# Apply a role's attributes by name?
**URL:** https://discourse.chef.io/t/apply-a-roles-attributes-by-name/3067
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)
**Created:** [August 2, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/apply-a-roles-attributes-by-name/3067 "2012-08-02T22:03:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@John\_Alberts](https://discourse.chef.io/u/John_Alberts)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/apply-a-roles-attributes-by-name/3067/1 "2012-08-02T22:03:54Z")
Is there any way to apply any role’s attributes during a chef run? The
reason I need to do this is because I am adding a role to the run\_list
during a chef run and I’d like that role’s attributes to take effect
during the current chef run. I know this is not idempotent and I
shouldn’t be doing things this way, but let’s not get into that
discussion today. 🙂
This is what I’m hoping I can do:
node[‘run\_list’] \<\< "role[roleA]"
role.apply(“roleA”) # now the attributes in roleA will be available
for the rest of the chef run.
Thanks in advance.
John
---
### Author:  [@kallistec](https://discourse.chef.io/u/kallistec)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/apply-a-roles-attributes-by-name/3067/2 "2012-08-02T22:12:15Z")
On Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 3:03 PM, John Alberts wrote:
> Is there any way to apply any role's attributes during a chef run? The
> reason I need to do this is because I am adding a role to the run\_list
> during a chef run and I'd like that role's attributes to take effect
> during the current chef run. I know this is not idempotent and I
> shouldn't be doing things this way, but let's not get into that
> discussion today. 🙂
>
> This is what I'm hoping I can do:
>
> node['run\_list'] \<\< "role[roleA]"
> role.apply("roleA") # now the attributes in roleA will be available
> for the rest of the chef run.
>
> Thanks in advance.
> John
I think `node.expand!` after adding the role should do the trick.
--
Dan DeLeo
---
### Author:  [@John\_Alberts](https://discourse.chef.io/u/John_Alberts)
#### Post date: [August 6, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/apply-a-roles-attributes-by-name/3067/3 "2012-08-06T14:58:58Z")
Thanks, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to work. I don't get any
kind of error, but the remaining chef code doesn't seem to pick up the
new attributes in the new role that was added. Any other ideas? 🙂
John
On Thu, Aug 2, 2012 at 5:12 PM, Daniel DeLeo [dan@kallistec.com](mailto:dan@kallistec.com) wrote:
> On Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 3:03 PM, John Alberts wrote:
>
> > Is there any way to apply any role's attributes during a chef run? The
> > reason I need to do this is because I am adding a role to the run\_list
> > during a chef run and I'd like that role's attributes to take effect
> > during the current chef run. I know this is not idempotent and I
> > shouldn't be doing things this way, but let's not get into that
> > discussion today. 🙂
> >
> > This is what I'm hoping I can do:
> >
> > node['run\_list'] \<\< "role[roleA]"
> > role.apply("roleA") # now the attributes in roleA will be available
> > for the rest of the chef run.
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> > John
>
> I think `node.expand!` after adding the role should do the trick.
>
> --
> Dan DeLeo
--
John Alberts