How to use template module with different set of variables?

Question

My use case is the following :

I have a template file, and I would like to create 2 different files from that template, with the variables being filled by a different set of variables for each file.

For example, lets say I want to template the file containing the line:

mkdir -p {{myTemplateVariable}}

I would like to find a proper way to get this variable filled by "File1" and "File2". Something like :

- name: template test 1
  template: 
        src=myTemplateFile
        dest=result1


- name: template test 2
  template: 
        src=myTemplateFile
        dest=result2

where I could specify for the first templating that the variable to use is a = "File1" and for the second, b = "File2".

Answer 1

For Ansible 2.x:

    - name: template test
      template: 
        src: myTemplateFile
        dest: result1
      vars:
        myTemplateVariable: File1

    - name: template test
      template: 
        src: myTemplateFile
        dest: result2
      vars:
        myTemplateVariable: File2

---

For Ansible 1.x:

Unfortunately the template module does not support passing variables to it, which can be used inside the template. There was a feature request but it was rejected.

I can think of two workarounds:

1. Include

The include statement supports passing variables. So you could have your template task inside an extra file and include it twice with appropriate parameters:

my_include.yml:

- name: template test
  template: 
        src=myTemplateFile
        dest=destination

main.yml:

- include: my_include.yml destination=result1 myTemplateVariable=File1

- include: my_include.yml destination=result2 myTemplateVariable=File2

2. Re-define myTemplateVariable

Another way would be to simply re-define myTemplateVariable right before every template task.

- set_fact:
     myTemplateVariable: File1

- name: template test 1
  template: 
        src=myTemplateFile
        dest=result1

- set_fact:
     myTemplateVariable: File2

- name: template test 2
  template: 
        src=myTemplateFile
        dest=result2