args[module] error for templated module parameter

[jantari]

Summary

The new args[module] rule reports errors if you use a Jinja template for a module parameter.

Issue Type

• Bug Report

OS / ENVIRONMENT

ansible-lint 6.10.0 using ansible 2.14.1

• ansible installation method: pip
• ansible-lint installation method: pip

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

Create the following directory structure:

.
└── tasks
    └── task.yml

with the task.yml file content:

# Dummy example data
- name: Get WAN interface(s)
  ansible.builtin.set_fact:
    _usable_wan_interfaces:
      - name: wan1
      - name: wan2

- name: Add VPN interface to RZ zone
  fortios_system_zone:
    vdom: "{{ vdom }}"
    state: "present"
    access_token: "{{ fortios_access_token | default(omit) }}"
    system_zone:
      name: RZ
      description: VPN interfaces going to RZ
      interface: >
        [ {% for item in _usable_wan_interfaces %} { 'interface_name': 'VPN-{{ item.name }}' }, {% endfor %} ]
      intrazone: deny

and run ansible-lint.

Desired Behavior

Ideally it would just pass, but according to #2833 and the docs warnings may be expected due to known limitations.

Actual Behavior

ansible-lint reports a FATAL error "dictionary requested, could not parse JSON or key=value":

WARNING  Listing 1 violation(s) that are fatal
args[module]: dictionary requested, could not parse JSON or key=value
tasks/task.yml:8 Task/Handler: Add VPN interface to RZ zone

[ssbarnea]

To be honest this error comes from the module itself and looks related to https://www.reddit.com/r/ansible/comments/y9v5rf/help_with_error_dictionary_requested_could_not/

Using the debugger I got a little bit more info about the error:

'\n{"failed": true, "msg": "dictionary requested, could not parse JSON or key=value", "invocation": {"module_args": {"vdom": "{{ vdom }}", "state": "present", "access_token": "{{ fortios_access_token | default(omit) }}", "system_zone": {"name": "RZ", "description": "VPN interfaces going to RZ", "interface": [], "intrazone": "deny", "tagging": null}, "enable_log": false, "member_path": null, "member_state": null}}}\n'

Still, i will have to move this to a discussion until we have a prove there is a bug in the linter itself. I will raise the bug myself once we have confirmation.

[jantari]

The difference is that the person in the reddit thread you linked really did format the module arguments wrong and so their task didn't even run.

But this task runs perfectly and all of the expected data/arguments are supplied correctly. It is only ansible-lint that can't see that.

This:

[ {% for item in _usable_wan_interfaces %} { 'interface_name': 'VPN-{{ item.name }}' }, {% endfor %} ]

will expand to:

- interface_name: VPN-wan1
- interface_name: VPN-wan2

which is exactly the data format the module expects for the interface argument:

https://ansible-galaxy-fortios-docs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/gen/fortios_system_zone.html#parameters