Including Handlers from Different File

Question

The handlers I have are not being run by the playbook or tasks

I have the following directory structur:

<project>
  - playbook.yml
  - <roles>
  -<handler>
     - main.yml
  -<meta>
  -<tasks>
      -main.yml

The problem is the handler is never called.

tasks/main.yml:

  - name: run task1
    command: run_task
    notify: "test me now"


handler/main.yml:

   - name: tested
     register: val1
     listen: "test me now"

The playbook just calls the task/main.yml and has host:all

Do I ned an include/import? I tried in playbook but it didn't help

Accepted Answer

The play below works as expected

- hosts: all
  tasks:
    - include_tasks: tasks/main.yml
    - meta: flush_handlers
    - debug:
        var: val1.stdout
  handlers:
    - import_tasks: handlers/main.yml

handlers must be imported to be present when a task notifies a handler
tasks may be included, or imported
flush_handlers is needed if you want to use the variable val1 in the playbook

A module is missing in handler/main.yml. This would cause:

ERROR! no action detected in task. This often indicates a misspelled module name, or incorrect module path.

Use some module in handler/main.yml. For example:

- name: tested
  command: "echo 'running handler'"
  register: val1
  listen: "test me now"

Running such play gives

  val1.stdout: running handler

^{Example of a complete playbook for testing
shell> cat playbook.yml
- hosts: localhost
tasks:
- include_tasks: tasks/main.yml
handlers:
- import_tasks: handlers/main.yml

shell> cat tasks/main.yml
- command: date
register: result
notify: test me now

shell> cat handlers/main.yml
- name: test me now
debug:
msg: "{{ result.stdout }} Running handler."

gives
shell> ansible-playbook playbook.yml

PLAY [localhost] *****************************************************************************

TASK [Gathering Facts] ***********************************************************************
ok: [localhost]

TASK [include_tasks] *************************************************************************
included: /export/scratch/tmp8/test-801/tasks/main.yml for localhost

TASK [command] *******************************************************************************
changed: [localhost]

RUNNING HANDLER [test me now] ****************************************************************
ok: [localhost] =>
msg: Mon 25 Apr 2022 04:59:02 PM CEST Running handler.

PLAY RECAP ***********************************************************************************
localhost: ok=4 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0}

Answer 2

You should have the structure described in thus the directory should be called handlers (and not handler)

Answer 3

`Handlers folder` with `no imports` ❌

The question of wether handlers in handlersfolder are loaded automatically. Like it's the case with roles.

Answer: NO, they are not loaded automatically

you have to import them

If you do

- main.yml # playbook
- handlers
  - simple.yml
  - some.yml

And you don't import any handler. None will be loaded and available for notification.

✅ `Importing` handlers ✅

Must Read

The rules, behaviors and QA

import them in handlers: of a playbook
import them with import_tasks ✅
- Not include_tasks ❌
- Doc refs
  - ref 1
- import_tasks
  - run at parsing time statically
  - Does resolve recursively all the tasks
    - make a one list
    - That list would be the list of handlers to add.
    - It's not a handler itself.
      - And it's name block, can't be referenced as a handler itself.
- include_tasks
  - Is run at run time, dynamically
  - The block is the handler himself.
  - The tasks in the file will be loaded and executed dynamically once the handler (block) is notified and run.
    - All of them at once.
    - It's just bundling multiple tasks to run when the handler is notified. Instead of just a one module call.
What about flushing them ?
- Not needed (at least in ansible 2.15.4 Where i tested)
  - And the logic is
    - handlers run when they are flushed
    - flush_handlers is automatically run once the tasks finish.
      - generally if some tasks fail. All handlers will not run with the default at end flushing
    - flush_handlers give us control to flush at the time that we want.
    - when a task call notify
      - A handler is added to the list of handlers to flush. Or notified handlers.
      - Flushing is running that list of handlers (the notified handlers list)

Including Handlers from Different File

3 Answers

`Handlers folder` with `no imports` ❌

✅ `Importing` handlers ✅

Must Read

The rules, behaviors and QA

More questions

Alexander Ross

Including Handlers from Different File

3 Answers

Handlers folder with no imports ❌

✅ Importing handlers ✅

Must Read

The rules, behaviors and QA

More questions

Alexander Ross

`Handlers folder` with `no imports` ❌

✅ `Importing` handlers ✅