update_fact fails when path contains a key with a bracket in its name

[Nihlus]

SUMMARY

update_fact fails to update a fact where a key in the referenced path contains a bracket. In particular, I'm working with a dictionary which has a key called [runners].

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

update_fact

ANSIBLE VERSION

ansible [core 2.14.3]
  config file = None
  configured module search path = ['/home/jarl/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /home/jarl/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible
  python version = 3.11.2 (main, Mar 13 2023, 12:18:29) [GCC 12.2.0] (/usr/bin/python3)
  jinja version = 3.1.2
  libyaml = True

COLLECTION VERSION

# /home/jarl/.ansible/collections/ansible_collections
Collection    Version
------------- -------
ansible.utils 4.0.0  

# /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible_collections
Collection    Version
------------- -------
ansible.utils 2.9.0

CONFIGURATION

CONFIG_FILE() = None

OS / ENVIRONMENT

Debian 12 on both controller and target, python version as above

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

- hosts: 127.0.0.1
  connection: local
  tasks:
    - name: set fact
      set_fact:
        my_dict: "{{ { \"[runners]\": \"old value\" } }}"

    - name: update fact
      ansible.utils.update_fact:
        updates:
          - path: my_dict["[runners]"].value
            value: "new value"

EXPECTED RESULTS

The fact should update the given path.

ACTUAL RESULTS

The update fails, claiming it cannot find a key in my_dict called [runners (note missing closing bracket).

ansible-playbook [core 2.14.3]
  config file = None
  configured module search path = ['/home/jarl/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /home/jarl/.ansible/collections:/usr/share/ansible/collections
  executable location = /usr/bin/ansible-playbook
  python version = 3.11.2 (main, Mar 13 2023, 12:18:29) [GCC 12.2.0] (/usr/bin/python3)
  jinja version = 3.1.2
  libyaml = True
No config file found; using defaults
setting up inventory plugins
host_list declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
script declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
auto declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
yaml declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
ini declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
Skipping due to inventory source not existing or not being readable by the current user
toml declined parsing /etc/ansible/hosts as it did not pass its verify_file() method
[WARNING]: No inventory was parsed, only implicit localhost is available
[WARNING]: provided hosts list is empty, only localhost is available. Note that the implicit localhost does not
match 'all'
Loading collection ansible.utils from /home/jarl/.ansible/collections/ansible_collections/ansible/utils
Loading callback plugin default of type stdout, v2.0 from /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible/plugins/callback/default.py
Skipping callback 'default', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'minimal', as we already have a stdout callback.
Skipping callback 'oneline', as we already have a stdout callback.

PLAYBOOK: playbook.yml *********************************************************************************************
Positional arguments: playbook.yml
verbosity: 4
connection: smart
timeout: 10
become_method: sudo
tags: ('all',)
inventory: ('/etc/ansible/hosts',)
forks: 5
1 plays in playbook.yml

PLAY [127.0.0.1] ***************************************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] *********************************************************************************************
task path: /home/jarl/playbook.yml:1
<127.0.0.1> ESTABLISH LOCAL CONNECTION FOR USER: jarl
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'echo ~jarl && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c '( umask 77 && mkdir -p "` echo /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp `"&& mkdir "` echo /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426 `" && echo ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426="` echo /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426 `" ) && sleep 0'
Using module file /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/ansible/modules/setup.py
<127.0.0.1> PUT /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-8840847f5qwh8/tmpvorlhftj TO /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426/AnsiballZ_setup.py
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'chmod u+x /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426/ /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426/AnsiballZ_setup.py && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/python3 /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426/AnsiballZ_setup.py && sleep 0'
<127.0.0.1> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'rm -f -r /home/jarl/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1712307002.7893507-88412-109018197604426/ > /dev/null 2>&1 && sleep 0'
ok: [127.0.0.1]

TASK [set fact] ****************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/jarl/playbook.yml:4
ok: [127.0.0.1] => {
    "ansible_facts": {
        "my_dict": {
            "[runners]": "old value"
        }
    },
    "changed": false
}

TASK [update fact] *************************************************************************************************
task path: /home/jarl/playbook.yml:8
The full traceback is:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/jarl/.ansible/collections/ansible_collections/ansible/utils/plugins/action/update_fact.py", line 121, in set_value
    new_obj = obj[first]
              ~~~^^^^^^^
KeyError: '[runners'
fatal: [127.0.0.1]: FAILED! => {
    "changed": false,
    "msg": "Error: the key '[runners' was not found in {'[runners]': 'old value'}."
}

PLAY RECAP *********************************************************************************************************
127.0.0.1                  : ok=2    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0