Ansible: copy template only when destination file does not exist

Question

I'm using Ansible 1.6.6 to provision my machine.

There is a template task in my playbook that creates destination file from Jinja2 template:

tasks:
    - template: src=somefile.j2 dest=/etc/somefile.conf

I do not want to replace somefile.conf if it already exists. Is it possible with Ansible? If so, how?

score 69 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 05 '14 at 11:54

69

You can check for file existence using stat, and then use template only if file does not exist.

tasks:
  - stat: path=/etc/somefile.conf
    register: st
  - template: src=somefile.j2 dest=/etc/somefile.conf
    when: not st.stat.exists

answered Jul 05 '14 at 11:54

Teftin

1,949

There is now an option force to the Ansible template module that does precisely that. This option was introduced a long time ago (years), but I don't find when in the patch notes. – 4wk_ Apr 17 '23 at 08:26

score 69 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 19 '23 at 15:48

69

You can just use the force param of the template module with force=no

tasks:
  - name: Create file from template if it doesn't exist already.
    template: 
      src: somefile.j2
      dest: /etc/somefile.conf
      force: no

From the Ansible template module docs:

force: the default is yes, which will replace the remote file when contents are different than the source. If no, the file will only be transferred if the destination does not exist.

Other answers use stat because the force parameter was added after they were written.

edited Apr 19 '23 at 15:48

4wk_

320

answered Nov 26 '15 at 17:00

sanzante

709

6

my answer uses stat, because at the time of the question/answer there was no force argument avaialable for template – Teftin Jul 09 '16 at 13:13
i was hoping to use this for a full path of files (not templates), hence it looks like template doesnt work – Brian Thomas Sep 21 '22 at 16:05
1

@BrianThomas, I'm not sure what you mean but if you want to apply this to a file copy instead of a template you can use copy module, is supports the force parameter. See https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/copy_module.html – sanzante Sep 23 '22 at 08:39

arbabnazar · Answer 3 · 2016-06-30T10:13:50.970

11

You can first check that the destination file exists or not and then make a decision based on the output of it's result.

tasks:
  - name: Check that the somefile.conf exists
    stat:
      path: /etc/somefile.conf
    register: stat_result

  - name: Copy the template, if it doesnt exist already
    template:
      src: somefile.j2
      dest: /etc/somefile.conf
    when: stat_result.stat.exists == False

edited Jun 30 '16 at 10:13

answered Jan 16 '15 at 11:17

arbabnazar

549

1

I prefer this answer because it names it's tasks :) – Asfand Qazi Jun 23 '15 at 13:36

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 10 '16 at 12:09

-1

According to me, the easiest solution is to use the attribute "force=no" from the template module

answered Sep 10 '16 at 12:09

Thibault Richard

157

2

Back when this question was asked, the force parameter was not implemented. Today, this answer describes best practice! – dirdi Aug 05 '20 at 13:15

Ansible: copy template only when destination file does not exist

4 Answers4