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Overview

Ansible-cmdb uses the Mako templating engine to generate output in various formats. Templates control how host information is presented and can be customized or extended.

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Specifying Templates

Use the -t or --template option to select a template: 
ansible-cmdb -t html_fancy out/ > overview.html

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Template References

Templates can be specified in two ways:
Use the built-in template name:
ansible-cmdb -t txt_table out/ > overview.txt

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Available Templates

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html_fancy (default)

A dynamic, modern HTML page with a searchable and sortable table overview of all hosts. Uses jQuery and DataTables for interactive functionality. 
ansible-cmdb -t html_fancy out/ > overview.html
Features:
  • Interactive searchable/sortable table
  • Expandable host details
  • Responsive design
  • Optional local resource loading
Parameters:
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local_js
boolean
default:"0"
Load JavaScript and CSS resources from local disk instead of CDN. Useful for offline viewing.
ansible-cmdb -p local_js=1 out/ > overview.html
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collapsed
boolean
default:"0"
Collapse all host detail sections by default. Users can click to expand.
ansible-cmdb -p collapsed=1 out/ > overview.html
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host_details
boolean
default:"1"
Control whether to render detailed host information sections.
ansible-cmdb -p host_details=0 out/ > overview.html
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skip_empty
boolean
default:"0"
Skip hosts for which no facts were gathered (unreachable hosts, etc).
ansible-cmdb -p skip_empty=1 out/ > overview.html
Example with multiple parameters: 
ansible-cmdb -t html_fancy -p local_js=1,collapsed=1 out/ > overview.html
Remember: Parameters must be separated by commas with no spaces.

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html_fancy_split

Similar to html_fancy, but generates a cmdb/ directory with an index.html file and separate HTML files for each host’s details. Useful for large numbers of hosts where a single page might render slowly. 
ansible-cmdb -t html_fancy_split -i hosts out/
Output structure: 
cmdb/
├── index.html
├── host1.example.com.html
├── host2.example.com.html
└── ...
Parameters: Accepts the same parameters as html_fancy: local_js, collapsed, host_details, skip_empty.

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txt_table

Generates a plain text table summary with minimal host information. Ideal for quick command-line viewing. 
ansible-cmdb -t txt_table --columns name,os,ip,mem,cpus facts/
Example output: 
Name                    OS             IP             Mem  CPUs
----------------------  -------------  -------------  ---  -  
jib.electricmonk.nl     Linuxmint 17   192.168.0.3    16g  1  
app.uat.local           Debian 6.0.10  192.168.57.1   1g   1  
eek.electricmonk.nl     Ubuntu 14.04   192.168.0.10   3g   1
Use the --columns option to control which columns are displayed.

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json

Dumps all host information including groups, variables, and custom info in JSON format. Useful for programmatic access or integration with other tools. 
ansible-cmdb -t json -i hosts out/ > cmdb.json
Use cases:
  • API integration
  • Custom processing scripts
  • Data analysis
  • Backup/archival

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csv

Outputs host information in CSV (Comma-Separated Values) format. Compatible with spreadsheet applications and data analysis tools. 
ansible-cmdb -t csv out/ > hosts.csv
Use cases:
  • Excel/spreadsheet import
  • Database imports
  • Reporting

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markdown

Generates host documentation in Markdown format. Great for including in documentation systems or version control. 
ansible-cmdb -t markdown out/ > hosts.md

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sql

Generates SQL statements that can be loaded into SQLite or MySQL databases. 
ansible-cmdb -t sql -i hosts out/ > cmdb.sql
Loading into MySQL: 
echo "CREATE DATABASE ansiblecmdb" | mysql
mysql ansiblecmdb < cmdb.sql

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Template Parameters

Parameters are passed to templates using the -p or --params option: 
ansible-cmdb -p param1=value1,param2=value2 out/ > output.html
Parameter syntax:
  • Use commas to separate parameters (no spaces!)
  • Format: key=value
  • Boolean values: 0 or 1
  • Example: local_js=1,collapsed=1 ✓
  • Wrong: local_js=1, collapsed=1 ✗ (space after comma)

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Custom Templates

You can create custom templates to build completely different output or enhance existing templates. Ansible-cmdb uses the Mako templating engine.

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Creating a Custom Template

  1. Copy an existing template:
mkdir ~/mytemplate
cp ~/ansible-cmdb/src/ansiblecmdb/data/tpl/html_fancy.tpl ~/mytemplate/
cp ~/ansible-cmdb/src/ansiblecmdb/data/tpl/html_fancy_defs.html ~/mytemplate/
  1. Modify the template files according to your needs.
  2. Render with your custom template:
You must be in the same directory as the custom template when rendering.
cd ~/mytemplate
ansible-cmdb -t ./html_fancy.tpl -i ~/ansible/hosts ~/ansible/out/ > cmdb.html

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Template Resources

Templates have access to:
  • host - Host fact data
  • jsonxs() - Function for safe JSON navigation
  • Various helper functions defined in template files

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Example: Adding Custom Columns

To add a BIOS version column to html_fancy:
  1. Edit html_fancy_defs.html and add to the cols array:
cols = [
  # ... existing columns ...
  {"title": "BIOS version", "id": "bios_version", "func": col_bios_version, "sType": "string", "visible": True},
]
  1. Add the column function:
<%def name="col_bios_version(host, **kwargs)">
  ${jsonxs(host, 'ansible_facts.ansible_bios_version', default='')}
</%def>
For simpler column customization, use the --cust-cols option instead of modifying templates directly.

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Template Compatibility

Featurehtml_fancyhtml_fancy_splittxt_tablejsoncsvmarkdownsql
Columns✓✓✓-✓--
Custom columns✓✓-----
Parameters✓✓-----
Exclude columns✓✓✓-✓--

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Best Practices

  • Use html_fancy for interactive web-based CMDBs
  • Use html_fancy_split for large infrastructures (100+ hosts)
  • Use txt_table for quick command-line checks
  • Use json for automation and integration
  • Use sql for database-driven reporting systems

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