File exists but stat is false

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1

I have a problem checking if a file exists:

- name: Check if ssh key exists
  stat: path= "/config/clients/ssh_keys/daniel_nanboe.pub"
  register: exista
- debug: var=exista
- fail:
    msg: Stop

The file exists but the stat returns false:

“exista”: {
“changed”: false,
“failed”: false,
“stat”: {
“exists”: false
}
}

2

that exact task errors because of the space after "path=" - I think
that's a typo on your part?

3

Thanks I have removed that but the result is the same when I debug de var stat is false:

ok: => {
“exista”: {
“changed”: false,
“failed”: false,
“stat”: {
“exists”: false
}
}
}

4

It could still be a permissions issue, for instance if the ansible user has different rights than whatever you did manually that caused you to believe that the file is there.

5

Which leads to the question: how did you establish that the file is actually there?

6

I just realised that I am stupid :smiley:

The file was on the computer where I was running the ansible script not on the target server. What I needed to do was to run the check locally

`

  • name: Check if ssh key exists
    local_action: stat path=“/config/clients/ssh_keys/daniel_nanboe.pub”
    register: exista
  • debug: var=exista
  • fail:
    msg: Stop
    `