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Terraform Output Values with for_each and for loop

Step-01: Introduction

  • We are going to define output values of a resource when we use the Resource Meta-Argument for_each
  • Splat Expression is not going to work for this.
  • Resources that use the for_each argument will appear in expressions as a map of objects, so you can't use splat expressions with those resources.
  • We need to use regular for loop in output values to get the values of a specific attribute or argument from a Resource in Outputs.
  • Terraform For expression
  • Terraform Keys Function
  • Terraform Values Function

Step-02: c2-variables.tf

  • Update environment variable to Variable Type set
# 2. Environment Name
variable "environment" {
  description = "Environment Name"
  type = set(string)
  default = ["dev1", "qa1", "staging1", "prod1" ]
}

Step-03: terraform.tfvars

  • Update the values for variable environment
business_unit = "it"
environment =  ["dev2", "qa2", "staging2", "prod2" ]
resoure_group_name = "rg"
virtual_network_name = "vnet"

Step-04: c4-virtual-network.tf

  • Convert the existing vnet resource with for_each
# Create Virtual Network
resource "azurerm_virtual_network" "myvnet" {
  for_each = var.environment
  name                = "${var.business_unit}-${each.key}-${var.virtual_network_name}"
  address_space       = ["10.0.0.0/16"]
  location            = azurerm_resource_group.myrg.location
  resource_group_name = azurerm_resource_group.myrg.name
}

Step-05: c5-outputs.tf

  • Test using splat expression in output values (same as we used for count)
# 2. Output Values - Virtual Network
output "virtual_network_name" {
  description = "Virutal Network Name"
  value = azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet[*].name 
  #sensitive = true
}

# Initialize Terraform
terraform init

# Validate Terraform configuration files
terraform validate

# Review the terraform plan
terraform plan 
Observation: Should fail

# Sample Ouput
Kalyans-MacBook-Pro:terraform-manifests kdaida$ terraform plan
╷
│ Error: Unsupported attribute
│ 
│   on c5-outputs.tf line 18, in output "virtual_network_name":
│   18:   value = azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet[*].name 
│ 
│ This object does not have an attribute named "name".
╵
Kalyans-MacBook-Pro:terraform-manifests kdaida$ 

Step-06: c5-outputs.tf

  • Implement for loop
  • For Loop One Input and List Output with VNET Name
  • For Loop Two Inputs, List Output which is Iterator i (var.environment)
  • For Loop One Input and Map Output with VNET ID and VNET Name
  • For Loop Two Inputs and Map Output with Iterator env and VNET Name
  • Terraform keys() function
  • Terraform values() function

# Output - For Loop One Input and List Output with VNET Name 
output "virtual_network_name_list_one_input" {
  description = "Virutal Network Name"
  value = [ for vnet in azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet: vnet.name]
}

# Output - For Loop Two Inputs, List Output which is Iterator i (var.environment)
output "virtual_network_name_list_two_inputs" {
  description = "Virutal Network Name"
  #value = [ for i, vnet in azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet: i]
  value = [ for env, vnet in azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet: env]
}

# Output - For Loop One Input and Map Output with VNET ID and VNET Name
output "virtual_network_name_map_one_input" {
  description = "Virutal Network Name"
  value = {for vnet in azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet: vnet.id => vnet.name}
}

# Output - For Loop Two Inputs and Map Output with Iterator env and VNET Name
output "virtual_network_name_map_two_inputs" {
  description = "Virutal Network Name"
  value = {for env, vnet in azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet: env => vnet.name}
}

# Terraform keys() function: keys takes a map and returns a list containing the keys from that map.
output "virtual_network_name_keys_function" {
  description = "Virutal Network Name - keys() Function Explore"
  value = keys({for vnet in azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet: vnet.id => vnet.name})
}

# Terraform values() function: values takes a map and returns a list containing the values of the elements in that map.
output "virtual_network_name_values_function" {
  description = "Virutal Network Name - values() Function Explore"
  value = values({for vnet in azurerm_virtual_network.myvnet: vnet.id => vnet.name})
}


Step-07: Execute Terraform Commands

# Initialize Terraform
terraform init

# Validate Terraform configuration files
terraform validate

# Review the terraform plan
terraform plan 
Observation:
1. Command should successfully generate the terraform plan

# Sample Output
Changes to Outputs:
  + resource_group_id    = (known after apply)
  + resource_group_name  = "myrg1-demo"
  + virtual_network_name = [
      + "it-dev2-vnet",
      + "it-prod2-vnet",
      + "it-qa2-vnet",
      + "it-staging2-vnet",
    ]

# Create Resources (Optional)
terraform apply -auto-approve

Step-08: Destroy Resources

# Destroy Resources
terraform destroy -auto-approve

# Clean-Up
rm -rf .terraform*
rm -rf terraform.tfstate*

References