# Copy multiple files to different locations on remote server **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [October 29, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892 "2018-10-29T16:55:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anushakeshipeddy4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@anushakeshipeddy4](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anushakeshipeddy4)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/1 "2018-10-29T16:55:37Z")
Hi, I am trying to copy multiple files to different locations using with\_items. Could someone please help me with this **vars: main.yml** wars: file1.war file2.war file3.war file4.war dest\_path: /tmp/{wars} **tasks- main.yml** ---
**Author:** ![Foss\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Foss\_Geek](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Foss_Geek)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/2 "2018-10-29T17:32:39Z")
Try like this: # cat site.yml ---
**Author:** ![Foss\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Foss\_Geek](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Foss_Geek)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2018, 6:02pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/3 "2018-10-29T18:02:04Z")
do you want to copy multiple target like this? # cat site.yml ---
**Author:** ![anushakeshipeddy4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@anushakeshipeddy4](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anushakeshipeddy4)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2018, 11:59am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/4 "2018-10-30T11:59:59Z")
Thank you Mohan that worked for me ---
**Author:** ![anushakeshipeddy4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@anushakeshipeddy4](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anushakeshipeddy4)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 4:18am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/5 "2018-11-01T04:18:06Z")
How to replace the existing file on remote server …should we use any specific module for that? I tried using force=yes but it didn’t work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Foss\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Foss\_Geek](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Foss_Geek)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/6 "2018-11-01T14:37:21Z")
What is happening when you try to use force: yes? ---
**Author:** ![anushakeshipeddy4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@anushakeshipeddy4](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anushakeshipeddy4)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/7 "2018-11-01T14:41:28Z")
Okay got it. Is there any specific module that we can use to replace a complete file in remote server? Thank you for your help. Thanks, Anusha ---
**Author:** ![Foss\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Foss\_Geek](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Foss_Geek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 8:50am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/8 "2018-11-02T08:50:09Z")
copy module with force yes automatically replace it. Otherwise you may need to delete it before copy task. ---
**Author:** ![anushakeshipeddy4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@anushakeshipeddy4](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anushakeshipeddy4)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 8:51am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/9 "2018-11-02T08:51:14Z")
No change Mohan It is not replacing the file ---
**Author:** ![Foss\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Foss\_Geek](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Foss_Geek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 9:25am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/10 "2018-11-02T09:25:09Z")
Try with command or shell module with cp -f. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Thommen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@Frank\_Thommen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Frank_Thommen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 10:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/11 "2018-11-02T10:24:47Z")
This is not the same:    \* copy module copies from the controller (where you run the      ansible-playbook command) to the client    \* cp -f copies a file locally from client to itself frank ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Thommen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@Frank\_Thommen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Frank_Thommen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 10:27am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/12 "2018-11-02T10:27:46Z")
Then your remote file is most probably identical to the one you are trying to copy 😉 Did you check that your local file (src) is for sure different from the remote one (dest)? Run `ansible-playbook` with '-vvv' to see, which local files ansible selects (this can be confusing when you are using roles) and compare with remote file. frank ---
**Author:** ![Foss\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Foss\_Geek](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Foss_Geek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 10:40am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/13 "2018-11-02T10:40:48Z")
Oh! yeah. I missed that part. ---
**Author:** ![anushakeshipeddy4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@anushakeshipeddy4](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anushakeshipeddy4)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2018, 11:37am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/14 "2018-11-02T11:37:23Z")
I am trying with below playbook and getting errors ---
**Author:** ![anushakeshipeddy4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b782af/32.png) [@anushakeshipeddy4](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anushakeshipeddy4)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2018, 11:40am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/copy-multiple-files-to-different-locations-on-remote-server/28892/15 "2018-11-05T11:40:52Z")
Could someone please help me in writing shell commands