# Delete a file, create a backup and mark the task as changed when it is **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Created:** [February 29, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/delete-a-file-create-a-backup-and-mark-the-task-as-changed-when-it-is/4146 "2024-02-29T18:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/delete-a-file-create-a-backup-and-mark-the-task-as-changed-when-it-is/4146/1 "2024-02-29T18:35:24Z")
The `ansible.builtin.file` module doesn’t have a `backup` option for when files are set to be of `state: absent` and the isn’t a `move` module and I would like a backup to be created when deleting files in a loop, I have the file deletion working but I’m struggling to set the `changed_when`, I have this data: ```yaml php_ver.value.pools: www: state: absent www81: state: present ``` And these loops: ```yaml - name: Debug PHP-FPM pool files that are set to be absent ansible.builtin.debug: msg: "PHP-FPM pool.d files to be deleted: /etc/php/{{ php_ver.key }}/fpm/pool.d/{{ pool.key }}.conf" when: pool.value.state == "absent" loop: "{{ php_ver.value.pools | dict2items }}" loop_control: loop_var: pool label: "{{ pool.key }}" - name: PHP-FPM pool files absent ansible.builtin.shell: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/{{ php_ver.key }}/fpm/pool.d/{{ pool.key }}.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/{{ php_ver.key }}/fpm/pool.d/{{ pool.key }}.conf \ /etc/php/{{ php_ver.key }}/fpm/pool.d/{{ pool.key }}.conf.{{ ansible_date_time.iso8601_basic_short }}.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi args: executable: /usr/bin/bash when: pool.value.state == "absent" register: php_fpm_pool_files_absent loop: "{{ php_ver.value.pools | dict2items }}" loop_control: loop_var: pool label: "{{ pool.key }}" - name: Debug php_fpm_pool_files_absent ansible.builtin.debug: var: php_fpm_pool_files_absent ``` This returns the following when there is a change: ```txt TASK [php : PHP-FPM pool files absent] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** task path: /ansible/roles/php/tasks/fpm_version.yml:119 changed: [example.org] => (item=www) => changed=true ansible_loop_var: pool cmd: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T182921.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi delta: '0:00:00.004122' end: '2024-02-29 18:29:41.318263' invocation: module_args: _raw_params: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T182921.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi _uses_shell: true argv: null chdir: null creates: null executable: /usr/bin/bash expand_argument_vars: true removes: null stdin: null stdin_add_newline: true strip_empty_ends: true msg: '' pool: key: www value: state: absent rc: 0 start: '2024-02-29 18:29:41.314141' stderr: '' stderr_lines: stdout: changed stdout_lines: TASK [php : Debug php_fpm_pool_files_absent] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************** task path: /ansible/roles/php/tasks/fpm_version.yml:147 ok: [example.org] => php_fpm_pool_files_absent: changed: true msg: All items completed results: - ansible_loop_var: pool changed: false false_condition: pool.value.state == "absent" pool: key: www81 value: group: www-data listen: /run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock pm: dynamic pm_max_children: '143' pm_max_requests: 1000 pm_max_spare_servers: 3 pm_min_spare_servers: 1 pm_process_idle_timeout: 10s pm_start_servers: 2 state: present user: www-data skip_reason: Conditional result was False skipped: true - ansible_loop_var: pool changed: true cmd: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T182921.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi delta: '0:00:00.004122' end: '2024-02-29 18:29:41.318263' failed: false invocation: module_args: _raw_params: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T182921.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi _uses_shell: true argv: null chdir: null creates: null executable: /usr/bin/bash expand_argument_vars: true removes: null stdin: null stdin_add_newline: true strip_empty_ends: true msg: '' pool: key: www value: state: absent rc: 0 start: '2024-02-29 18:29:41.314141' stderr: '' stderr_lines: [] stdout: changed stdout_lines: - changed skipped: false ``` And the following when there isn’t a change: ```txt TASK [php : PHP-FPM pool files absent] **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** task path: /ansible/roles/php/tasks/fpm_version.yml:119 changed: [example.org] => (item=www) => changed=true ansible_loop_var: pool cmd: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T183916.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi delta: '0:00:00.003663' end: '2024-02-29 18:39:36.058181' invocation: module_args: _raw_params: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T183916.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi _uses_shell: true argv: null chdir: null creates: null executable: /usr/bin/bash expand_argument_vars: true removes: null stdin: null stdin_add_newline: true strip_empty_ends: true msg: '' pool: key: www value: state: absent rc: 0 start: '2024-02-29 18:39:36.054518' stderr: '' stderr_lines: stdout: notchanged stdout_lines: TASK [php : Debug php_fpm_pool_files_absent] ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************** task path: /ansible/roles/php/tasks/fpm_version.yml:147 ok: [example.org] => php_fpm_pool_files_absent: changed: true msg: All items completed results: - ansible_loop_var: pool changed: false false_condition: pool.value.state == "absent" pool: key: www81 value: group: www-data listen: /run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock pm: dynamic pm_max_children: '143' pm_max_requests: 1000 pm_max_spare_servers: 3 pm_min_spare_servers: 1 pm_process_idle_timeout: 10s pm_start_servers: 2 state: present user: www-data skip_reason: Conditional result was False skipped: true - ansible_loop_var: pool changed: true cmd: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T183916.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi delta: '0:00:00.003663' end: '2024-02-29 18:39:36.058181' failed: false invocation: module_args: _raw_params: |- set -e -o pipefail if [[-f "/etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf"]] then mv /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf /etc/php/8.1/fpm/pool.d/www.conf.20240229T183916.bak echo "changed" else echo "notchanged" fi _uses_shell: true argv: null chdir: null creates: null executable: /usr/bin/bash expand_argument_vars: true removes: null stdin: null stdin_add_newline: true strip_empty_ends: true msg: '' pool: key: www value: state: absent rc: 0 start: '2024-02-29 18:39:36.054518' stderr: '' stderr_lines: [] stdout: notchanged stdout_lines: - notchanged skipped: false ``` What I’m struggling with is parsing the results into a `true` or `false` for `changed_when`, does anyone have any suggestions? Am I making a stupid mistake or is there a far better way to do this? ---
**Author:** ![jrglynn2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/94ad74/32.png) [@jrglynn2](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jrglynn2)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/delete-a-file-create-a-backup-and-mark-the-task-as-changed-when-it-is/4146/2 "2024-02-29T18:58:46Z")
I apologize if I am way off here, as I am not 100% sure I am answering what you want LOL. I am not a huge fan of using `shell` unless absolutely necessary … so couldn’t you do something like: - use the `ansible.builtin.stat` module to check for the existence of file - use the `ansible.builtin.copy` module to copy file (backup) WHEN exists - use the `ansible.builtin.file` module to delete files as originally intended There’s also options of using something like `ansible.posix.synchronize` to backup the whole directory if we are talking about tons of files, and it’s easier to do that… ---
**Author:** ![chris](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/chris/32/293_2.png) [@chris](https://forum.ansible.com/u/chris)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/delete-a-file-create-a-backup-and-mark-the-task-as-changed-when-it-is/4146/3 "2024-02-29T19:04:43Z")
Yes, good point @jrglynn2 I guess I should do that, I believe that is what I have done in the past 🙄 . ---
**Author:** ![jrglynn2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/94ad74/32.png) [@jrglynn2](https://forum.ansible.com/u/jrglynn2)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/delete-a-file-create-a-backup-and-mark-the-task-as-changed-when-it-is/4146/4 "2024-02-29T19:10:04Z")
It’s not as elegant as what you are trying - but you avoid any potential downfalls of using `shell`. I do think it’s worth opening a feature request to add a `backup` parameter to the `ansible.builtin.file` module out on the GitHub repository. I think that might be useful. They may have reasons to not want to add it, but it’s worth an ask to force the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![utoddl](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/utoddl/32/249_2.png) [@utoddl](https://forum.ansible.com/u/utoddl)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/delete-a-file-create-a-backup-and-mark-the-task-as-changed-when-it-is/4146/5 "2024-02-29T19:25:35Z")
> [@chris](#): > > What I’m struggling with is parsing the results into a `true` or `false` for `changed_when`, does anyone have any suggestions? What have you tried for `changed_when:` so far, and with what results? I would have thought it would be as simple as ```yaml changed_when: php_fpm_pool_files_absent.stdout_lines[0] == 'changed' ``` For the record, I rather like using `shell` in cases like this where the extra functionality you need isn’t available in the “standard” modules. If well-written, your shell script can be every bit as robust as a module, and you needn’t complicate your plays with additional tasks. If you do choose to go the shell route, I highly recommend using `shellcheck` to clean up any issues you might not have thought of. (`shellcheck` is like `ansible-lint` for shell scripts.) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/original/1X/1882d9a01da5d8996a862359b0913cc568a39b84.svg) [@system](https://forum.ansible.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/delete-a-file-create-a-backup-and-mark-the-task-as-changed-when-it-is/4146/6 "2024-03-30T19:26:34Z")
Closed on March 30, 2024, 7:26pm UTC This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.