Is it possible to set or override the inventory selection using Survey variables?

[MarkLFT]

We have a number of inventory lists, each with several servers, a very common configuration I am sure. But there are times we want to run a task against a single node, maybe a reboot etc.

Whilst I can easily override the host / group name using a survey variable, I still end up with needing to create a reboot task template for each inventory list. Is it possible to override the inventory selection using a survey variable or some other way at runtime?

[ansibleguy]

Yes - you can supply the limit inside the task or task-template JSON field:

["--limit", "host1,host2"]

Also: I opened a specific feature-request for adding a --limit field: #1357

Regarding multiple inventories - you could try to also supply them using the 'JSON' field as those variables seem to be directly passed to Ansible.

[Ye-Min-Tun]

Yes, you can do with survery variable. And update the host variable in your playbook like the following:
host: "{{ your-survery-var-name }}"
This will prompt to set the variable when you run the task. You can enter 'all' or group name or host name. @MarkLFT

[MarkLFT]

@Ye-Min-Tun The question was more about if we can select a different inventory file using a survey variable.

[decanthus314]

I second this. I am in a situation where it would be very helpful to have a selectable inventory at runtime.
Preferably a drop drop selector of existing inventories in the semaphore database instead of a survey variable string.

[ansibleguy]

That way one should be able to 'override' the inventory-file configured in the 'task-template' when running a 'task' - that's the idea? Or did I get it wrong?
One should currently be able to supply multiple inventory lists using the JSON-field:

["--inventory", "inv2", "--inventory", "inv3"]

They should be passed 1-to-1 to the ansible-playbook execution

[Ye-Min-Tun]

@Ye-Min-Tun The question was more about if we can select a different inventory file using a survey variable.

Not sure about selecting the inventory file .
I just mentioned about selecting individual host or groups of hosts in a single inventory file at runtime.

[josefglatz]

Yes, you can do with survery variable. And update the host variable in your playbook like the following: host: "{{ your-survery-var-name }}" This will prompt to set the variable when you run the task. You can enter 'all' or group name or host name. @MarkLFT

Is it possible that variables can only by have underscores and no dashes? Because this just works when the variable has no dash in it.

[ansibleguy]

@josefglatz See Ansible Documentation for variables

A variable name can only include letters, numbers, and underscores. Python keywords or playbook keywords are not valid variable names