Deleted parameter files were not removed with anisble change

Question

I've deleted the parameter in overrides.yml file but still that file entry is there in the instance.

For an instance: if i remove instance_name: xyz01 entry in the overrides.yml and ran the ansible playbook but still xyz01 entry will be there in the metrics server..why is this skipping? cat overrides.yml

abc:
  - instance_name: xyz01
    description: "Test instance "
    color: ""
    icon: ""
    server_port: 123
    management_port: 123


  - instance_name: xyz02
    description: "Test instance "
    color: ""
    icon: ""
    server_port: 123
    management_port: 123

if you see here, in order to create abc-xyz0* files, abc element is used, which does not have xyz03 cat abc.yml

- hosts: group-metrics
  tasks:
    - name: "Provision abc Metrics"
      include_role:
        name: metrics
      vars:
        abc: "{{ item }}"
      with_items: "{{ abc | default([]) }}"

which uses this task

---

- name: "{{ abc.instance_name }} - Create abc Prometheus Exporter"
  template:
    src: metrics-exporter.yml.j2
    dest: "/etc/prometheus/abc-{{ abc.instance_name }}.yml"
    owner: prometheus
    group: prometheus
    mode: 0644

which uses this template metrics-exporter.yml.j2

- targets:
{% for host in groups[abc] %}
  - {{ host }}:{{ abc.management_port | default(123) }}| abc-{{ abc.instance_name }}

{% endfor %}

abc group contains : 3 instances

Answer 1

The vars declaration below is wrong. First, the vars is evaluated, not with_items. Therefore item is missing

    - name: "Provision abc Metrics"
      include_role:
        name: metrics
      vars:
        abc: "{{ item }}"
      with_items: "{{ abc | default([]) }}"

You should have seen the error:

  TASK [include_role : metrics] ***************************************
  fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => 
  msg: '{{ item }}: ''item'' is undefined'

If you intend to use the variable abc for the iteration use loop_control. For example, given the data and the role below (simplified for testing)

    abc:
      - instance_name: xyz01
      - instance_name: xyz02

shell> cat roles/metrics/tasks/main.yml
- debug:
    var: abc

The task below

    - include_role:
        name: metrics
      loop: "{{ abc|default([]) }}"
      loop_control:
        loop_var: abc

gives

TASK [include_role : metrics] ********************************************
[WARNING]: The loop variable 'abc' is already in use. You should set the `loop_var` value in
the `loop_control` option for the task to something else to avoid variable collisions and
unexpected behavior.

TASK [metrics : debug] ***************************************************
ok: [localhost] => 
  abc:
    instance_name: xyz01

TASK [metrics : debug] ***************************************************
ok: [localhost] => 
  abc:
    instance_name: xyz02

The iteration works but Ansible complains about abc being already used. Use another variable to fix it. For example,

shell> cat roles/metrics/tasks/main.yml
- debug:
    var: abc_item

    - include_role:
        name: metrics
      loop: "{{ abc|default([]) }}"
      loop_control:
        loop_var: abc_item

works fine

TASK [include_role : metrics] **********************************************

TASK [metrics : debug] *****************************************************
ok: [localhost] => 
  abc_item:
    instance_name: xyz01

TASK [metrics : debug] *****************************************************
ok: [localhost] => 
  abc_item:
    instance_name: xyz02

---

The next problem is the selection of the group in the template

{% for host in groups[abc] %}
...

The variable abc is a list, not a name of a group. If you intend to iterate the hosts from the group 'abc' declare it. For example

shell> cat hosts
[abc]
abc_1
abc_2
abc_3

Then use it in the template (simplified for testing)

shell> cat roles/metrics/templates/metrics-exporter.yml.j2
- targets:
{% for host in groups.abc %}
  - {{ host }}:{{ abc_item.instance_name }}
{% endfor %}

The template task should work as expected

shell> cat roles/metrics/tasks/main.yml
- template:
    src: metrics-exporter.yml.j2
    dest: "/tmp/abc-{{ abc_item.instance_name }}.yml"

gives

shell> cat /tmp/abc-xyz01.yml 
- targets:
  - abc_1:xyz01
  - abc_2:xyz01
  - abc_3:xyz01

shell> cat /tmp/abc-xyz02.yml 
- targets:
  - abc_1:xyz02
  - abc_2:xyz02
  - abc_3:xyz02

---

If you want to control the presence of the files add an attribute to the list, e.g.

    abc:
      - instance_name: xyz01
        present: false
      - instance_name: xyz02

and use it in the tasks

shell> cat roles/metrics/tasks/main.yml
- file:
    state: absent
    dest: "/tmp/abc-{{ abc_item.instance_name }}.yml"
  when: not abc_item.present|d(true)|bool
- template:
    src: metrics-exporter.yml.j2
    dest: "/tmp/abc-{{ abc_item.instance_name }}.yml"
  when: abc_item.present|d(true)|bool