# Is there a better way to search through a list using when and regex\_search **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [May 12, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-search-through-a-list-using-when-and-regex-search/32916 "2020-05-12T19:59:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![vbotka](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/vbotka/32/359_2.png) [@vbotka](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vbotka)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 9:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-search-through-a-list-using-when-and-regex-search/32916/21 "2020-05-14T21:09:00Z")
It should create a file on each remote host when used correctly. Quoting from your last email today:   "I have something I can work with now..."   - name: search\_snmp     hosts: all     ...     - name: write output to a file if snmp if found       lineinfile:       path: ./{{ansible\_play\_name}}\_device\_list.txt       ... If you use template instead of lineinfile the file shall be created on each of the "all" remote hosts. Try absolute path to find the file easier. For example   - name: write output to a file if snmp if found     template:       src: output.txt.j2       dest: "/tmp/{{ ansible\_play\_name }}\_output.txt" It's difficult to guess all details and help you without minimal, complete, verifiable, example [mcve]. Try for example [https://gist.github.com/](https://gist.github.com/) and post the complete code if you have problem. Btw, good catch with the output's nested lists. [mcve] [https://stackoverflow.com/help/minimal-reproducible-example](https://stackoverflow.com/help/minimal-reproducible-example) HTH,   -vlado ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Fella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Scott\_Fella](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Scott_Fella)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-search-through-a-list-using-when-and-regex-search/32916/22 "2020-05-14T22:58:08Z")
Vlad, Thanks for the feedback on [mcve]. Hopefully this is right. gist: [https://gist.github.com/fella5/6842043ccc35f013c9092c6520dfb593](https://gist.github.com/fella5/6842043ccc35f013c9092c6520dfb593) **Summary** : There are two playbooks that I was working off of. search\_snmp\_v1.yml (jinja template) and search\_snmp\_v2.yml (lineinfile) **Function of the Playbook** : 1. SSH to each host and run the show snmpcommunity and check if one of the snmp strings match the oldSnmp list 2. output two files - one file is just a list of host(s) which contains one of the snmp strings in the oldSnmp list (search\_snmp\_device\_list.txt). Host that do not have any matching strings will not be listed on the file. - one file is the output from all host that contains one of the snmp strings in the oldSnmp list (search\_snmp\_output.txt). Host that do not have any matching strings will not have the output appended to the file. **Problem Description** : The search\_snmp\_v1.yml uses a jinja template. The output get overwritten and I don’t want a file for each host. search\_snmp\_v2.yml uses lineinfile and seems to work for adding the hostname of the device if the snmp string matches one of the listed strings in oldSnmp. The search\_snmp\_output.txt does have all the output for each device, however, it seems like there is duplicate entries. Thanks, -Scott ---
**Author:** ![vbotka](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/vbotka/32/359_2.png) [@vbotka](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vbotka)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 9:49am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-search-through-a-list-using-when-and-regex-search/32916/23 "2020-05-15T09:49:47Z")
See [https://gist.github.com/vbotka/32616e8d896ef22d985bdb707915c9f0](https://gist.github.com/vbotka/32616e8d896ef22d985bdb707915c9f0) Split the playbook search\_snmp\_v1.yml to two plays. Collect the data in the first play. Then "delegate\_to" localhost and "run\_once" the templates in the second play. Remove `strategy: free` in the second play. You've already found out:     [WARNING]: Using run\_once with the free strategy is not currently     supported. This task will still be executed for every host in the     inventory list. Change the templates and test it. HTH,   -vlado ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Fella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Scott\_Fella](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Scott_Fella)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-search-through-a-list-using-when-and-regex-search/32916/24 "2020-05-15T15:25:40Z")
Vlad, I have used your templates and playbook and ran it against around 170+ devices. The changes works well, except when there is a host that has failed in which the files are not generated. If I exclude the hosts that have failed and re-run the playbook, the output gets generated. Thanks, -Scott ---
**Author:** ![vbotka](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/vbotka/32/359_2.png) [@vbotka](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vbotka)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-search-through-a-list-using-when-and-regex-search/32916/25 "2020-05-15T21:11:37Z")
FWIW. See how to create a group of reachable hosts first. [https://github.com/vbotka/ansible-lib/blob/master/tasks/al\_hosts\_reachable.yml](https://github.com/vbotka/ansible-lib/blob/master/tasks/al_hosts_reachable.yml) [Previous page](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-better-way-to-search-through-a-list-using-when-and-regex-search/32916.md?page=1)