lineinfile anywhere match

[Anfield]

How do I do an anywhere match for a string and replace with some text?

The below playbook doesnt work. But just looking for example to search for part of green - reen and replace this with jabba.

How do I do that? Thanks

List

red

blahstuffcans

buns

buns

grey

green

brown

red

grey

grey

Playbook - 

---

- hosts: local

  tasks:

    - name: Line In File

      lineinfile:

        dest: /home/ansible/test.txt

        regexp: '%reen%'

        line: '%jabba%'

      register: foundstuff

    - debug: var=foundstuff

[Kai Stian Olstad]

On 02. juni 2017 17:55, Anfield wrote:
> How do I do an anywhere match for a string and replace with some text?
>
> The below playbook doesnt work. But just looking for example to search for
> part of green - reen and replace this with jabba.
>
> How do I do that? Thanks

I suggest reading about regexp here
https://docs.python.org/2/library/re.html
and then
https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/lineinfile_module.html

> List
>
>
> red
> blahstuffcans
> buns
> buns
> grey
> green
> brown
> red
> grey
> grey
>
>
>
> Playbook -
>
> ---
> - hosts: local
> tasks:
> - name: Line In File
> lineinfile:
> dest: /home/ansible/test.txt
> regexp: '%reen%'
> line: '%jabba%'
> register: foundstuff
> - debug: var=foundstuff

% is not a valid regexp special character so you literally searching for
a line containing %reen% and replace that line with %jabba%.
But since %reen% is not in file it will add %jabba% to the bottom.

To make it work you need to do this

- name: Line In File
lineinfile:
dest: /home/ansible/test.txt

backrefs: yes
regexp: '(.*)reen(.*)'
line: '\1jabba\2'

--
Kai Stian Olstad

[Anfield]

Ive read both. Its still not clear to me how to do an anywhere match on a string

[Anfield]

Found the answer, from the below list, purple replaced brown with the playbook further below

crimson

blahstuffcans

buns

buns

grey

purple

orange

grey

grey

%jabba%

jabba1

 

Below replaced brown with purple for example

---

- hosts: local

  tasks:

    - name: Line In File

      lineinfile:

        dest: /home/ansible/test.txt

        regexp: 'row'

        insertbefore: BOF

        line: 'purple'

        state: present

[Kai Stian Olstad]

On 02. juni 2017 18:54, Anfield wrote:
> Ive read both. Its still not clear to me how to do an anywhere match on a
> string

OK, but did you read my entire answer?
The answer to your question is in it.


--
Kai Stian Olstad

[Anfield]

Ah I didnt see the bit at the bottom. Thanks