# Is there a way to act on a failed task **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [September 13, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-act-on-a-failed-task/13468 "2013-09-13T15:33:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steen\_Larsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Steen\_Larsen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Steen_Larsen)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-act-on-a-failed-task/13468/1 "2013-09-13T15:33:10Z")
Hi, I’m new to Ansible, and trying to find a way to write a file when a task fails. I’m cool with the play stopping so it’s not ignore\_fail I’m looking for but something like when: fail command echo “sometext” \> /tmp/error Is something like this possible, and if so, how ? /Steen ---
**Author:** ![kahlil.hodgson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9bd4f/32.png) [@kahlil.hodgson](https://forum.ansible.com/u/kahlil.hodgson)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-act-on-a-failed-task/13468/2 "2013-09-13T23:11:05Z")
Off the top of my head (and untested (and before coffee) ) ... - name: command that fails   shell: exit 1   register: last\_command   ignore\_errors: true - name catch failed command   shell: echo "Oops!"   when: last\_command.rc != 0 Kahlil (Kal) Hodgson GPG: C9A02289 Head of Technology (m) +61 (0) 4 2573 0382 DealMax Pty Ltd (w) +61 (0) 3 9008 5281 Suite 1415 401 Docklands Drive Docklands VIC 3008 Australia "All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer." -- IBM maintenance manual, 1925 ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan2](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan2)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-act-on-a-failed-task/13468/3 "2013-09-14T01:06:47Z")
exactly! ---
**Author:** ![Steen\_Larsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Steen\_Larsen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Steen_Larsen)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 8:48am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-act-on-a-failed-task/13468/4 "2013-09-16T08:48:47Z")
Thanks for the reply. If I do it like that however I would need to stop the play explicitly since i ignore the errors. Is there a way to do that ? /Steen ---
**Author:** ![Serge\_van\_Ginderacht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@Serge\_van\_Ginderacht](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Serge_van_Ginderacht)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-act-on-a-failed-task/13468/5 "2013-09-16T08:59:03Z")
​Add a subsequent fail: task when: last\_command.rc != 0​ ---
**Author:** ![Steen\_Larsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Steen\_Larsen](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Steen_Larsen)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 10:24am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-act-on-a-failed-task/13468/6 "2013-09-16T10:24:57Z")
Ah, thanks. Wasn’t aware of the fail task. That will do nicely. /Steen