how to handle information from SSM runpowershell or runscript

[FredSamuels]

i am trying to figure out how to process complex structures with SSM work flow. I am trying to process data based on system returned data. Idea is to update Tags based on system information.

Example of a Step:

{
    "name": "WindowsSystemInfo",
    "action": "aws:runCommand",
    "onFailure": "Abort",
    "inputs": {
        "DocumentName": "AWS-RunPowerShellScript",
        "InstanceIds": [
            "{{ InstanceId }}"
        ],
        "Parameters": {
            "commands": [
                "$Output = [PSCustomObject]@{ ",
                "    systemname = (Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem).Name ",
                "    uptime     = (\"{0:dd'.'hh':'mm':'ss}\" -f (New-TimeSpan ((Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem).LastBootUpTime) (Get-Date))) ",
                "    domain     = if ((Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem).PartOfDomain) { (Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem).Domain } Else { (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem).Workgroup } ",
                "} ",
                "Write-Output $Output | ConvertTo-Json "
            ]
        }
    }
}

Using the Output is represented in

WindowsSystemInfo.Output

But how do i parse the data to use on additional steps. I can not find examples or any good support sites.

please let me know if there is a community site or location for this workflow.

[sharvaniadiga]

If it is simple data type comparison like string or integer, Systems Manager Automation support conditional branching - https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/automation-branchdocs.html
Using conditional branching, you can specify next step that you want to jump to after the current step. The public document AWS-DisablePublicAccessForSecurityGroup has an example of using conditionals.

[FredSamuels]

So while I understand branching there is no detailed documentation on data handling.. please read my example.. as the data is generated from the system and is stored in output.

WindowsSystemInfo.Output

This data is a son data set or a MapString.

If I pull back a single result in text I can use the info as above var ...

While getting the data that the was cli commands can return there is no examples except for branch.

There is no documentation on var handling ... all that is there is the same example that used a single string. if you want us to make complete and complex workflows with sum you have to get us the info on how.

I am not looking to compare the data but use the data...

here is an example that does not work but should based on the rules of a function and var structure .

if there was good data to use I could process more data in 1 command and not have to write a single runpowershell for each value to be returned. This would be worse than Jenkins running python and boto3.

{
    "description": "Ellucain Demo Instance SSM Automation",
    "schemaVersion": "0.3",
    "assumeRole": "{{ AutomationAssumeRole }}",
    "parameters": {
        "InstanceId": {
            "type": "String",
            "description": "(Required) EC2Instance(s) for Description",
            "allowedPattern": "^[m]{0,1}i-[a-z0-9]{8,17}$"
        },
        "AutomationAssumeRole": {
            "type": "String",
            "description": "(Optional) The ARN of the role that allows Automation to perform the actions on your behalf.",
            "default": ""
        }
    },
    "mainSteps": [
        {
            "name": "assertInstanceIsManagedInstance",
            "action": "aws:assertAwsResourceProperty",
            "inputs": {
                "Service": "ssm",
                "Api": "DescribeInstanceInformation",
                "InstanceInformationFilterList": [
                    {
                        "key": "InstanceIds",
                        "valueSet": [
                            "{{ InstanceId }}"
                        ]
                    }
                ],
                "PropertySelector": "$.InstanceInformationList[0].PingStatus",
                "DesiredValues": [
                    "Online"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "WindowsHostInfo",
            "action": "aws:runCommand",
            "onFailure": "Abort",
            "inputs": {
                "DocumentName": "AWS-RunPowerShellScript",
                "InstanceIds": [
                    "{{ InstanceId }}"
                ],
                "Parameters": {
                    "commands": [
                        "$Output = [PSCustomObject]@{ ",
                        "    systemname = (Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem).Name ",
                        "    uptime     = (\"{0:dd'.'hh':'mm':'ss}\" -f (New-TimeSpan ((Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem).LastBootUpTime) (Get-Date))) ",
                        "    domain     = if ((Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem).PartOfDomain) { (Get-WmiObject Win32_ComputerSystem).Domain } Else { (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem).Workgroup } ",
                        "} ",
                        "Write-Output $Output | ConvertTo-Json "
                    ]
                }
            },
            "outputs": [
                {
                    "Name": "uptime",
                    "Selector": "$.uptime",
                    "Type": "String"
                }
            ],
            "isEnd": "true"
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        "WindowsHostInfo.Output",
        "WindowsHostInfo.uptime"
    ]
}

[Regancm]

@FredSamuels did you ever figure this out? I am trying to figure out the exact same thing..

[Regancm]

@FredSamuels I figured it out and I hate it.. but it works. AWS should really let the Selector parse Output though. This is so painful.

description: SSM Automation document for resizing the specified EBS volume to the target size
schemaVersion: '0.3'
assumeRole: '{{AutomationAssumeRole}}'
parameters:
  AutomationAssumeRole:
    type: String
    default: ''
    description: (Optional) The ARN of the role that allows Automation to perform the actions on your behalf.
  InstanceId:
    type: String
    default: ''
    description: (Required) EC2 InstanceId to use for execution target
mainSteps:
  - name: RunPowerShellScript
    action: 'aws:runCommand'
    timeoutSeconds: 300
    onFailure: Abort
    inputs:
      DocumentName: AWS-RunPowerShellScript
      InstanceIds:
        - '{{ InstanceId }}'
      Parameters:
        commands:
          - |
            try {
                # build some object and convert it to json
                $json = @{
                    string1 = 'string1'
                    string2 = 'string2'
                    string3 = 'string3'
                    int1 = 1
                    int2 = 2
                    int3 = 3
                } | ConvertTo-Json -Compress
                return $json
            }
            catch {
                Write-Output $_.Exception.Message
                Write-Output "----------------------------------------"
                Write-Output $_.Exception
                exit 1
            }
    nextStep: ConvertToOutputs
  - name: ConvertToOutputs
    action: 'aws:executeScript'
    inputs:
      Runtime: PowerShell Core 6.0
      Script: return (($env:InputPayload | ConvertFrom-Json).stringOfJson | ConvertFrom-Json);
      InputPayload:
        stringOfJson: '{{ RunPowerShellScript.Output }}'
    outputs:
      - Name: string1
        Selector: '$.Payload.string1'
        Type: String
      - Name: string2
        Selector: '$.Payload.string2'
        Type: String
      - Name: string3
        Selector: '$.Payload.string3'
        Type: String
      - Name: int1
        Selector: '$.Payload.int1'
        Type: Integer
      - Name: int2
        Selector: '$.Payload.int2'
        Type: Integer
      - Name: int3
        Selector: '$.Payload.int3'
        Type: Integer

[bar-bar-bar-bar-bar]

Is this still the only way to do this?