Create missing file in all subdirs with ansible - loops

Question

I want to check if there is a specific file in all subdirs of a folder. If the file doesn't exists, I want to create it.
This is my playbook:
---
- hosts: localhost
become: 'yes'
vars:
dir_path: "/tmp/test"
tasks:
- name: Find /tmp/test/ all directories
find:
paths: /tmp/test/
recurse: no
file_type: directory
register: dir_list
- debug: var=dir_list
- name: check if test file exists
stat:
path: "{{ dir_list.files | map(attribute='path') }}/test.txt"
register: file_exists
loop: "{{ dir_list.files | map(attribute='path') | list }}"
- name: create file
shell: touch {{ files_exists.item }}/test.txt
register: create_file
when: not file_exists.stat.exists
loop: "{{ file_exists.item }} | list }}"
But the "create file" fails, any idea how to solve this?

Answer 1

Your use of loop in the last tasks is wrong: you are not using the item created during iteration when checking for file existence.
(Note for your next question: avoid using sentences like "it fails" or "it doesn't work" on their own as they do not accurately describe your problem)
In your example, you are trying to create the file with shell when there is a file module made just for that purpose. I used it my below example:
The playbook:
---
- name: Create missing file in subdirs
hosts: localhost
gather_facts: false
vars:
dir_path: "/tmp/test"
file_name: "test.txt"
tasks:
- name: "Find subdirs in {{ dir_path }}"
find:
paths: "{{ dir_path }}"
recurse: no
file_type: directory
register: dir_list
- name: "Show result of dir listing "
debug:
var: dir_list
verbosity: 1
- name: "Check if {{ file_name }} exists in subdirs"
stat:
path: "{{ item }}/{{ file_name }}"
register: file_check
loop: "{{ dir_list.files | map(attribute='path') | list }}"
- name: "Show the file check result"
debug:
var: file_check
verbosity: 1
- name: "Create file where it does not exist"
file:
path: "{{ item }}/{{ file_name }}"
state: touch
loop: "{{ file_check.results | rejectattr('stat.exists') | map(attribute='item') | list }}"
Which gives (use ansible-playbook -v to see verbosity: 1 debug tasks)
# Create test dir and subdirs
$ for d in {a..d}; do mkdir -p /tmp/test/$d; done
# Add the test file in one dir for demo
$ touch /tmp/test/c/test.txt
# Show the situation before running the playbook
$ tree /tmp/test/
/tmp/test/
├── a
├── b
├── c
│   └── test.txt
└── d
4 directories, 1 file
# Run the playbook (run with debug for yourself if you wish)
$ ansible-playbook play.yml
PLAY [Create missing file in subdirs] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [Find subdirs in /tmp/test] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [Show result of dir listing] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
skipping: [localhost]
TASK [Check if test.txt exists in subdirs] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/a)
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/b)
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/c)
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/d)
TASK [Show the file check result] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
skipping: [localhost]
TASK [Create file where it does not exist] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
changed: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/a)
changed: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/b)
changed: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/d)
PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
localhost : ok=3 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=2 rescued=0 ignored=0
# Check the result
$ tree /tmp/test/
/tmp/test/
├── a
│   └── test.txt
├── b
│   └── test.txt
├── c
│   └── test.txt
└── d
└── test.txt
4 directories, 4 files
# Run the playbook again to demonstrate idempotency
$ ansible-playbook play.yml
PLAY [Create missing file in subdirs] *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [Find subdirs in /tmp/test] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [Show result of dir listing] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
skipping: [localhost]
TASK [Check if test.txt exists in subdirs] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/a)
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/b)
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/c)
ok: [localhost] => (item=/tmp/test/d)
TASK [Show the file check result] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
skipping: [localhost]
TASK [Create file where it does not exist] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
PLAY RECAP ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
localhost : ok=2 changed=0 unreachable=0 failed=0 skipped=3 rescued=0 ignored=0