Multistep forms

Run several playbooks or templates in sequence from one form

---

multistep is deprecated since 7 and removed in 8: use a workflow instead. A workflow does all a multistep does, with conditions, its own values per node, approval nodes and branches that run side by side.

Deprecated since 7, removed in 8: use workflow. A workflow does all a multistep does - its nodes run on any runner (runner:), with a condition (if_extra_var, as ifExtraVar) and their own values (extra_vars_key, as key), with approval nodes - and runs branches side by side. Until 8 a multistep runs as it did, and the log says it is deprecated.

Executes multiple jobs sequentially.
Each step can be a different type (ansible, awx, semaphore, rundeck, jenkins …).

Multistep form

- name: Create VM
  roles:                                         # reference to roles defined earlier
  - vmware
  description: Create and start a vm
  image: https://picsum.photos/64                # an image url (can be base64)
  categories:                                    # reference to categories defined earlier
  - Demo
  - Vmware
  tileClass: bg-danger                           # a bootstrap background color style (https://getbootstrap.com/)
  type: multistep                                # type is awx, ansible or multistep
  steps:
  - type: awx
    name: Create vm
    template: Create VM
    key: vmInfo
  - type: awx
    name: Start vm
    template: Start VM
    key: vmInfo
  - type: ansible
    name: Email results
    playbook: email.yaml
    always: true                                 # always run this task, even if others failed
  fieldGroupClasses:                             # give fieldgroups a custom background
    groupname1: bg-info-subtle
    groupname2: bg-success-subtle    
  fields:                                        # list of field objects
    - name: vm_name
      type: text

---

Form-level property

A multistep form defines its steps in a single form-level property:

Attribute	Comments
steps array / required	Multistep steps Deprecated since 7, removed in 8, with the multistep type: a workflow’s nodes do what steps do. A multistep form is basically an array of multiple form type destinations, defined here as steps.

Besides steps, a multistep form accepts these form-level properties, documented on the Ansible forms page: roles (required), categories, showHelp, icon, iconColor, iconSize, overlayIcon, overlayIconTransform, overlayIconColor, overlayIconCircle, overlayIconText, overlayIconTextPosition, overlayIconTextColor, image, tileClass, fieldGroupClasses, wizard, userExtravars, abortable, allowRelaunch, launchValidation, enableForChat, order, approval, notifications, onSubmit, onSuccess, onFailure, onAbort, onFinish.

---

Step properties

Each step is a new form destination. And steps are executed sequentially.
Use specific properties like continue, always and ifExtraVar to control the flow of a multistep form.

When a step has type: ansible, all ansible-specific form properties apply to that step (e.g. playbook, playbookSubPath, ansibleCredentials, vaultCredentials, inventory, check, diff, tags, varsFiles, approval, notifications, …).
When a step has type: awx, the awx-specific form properties apply to that step (e.g. template, job, awx, awxCredentials, inventory, check, diff, tags, approval, notifications, …), except executionEnvironment, instanceGroups and scm_branch: a step does not accept them.

Attribute	Comments
basic
name string / required	The name of the form alphanumeric + dash + underscore + space The name of the step. Used for logging and visualization.
type string	Step type Every step runs an Ansible playbook (ansible), or a template or job on a runner (awx, aap, ascender, semaphore, rundeck, jenkins). Choices: ansible awx aap ascender semaphore rundeck jenkins Examples: 1) Run AWX Template Helloworld name: Create vm type: awx template: Create VM 2) Run Ansible playbook name: Delete vm type: ansible playbook: delete_vm.yaml
workflow
key string	Extravar key valid extravar reference AnsibleForms can model the extravars into objects using the formfield model attribute. In a multistep form, by default, every step gets the full extravars payload. However, using this key attribute you can choose which step receives which part of the extravars. Study the example below to understand how the key property works. Examples: 1) Resize volume name: Resize volume type: multistep roles: - default steps: - name: Create datastore type: awx template: create_datastore key: datastore # to create the datastore, we only send the datastore info - name: Create vm type: awx template: create_vm fields: - name: datastore type: text model: datastore.name - name: datastore_size type: number model: datastore.size - name: vm type: text model: vm.name - name: vm_size type: number model: vm.size # the extravars of the above example will be somewhat like this: # datastore: # name: ds1 # size: 123 # vm: # name: vm1 # size: 100 # Step 1 will not receive the full set of extravars, due to the 'key: datastore' # it will receive only 'name' (ds1) and 'size' (123) (the contents of key 'datastore') # Step 2 has no key set, and will receive the full extravars # Extra: Every step can reference its own key and thus send a piece of the extravars
ifExtraVar extravar reference	Run step if ... In a mulitstep form, by default, AnsibleForms will try to run every step sequentially one after the other. Using this property you choose if a step should be run or not by setting the property to a part of the extravars that resolves into a boolean (expression or checkbox). This way you can dynamically skip steps. Examples: 1) Run step based on checkbox name: Create something type: multistep roles: - default steps: - name: Create type: awx template: create - name: Send email type: awx template: send mail ifExtraVar: sendmail fields: - name: name type: text label: What to create ? - name: sendmail type: checkbox label: Should I send an email ?
continue boolean	Continue on fail In a mulitstep form, by default, if 1 step fails, the multistep is stopped. However, if you want to continue to the next step, even if the current step failed, use this attribute and set it to true and the multistep will goto the next step. If this happens the status becomes ‘partially success’. Default: false Examples: 1) name: Resize volume type: multistep roles: - default fields: [] steps: - name: Send email type: awx template: email continue: true # if email send fails, we still continue - name: Resize volume type: awx template: volume resize
always boolean	Always run In a mulitstep form, by default, if 1 step fails, the multistep is stopped. However, if you always want to run a certain step, even if a step failed somewhere, use this attribute and set it to true and the specific step will always run. Default: false Examples: 1) name: Resize volume type: multistep roles: - default fields: [] steps: - name: Load cmdb type: awx template: load cmdb - name: Resize volume type: awx template: volume resize - name: Send email type: awx template: email always: true # whether step 1 or 2 fails, this step always runs

---

Example

A multistep form runs several jobs in sequence, each step launching its own playbook or AWX template. All steps share the fields of the form: by default, every step receives the full extravars, and a step’s key restricts it to that part of them.

Create and configure a server

Each step receives its own part of the extravars: an AWX step creates the server, an Ansible step configures its network, and a final step always sends a report:

name: Server Provisioning
type: multistep
roles:
  - default
categories:
  - Setup
steps:
  - name: Create server
    type: awx
    template: Create VM
    key: server              # receives only the `server` part of the extravars
  - name: Configure network
    type: ansible
    playbook: configure_network.yml
    key: network             # receives only the `network` part of the extravars
  - name: Send report
    type: ansible
    playbook: email.yml
    always: true             # runs even when an earlier step failed
fields:
  - name: server_name
    type: text
    model: server.name
  - name: environment
    type: enum
    values:
      - dev
      - prod
    model: server.environment
  - name: ip_address
    type: text
    model: network.ip
  - name: gateway
    type: text
    model: network.gateway