CloudFormation CLI parameters parsing issue

[stuffandthings]

I'm unable to pass an ssh key in as a comma-delimitted-string and get parsing errors. I've iterated through a couple of times and get slightly different parsing errors, below is a list of the command run and the error I get:

aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name box --template-body file://template.yaml --parameters ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue=-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----,private,key,-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----	

Error parsing parameter '--parameters': Expected: '=', received: 'EOF' for input:
        RSA
 	^

Next I tried to wrap the Parameter with ". Note that it added single quotes inside the parameter value (after BEGIN and before KEY)

aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name box --template-body file://template.yaml --parameters "ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue=-----BEGIN' RSA PRIVATE KEY-----,private,key,-----END RSA PRIVATE 'KEY-----"

Error parsing parameter '--parameters': Expected: '=', received: '"' for input:
 	"ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue=-----BEGIN
 	^

I also tried to surround the ParameterKey=..,ParameterValue.. block in single quotes ', with the actual RSA key surrounded with double quotes ". Again, note the added 's after BEGIN and before KEY.

aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name box --template-body file://template.yaml --parameters 'ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue="-----BEGIN' RSA PRIVATE KEY-----,private,key,-----END RSA PRIVATE 'KEY-----"'

Error parsing parameter '--parameters': Expected: '<double quoted>', received: '<none>' for input:
 	ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue="-----BEGIN
 	                                      ^

I have also tried escaping the ,s with a \ to no avail. How do I pass a key as comma separated with spaces using the CLI tool?

[stuffandthings]

I've also tried passing it as a json blob, but it seems to cut it off after some number of characters, so I can't pass all my parameters.

aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name box --template-body file://template.yaml --parameters '[{"ParameterKey":"SecurityGroupName","ParameterValue":"sec-group"},{"ParameterKey":"VpcId","ParameterValue":"vpc-id"},{"ParameterKey":"InstanceName","ParameterValue":"box"},{"ParameterKey":"SalsifyIp","ParameterValue":"192.168.1.1/32"},{"ParameterKey":"ImageId","ParameterValue":"ami-0000"},{"ParameterKey":"InstanceSize","ParameterValue":"t2.small"},{"ParameterKey":"Environment","ParameterValue":"env"},{"ParameterKey":"Category","ParameterValue":"cat"},{"ParameterKey":"SubCategory","ParameterValue":"subcat"},{"ParameterKey":"Platform","ParameterValue":"plat"},{"ParameterKey":' '"GitSshKey","ParameterValue":' '"-----BEGIN' RSA PRIVATE KEY-----,secret,key,goes,here,-----END RSA PRIVATE 'KEY-----"}]'
 	
 	Error parsing parameter '--parameters': Invalid JSON:
 	[{"ParameterKey":"SecurityGroupName","ParameterValue":"sec-group"},{"ParameterKey":"VpcId","ParameterValue":"vpc-id"},{"ParameterKey":"InstanceName","ParameterValue":"box"},{"ParameterKey":"SalsifyIp","ParameterValue":"192.168.1.1/32"},{"ParameterKey":"ImageId","ParameterValue":"ami-0000"},{"ParameterKey":"InstanceSize","ParameterValue":"t2.small"},{"ParameterKey":"Environment","ParameterValue":"env"},{"ParameterKey":"Category","ParameterValue":"cat"},{"ParameterKey":"SubCategory","ParameterValue":"sub-cat"},{"ParameterKey":"Platform","ParameterValue":"plat"},{"ParameterKey":

[kyleknap]

@stuffandthings

Have you tried something like this?

aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name box \
   --template-body file://template.yaml \
   --parameters ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue="'-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----,private,key,-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----'"

The single quotes ensure to use the literal value and the double quotes should ensure that spaces are not interpreted as additional values in --parameters. That worked for me when I tried it.

[stuffandthings]

I get the same issue:

Error parsing parameter '--parameters': Expected: '<double quoted>', received: '<none>' for input:
 	ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue="'-----BEGIN
 	                                      ^	

[stuffandthings]

Is there a character limit to how long the parameters can be?

[stuffandthings]

FWIW, I'm using Jenkins as an interface to deploy my CloudFormation template. I don't want to check in my GitHub Deploy Key into a cf_input.json parameters file, and so I'm exposing a UI form to enter this key into.

[kyleknap]

There is no limit on the value you can provide to the CLI command. So it may be a limit in the Jenkins interface. What OS are you running this on? Also could you run the command with --debug (and make sure you have the sensitive material stripped out)? That can tell you at least what exact value is getting passed in to the CLI.

[stuffandthings]

Hm. I'll try the debug flag. I'm getting the same issue if I run the command locally, so it seems unlikely that it's a limitation with my Jenkins interface.

[stuffandthings]

Ah, Doing ParameterKey=GitSshKey,ParameterValue='"key,here"' worked locally but not through Jenkins. Going to close this now and debug my build server. Thanks!