Dead Simple Python Data Manipulation for Ansible

kiss.yaml

---
  - hosts: localhost
    vars:
      people:
        - {'id': 1, name: 'Bob', age: 35, sex: 'male', birthday: 1}
        - {'id': 2, name: 'Sally', age: 22, sex: 'female', birthday: 12}
        - {'id': 3, name: 'Sarah', age: 37, sex: 'female', birthday: 15}
        - {'id': 4, name: 'Michael', age: 44, sex: 'male', birthday: 11}
        - {'id': 5, name: 'Tom', age: 18, sex: 'male', birthday: 22}
      one: [1,2,3,22,12,4,48]
      two: [60,30,44,55,5]
      nextweek: [10,11,13,14,15]
    tasks:
    - name: Filter data structures more easily
      set_fact:
        filtered: >
          {{ people | pyeval('[x for x in data if x["sex"] == "female" or (x["age"] < 40 and x["age"] > 30)]') }}

    - name: Combine and Sort Lists
      set_fact:
        combined: >
          {{ one | pyexec('data.extend(two); data.sort()', two=two) }}

    - name: List People having Birthdays this nextweek and how old
      set_fact:
        birthdays: >
          {{ people | pyeval('["{name}'"'"'s birthday is on {birthday}th and will be".format(**x) +
            " {} years old!".format(x["age"]+1)
            for x in data if x["birthday"] in nextweek]', nextweek=nextweek) }}

pyeval.py

#
# NOTE: I fully understand there are risks to eval() and exec() but honestly this is no more risk than if you
# allow your users to install modules or other code in your ansible enviorment.
#
# With that said, use at your own peril, caveat emptor, no warantees or fitness for any purpose
# (other than recovering parts of your sanity manipulating data in ansible).
#
# by Brian Dowling (2019-01)
#

from ansible import errors

class FilterModule(object):
    ''' Stupid Simple data manipulation with python as an Jinja2 filter for Ansible '''

    def pyeval(self, data, raw_code, **kwargs):
        ''' Maniuplates input data and returns the result of the given code fragment, good for list/dict comprehension '''
        kwargs['data'] = data
        res = eval(raw_code, None, kwargs)
        return res

    
    def pyexec(self, data, raw_code, **kwargs):
        ''' Maniuplate data with a python code block.  Code is expected to change `data` and data is returned
            Useful when you need to call functions that alter the data but do not return, .extend(), .sort() etc
            Multiple lines can be simulated with ';' separated fragments
            '''
        # debating on this:
        # kwargs['data'] = copy.deepcopy(data)
        kwargs['data'] = data
        exec(raw_code, None, kwargs)
        return kwargs['data']


    def filters(self):
        filters = {
            'pyeval': self.pyeval,
            'pyexec': self.pyexec,
        }

        return filters

RESULTS

TASK [Filter data structures more easily] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/bdowling/src/plays/kiss.yaml:14
ok: [localhost] => {
    "ansible_facts": {
        "filtered": [
            {
                "age": 35,
                "birthday": 1,
                "id": 1,
                "name": "Bob",
                "sex": "male"
            },
            {
                "age": 22,
                "birthday": 12,
                "id": 2,
                "name": "Sally",
                "sex": "female"
            },
            {
                "age": 37,
                "birthday": 15,
                "id": 3,
                "name": "Sarah",
                "sex": "female"
            }
        ]
    },
    "changed": false
}

TASK [Combine and Sort Lists] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/bdowling/src/plays/kiss.yaml:19
ok: [localhost] => {
    "ansible_facts": {
        "combined": [
            1,
            2,
            3,
            4,
            5,
            12,
            22,
            30,
            44,
            48,
            55,
            60
        ]
    },
    "changed": false
}

TASK [List People having Birthdays this nextweek and how old] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/bdowling/src/plays/kiss.yaml:24
ok: [localhost] => {
    "ansible_facts": {
        "birthdays": [
            "Sarah's birthday is on 15th and will be 38 years old!",
            "Michael's birthday is on 11th and will be 45 years old!"
        ]
    },
    "changed": false
}