dconf – Modify and read dconf database — Ansible Documentation

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# dconf – Modify and read dconf database

New in version 2.4.

- Synopsis
- Parameters
- Notes
- Examples
- Return Values
- Status

## Synopsis

- This module allows modifications and reading of dconf database. The module is implemented as a wrapper around dconf tool. Please see the dconf(1) man page for more details.
- Since `dconf` requires a running D-Bus session to change values, the module will try to detect an existing session and reuse it, or run the tool via `dbus-run-session`.

## Parameters

Parameter | Choices/Defaults | Comments
--- | --- | ---
key - / required |  | A dconf key to modify or read from the dconf database.
state - | Choices: read present ← absent | The action to take upon the key/value.
value - |  | Value to set for the specified dconf key. Value should be specified in GVariant format. Due to complexity of this format, it is best to have a look at existing values in the dconf database. Required for `state=present`.

## Notes

Note

- This module depends on `psutil` Python library (version 4.0.0 and upwards), `dconf`, `dbus-send`, and `dbus-run-session` binaries. Depending on distribution you are using, you may need to install additional packages to have these available.
- Detection of existing, running D-Bus session, required to change settings via `dconf`, is not 100% reliable due to implementation details of D-Bus daemon itself. This might lead to running applications not picking-up changes on the fly if options are changed via Ansible and `dbus-run-session`.
- Keep in mind that the `dconf` CLI tool, which this module wraps around, utilises an unusual syntax for the values (GVariant). For example, if you wanted to provide a string value, the correct syntax would be `value="'myvalue'"` - with single quotes as part of the Ansible parameter value.
- When using loops in combination with a value like `"[('xkb', 'us'), ('xkb', 'se')]"`, you need to be aware of possible type conversions. Applying a filter `"{{ item.value | string }}"` to the parameter variable can avoid potential conversion problems.
- The easiest way to figure out exact syntax/value you need to provide for a key is by making the configuration change in application affected by the key, and then having a look at value set via commands `dconf dump /path/to/dir/` or `dconf read /path/to/key`.

## Examples

    - name: Configure available keyboard layouts in Gnome
      dconf:
        key: "/org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/sources"
        value: "[('xkb', 'us'), ('xkb', 'se')]"
        state: present

    - name: Read currently available keyboard layouts in Gnome
      dconf:
        key: "/org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/sources"
        state: read
      register: keyboard_layouts

    - name: Reset the available keyboard layouts in Gnome
      dconf:
        key: "/org/gnome/desktop/input-sources/sources"
        state: absent

    - name: Configure available keyboard layouts in Cinnamon
      dconf:
        key: "/org/gnome/libgnomekbd/keyboard/layouts"
        value: "['us', 'se']"
        state: present

    - name: Read currently available keyboard layouts in Cinnamon
      dconf:
        key: "/org/gnome/libgnomekbd/keyboard/layouts"
        state: read
      register: keyboard_layouts

    - name: Reset the available keyboard layouts in Cinnamon
      dconf:
        key: "/org/gnome/libgnomekbd/keyboard/layouts"
        state: absent

    - name: Disable desktop effects in Cinnamon
      dconf:
        key: "/org/cinnamon/desktop-effects"
        value: "false"
        state: present

## Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key | Returned | Description
--- | --- | ---
value string | success, state was "read" | value associated with the requested key Sample: 'Default'

## Status

- This module is not guaranteed to have a backwards compatible interface. [preview]
- This module is maintained by the Ansible Community. [community]

### Authors

- Branko Majic (@azaghal)

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