TOC

• JSON parsing examples
  • JSON example
  • Example 1
    • Example 1 ansible output
  • Example 2
    • Example 2 output

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JSON parsing examples

This repo will grow overtime and give examples of parsing JSON to be able to get to the bit of information you want. BOth examples five you the same output, but the second one is cleaner and easier to manage going forward.

This github repo is based on this Ansible Google Group question: https://groups.google.com/g/ansible-project/c/mBNpxte5pQ0

JSON example

The json file I'll be using in this example.

[
  {
    "?xml": {
      "attributes": {
        "encoding": "UTF_8",
        "version": "1.0"
      }
    }
  },
  {
    "jdbc_data_source": [
      {
        "attributes": {
          "xmlns": "http://xmlns.oracle.com/weblogic/jdbc_data_source"
        }
      },
      {
        "name": "cwdsjndi"
      },
      {
        "jdbc_driver_params": [
          {
            "url": "jdbc:oracle:thin:@//myhost.myshop.com:1521/OLTT206"
          },
          {
            "driver_name": "oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver"
          },
          {
            "properties": {
              "property": [
                {
                  "name": "user7"
                },
                {
                  "value": "CAN_USER"
                }
              ]
            }
          },
          {
            "password_encrypted": "{AES}BcqmURyYoCkLvC5MmREXsfpRMO93KPIubqUAbb95+nE="
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "jdbc_data_source_params": {
          "jndi_name": "cwds"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "?xml": {
      "attributes": {
        "encoding": "UTF_8",
        "version": "1.0"
      }
    }
  },
  {
    "jdbc_data_source": [
      {
        "attributes": {
          "xmlns": "http://xmlns.oracle.com/weblogic/jdbc_data_source"
        }
      },
      {
        "name": "dsvelcw"
      },
      {
        "jdbc_driver_params": [
          {
            "url": "jdbc:oracle:thin:@myhost.myshop.com:1521:DB01"
          },
          {
            "driver_name": "oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver"
          },
          {
            "properties": {
              "property": [
                {
                  "name": "user"
                },
                {
                  "value": "WEB_USER"
                }
              ]
            }
          },
          {
            "password_encrypted": "{AES}WYImLDLo0j7S80cGMUDsE5M5QTnpffTPGyIzDuGG6WU="
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "jdbc_data_source_params": {
          "jndi_name": "dsvelcw"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
]

Example 1

In this example, I use shell to read the file and register the result. Then I take the "register" and make the whole file into a variable using set_fact:. Then I use debug to pull out the information I want:

---
- name: ReadJsonfile
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
  - name: Display the JSON file content
    shell: "cat file.json"
    register: result

  - name: debug
    set_fact:
      result1: "{{ result.stdout | from_json }}"

  - name: debug
    debug:
      msg: "jdbc_data_source name is {{ result1[1].jdbc_data_source[3].jdbc_data_source_params.jndi_name }} has username {{ result1[1].jdbc_data_source[2].jdbc_driver_params[2].properties.property[1].value }} and jndi name {{ result1[1].jdbc_data_source[1].name }}"

  - name: debug
    debug:
      msg: "jdbc_data_source name is {{ result1[1].jdbc_data_source[3].jdbc_data_source_params.jndi_name }}"

  - name: debug
    debug:
      msg: "has username {{ result1[1].jdbc_data_source[2].jdbc_driver_params[2].properties.property[1].value }}"  
  - name: debug
    debug:
      msg: "and jndi name {{ result1[1].jdbc_data_source[1].name }}"

Example 1 ansible output

This is what ansible will give you.

$ ansible-playbook one.yml

PLAY [ReadJsonfile] ***********************************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] ********************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [Display the JSON file content] ******************************************************************************
changed: [localhost]

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "msg": "jdbc_data_source name is cwds has username CAN_USER and jndi name cwdsjndi"
}

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "msg": "jdbc_data_source name is cwds"
}

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "msg": "has username CAN_USER"
}

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "msg": "and jndi name cwdsjndi"
}

PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************************************************
localhost                  : ok=7    changed=1    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0 

Example 2

In this example, I use set_fact: to register each item as a variable and then use debug to display the variables. This example is the better one to use. I also use a lookup instead of a shell command to bring the json into ansible. Now it's simply a matter of using the variables where you need them.

---
- name: ReadJsonfile
  hosts: localhost
  vars:
    input: "{{ lookup('file','file.json') | from_json }}"
    urls: "[?contains(xmlns, 'http')]"
  tasks:

  - name: Set our facts from the JSON file
    set_fact:
      sourcename: "{{ input[1].jdbc_data_source[3].jdbc_data_source_params.jndi_name }}"
      username: "{{ input[1].jdbc_data_source[2].jdbc_driver_params[2].properties.property[1].value }}"
      jndiname: "{{ input[1].jdbc_data_source[1].name }}"

  - name: debug
    debug:
      var: sourcename

  - name: debug
    debug:
      var: username

  - name: debug
    debug:
      var: jndiname

  - name: debug
    debug:
      msg: jdbc_data_source name is {{ sourcename }} has username {{ username }} and jndi name {{ jndiname }}

Example 2 output

This is what the second playbook will give you.

$ ansible-playbook two.yml

PLAY [ReadJsonfile] ***********************************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] ********************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [Set our facts from the JSON file] ***************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "sourcename": "cwds"
}

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "username": "CAN_USER"
}

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "jndiname": "cwdsjndi"
}

TASK [debug] ******************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => {
    "msg": "jdbc_data_source name is cwds has username CAN_USER and jndi name cwdsjndi"
}

PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************************************************
localhost                  : ok=6    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=0    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0