when statement

Question

Let's say that content of file "/etc/my_file.txt" is like this:

a b CC d
a c BB d
a d DD e

I am checking it and writing output to variable:

- name: Check 3rd column of file
  shell: cat /etc/my_file.txt | awk '{print $3}'
  register: test

Is there a way to check if the 3rd column of that file has values EXACTLY the same as given in debug section bellow ?

I've tried to converting it into a list:

- set_fact:
   std_out: "{{ test.stdout.split()|list   }}"

... and then comparing it with particular list items:

- name: Test if it worked
  debug:
     msg: Values are differrent
  when: std_out[0] == "CC" and std_out[1] == "BB" and std_out[2] == "DD"

but got errors like this:

The error was: template error while templating string: unexpected char u'"'

Tried couple more things but still got some issues and feeling like banging my head against the wall :-) Any help would be apprieciated.

My setup is:

ansible 2.9.14
python version = 2.7.5

You are missing a closing double quote in your set fact task => std_out: "{{ test.stdout.split()|list }}", and your when clause is also missing a double quote => when: std_out[0] == "CC" and std_out[1] == "BB" and std_out[2] == "DD" — Zeitounator
– Zeitounator, Commented Mar 10, 2021 at 17:04
Note: I am absolutely not sure this will actually solve your logic problem... — Zeitounator
– Zeitounator, Commented Mar 10, 2021 at 17:13
Well spoted, but of course it was not the real case. I was simply re-writing code and made that silly mistakes. Sorry for that. — Irka Irenka
– Irka Irenka, Commented Mar 10, 2021 at 17:36

Vladimir Botka · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-10 17:39:57Z

1

Use the registered value, e.g.

    - name: Check 3rd column of file
      shell: cat my_file.txt | awk '{print $3}'
      register: test

gives

  test.stdout_lines:
  - CC
  - BB
  - DD

You can compare the lists, e.g.

    - debug:
        msg: Values are differrent
      when: test.stdout_lines != ['CC', 'BB', 'DD']
    - debug:
        msg: Values are not differrent
      when: test.stdout_lines == ['CC', 'BB', 'DD']

gives

TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
skipping: [localhost]

TASK [debug] *******************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => 
  msg: Values are not different

answered Mar 10, 2021 at 17:39

Vladimir Botka

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