How to replace several characters in an Ansible variable's value?

Question

I have a variable called joomlaversion which I get using json_query. The value of joomlaversion is 4.0.2 but I am trying to swap the dots with dashes so it becomes 4-0-2

How can I substitute dots for dashes in this ansible variable value?

I am using Ansible 2.9.6

Here is what I have tried.

---
- name: Download JSON content
  uri:
    url: https://api.github.com/repos/joomla/joomla-cms/releases
    return_content: yes
  register: jsoncontent

- name: Get latest version of Joomla from the tag using contains
  set_fact:
          joomlaversion: "{{ jsoncontent.json | to_json | from_json |json_query(jmesquery)|json_query(jmesquery2) }}"
  vars:
            jmesquery: "[? (draft==`false` && prerelease==`false`)]"
            jmesquery2: "[?name.contains(@, 'Joomla! 4')].tag_name|[0]"

  
- name: Replace the dots with dashes in Joomla version
  set_fact: 
          joomlaversion2: "{{ joomlaversion }} | replace('.', '-')"      
          #joomlaversion2: '{{ joomlaversion | regex_findall("\\."),("\\-") }}'
      
      

Rather than changing the dots to dashes it is appending | replace('.','-') on to the variable value, so it becomes "4.0.2 | replace ('.', '-')"

Perhaps I could use filters as is mentioned at https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/playbooks_filters.html#manipulating-strings

If I could split it using split(".") then join it again afterwards perhaps?

Answer 1

you have to add {{ }} and escape . with \:

- set_fact:
    joomlaversion: "4.0.2"
- set_fact:
    joomlaversion2: "{{ joomlaversion | regex_replace('\\.', '-') }}"

- debug:
    var: joomlaversion2

result:

ok: [localhost] => {
    "joomlaversion2": "4-0-2"
}