Ansible using variables properly for uri request - json

Question

Something is wrong with the way I am substituting values and constructing a json template in ansible to be sent via the uri module to a webserver. Can anyone assist?
It seems like ansible is converting all the double brackets in the json to single brackets when it is running the replace command
Full Example:
I have a variable file where I am storing secrets:
ie secrets.yml
---
username: "admin"
password: "admin"
I am reading these in and replace the values in a json template:
ie template.json
{
"username": "***USERNAME_FIELD***",
"password": "***PASSWORD_FIELD***"
}
the playbook has tasks structured thus
- name: load template
set_fact:
loginTemplate: "{{ lookup('file', 'template.json') }}"
- name: replace values with actuals
set_fact:
filledTemplate: "{{ loginTemplate |
replace('***USERNAME_FIELD***', username) |
replace('***PASSWORD_FIELD***', password) }}"
- name: submit request
uri:
url: "http://blah.com/api"
method: POST
body: "{{ filledTemplate }}"
body_template: json
If I put the values in the json and just submit without the extra set_fact step to fill in the values it works.

Answer 1

Try converting the request body to json content using to_json filter in set_fact.
- name: replace values with actuals
set_fact:
filledTemplate: "{{ loginTemplate |
replace('***USERNAME_FIELD***', username) |
replace('***PASSWORD_FIELD***', password) | to_json }}"
or in uri module,
- name: submit request
uri:
url: "http://blah.com/api"
method: POST
body: "{{ filledTemplate | to_json }}"
body_template: json
Also, are you missing : in the json file like?
{
"username": "***USERNAME_FIELD***",
"password": "***PASSWORD_FIELD***"
}