nameserver_record_info returns type builtin_function_or_method for the result.values

[serpro69]

SUMMARY

I was trying to add an until to the nameserver_record_info that would check for result values being equal to IP address that I expect the dns name to resolve to, but it was failing with no element found at index errors. Doing some debugging, I saw that results[0].result[0].values returns non-json-serializable object "builtin_function_or_method".

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

nameserver_record_info

ANSIBLE VERSION

ansible [core 2.18.7]
  config file = /home/sergio/Projects/***/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = ['/home/sergio/.ansible/plugins/modules', '/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules']
  ansible python module location = /nix/store/lv76m7hx46mww5lw6mw8h9f1mbwgvahp-python3.12-ansible-core-2.18.7/lib/python3.12/site-packages/ansible
  ansible collection location = /home/sergio/Projects/***/ansible/galaxy/collections
  executable location = /nix/store/lv76m7hx46mww5lw6mw8h9f1mbwgvahp-python3.12-ansible-core-2.18.7/bin/ansible
  python version = 3.12.11 (main, Jun  3 2025, 15:41:47) [GCC 14.3.0] (/nix/store/vxl8pzgkkw8vdb4agzwm58imrfclmfrx-python3-3.12.11/bin/python3.12)
  jinja version = 3.1.6
  libyaml = True

COLLECTION VERSION

# /home/sergio/Projects/***/ansible/galaxy/collections/ansible_collections
Collection    Version
------------- -------
community.dns 3.3.4

# /nix/store/qfvzbjazdahp00hvqvwqdzfcxc85davs-python3.12-ansible-11.8.0/lib/python3.12/site-packages/ansible_collections
Collection    Version
------------- -------
community.dns 3.2.6

CONFIGURATION

OS / ENVIRONMENT

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

    - name: Retrieve A values
      community.dns.nameserver_record_info:
        name:
          - google.com
        type: A
      register: ns_info

    - name: Show values
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: '{{ ns_info.results[0].result[0].values }}'

    - name: Try to convert to json
      ansible.builtin.debug:
        msg: '{{ ns_info.results[0].result[0].values | to_json }}'

EXPECTED RESULTS

Should return a list of elements of values that can be serialized and hence accessed.

ACTUAL RESULTS

TASK [Retrieve A values] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => changed=false
  results:
  - name: google.com
    result:
    - nameserver: ns1.google.com.
      values:
      - address: 142.250.74.14
    - nameserver: ns2.google.com.
      values:
      - address: 142.250.74.14
    - nameserver: ns3.google.com.
      values:
      - address: 142.250.74.14
    - nameserver: ns4.google.com.
      values:
      - address: 142.250.74.14

TASK [Show values] ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] =>
  msg: <built-in method values of dict object at 0x7ffff4200540>

TASK [Try to convert to json] ************************************************************************************************************************************************
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! =>
  msg: 'Unexpected templating type error occurred on ({{ ns_info.results[0].result[0].values | to_json }}): Object of type builtin_function_or_method is not JSON serializable. Object of type builtin_function_or_method is not JSON serializable'

PLAY RECAP *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
localhost                  : ok=3    changed=0    unreachable=0    failed=1    skipped=0    rescued=0    ignored=0

[felixfontein]

You need to use ns_info.results[0].result[0]["values"], since dict.values() is a Python function that Jinja's dot operator will chose over the dictionary element.

(I guess we should have used a different name for the return values...)

[serpro69]

You need to use ns_info.results[0].result[0]["values"], since dict.values() is a Python function that Jinja's dot operator will chose over the dictionary element.

(I guess we should have used a different name for the return values...)

Thanks for the tip!

If not a name-change, maybe the docs can be updated to reflect this, by adding another example or something like that with this specific use-case?
(Of course it's not something that's specific to this module, but rather how python/jinja resolves things underneath, but still not everyone will know these little details and might face the same problem.)

The description for values return type also mentions result[].values[] rather than result[]["values"]:

For type=TXT and type=SPF, also the concatenated value is returned as results[].result[].values[].value.

In any case, feel free to close if you don't think it's worth to do anything about it. Thanks again.

[felixfontein]

#298 implements the first step of the rename.