config-download: --start-at-task doesn't work with tasks with variables in the names

[James Slagle]

We have several tasks that use {{ step }} in the name where {{ step }} is a sequence, usually 1 to 5.

When you use --start-at-task with one of these task names, it doesn't work and ansible just skips all tasks.

[James Slagle (james-slagle)]

(undercloud) [stack@undercloud tripleo-Jl85Km-config]$ ~/ansible-playbook-command.sh --start-at-task "Overcloud common deploy step tasks 1"
+ ansible-playbook -i /home/stack/tripleo-ansible-inventory.yaml --become -u heat-admin deploy_steps_playbook.yaml --start-at-task 'Overcloud common deploy step tasks 1'
 [WARNING]: Skipping unexpected key (hostvars) in group (_meta), only "vars", "children" and "hosts" are valid

[DEPRECATION WARNING]: The use of 'include' for tasks has been deprecated. Use 'import_tasks' for static inclusions or 'include_tasks' for dynamic inclusions. This feature will be removed in a future release. Deprecation
warnings can be disabled by setting deprecation_warnings=False in ansible.cfg.
[DEPRECATION WARNING]: include is kept for backwards compatibility but usage is discouraged. The module documentation details page may explain more about this rationale.. This feature will be removed in a future release.
Deprecation warnings can be disabled by setting deprecation_warnings=False in ansible.cfg.

PLAY [Gather facts undercloud] ***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [Gather facts overcloud] ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [Load global variables] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [Bootstrap TripleO servers] *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [Server deployments] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [Host prep steps] ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [External deployment step 1] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [Overcloud deploy step tasks for 1] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [Overcloud common deploy step tasks 1] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

PLAY [External deployment step 2] *****************************************************************************...

[James Slagle (james-slagle)]

If you use --list-tasks, then ansible will resolve all the task names with the proper variable values. So --start-at-task ought to work as well.

(undercloud) [stack@undercloud tripleo-Jl85Km-config]$ ~/ansible-playbook-command.sh --list-tasks
+ ansible-playbook -i /home/stack/tripleo-ansible-inventory.yaml --become -u heat-admin deploy_steps_playbook.yaml --list-tasks
 [WARNING]: Skipping unexpected key (hostvars) in group (_meta), only "vars", "children" and "hosts" are valid

[DEPRECATION WARNING]: The use of 'include' for tasks has been deprecated. Use 'import_tasks' for static inclusions or 'include_tasks' for dynamic inclusions. This feature will be removed in a future release. Deprecation
warnings can be disabled by setting deprecation_warnings=False in ansible.cfg.
[DEPRECATION WARNING]: include is kept for backwards compatibility but usage is discouraged. The module documentation details page may explain more about this rationale.. This feature will be removed in a future release.
Deprecation warnings can be disabled by setting deprecation_warnings=False in ansible.cfg.

playbook: deploy_steps_playbook.yaml

  play #1 (undercloud): Gather facts undercloud TAGS: [facts]
    tasks:

  play #2 (overcloud): Gather facts overcloud TAGS: [facts]
    tasks:

  play #3 (all): Load global variables TAGS: [always]
    tasks:
      include_vars TAGS: [always]

  play #4 (overcloud): Bootstrap TripleO servers TAGS: [bootstrap]
    tasks:
      tripleo-bootstrap : Deploy required packages to bootstrap TripleO TAGS: [bootstrap]
      tripleo-bootstrap : Create /var/lib/heat-config/tripleo-config-download directory for deployment data TAGS: [bootstrap]

  play #5 (overcloud): Server deployments TAGS: [pre_deploy_steps,overcloud]
    tasks:
      include TAGS: [overcloud, pre_deploy_steps]

  play #6 (overcloud): Host prep steps TAGS: [host_prep_steps,overcloud]
    tasks:
      create persistent logs directory TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      cinder logs readme TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create persistent directories TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create persistent directories TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      ensure ceph configurations exist TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      cinder_enable_iscsi_backend fact TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      cinder create LVM volume group dd TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      cinder create LVM volume group TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create persistent logs directory TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      keystone logs readme TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create persistent logs directory TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      glance logs readme TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      Mount NFS on host TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create persistent logs directory TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      heat logs readme TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create persistent logs directory TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create persistent logs directory TAGS: [host_prep_steps, overcloud]
      create /var/lib/mysql TAGS: [host_prep_st...

[James Slagle (james-slagle)]

I'm going to close this as invalid because I realized that I'm actually trying to use the play name instead of the task name. In the --list-tasks output, the tasks name are actually not expanded with the variable values, so I guess Ansible has no way of figuring out the task names in this case.