# lineinfile anywhere match **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [June 2, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lineinfile-anywhere-match/24637 "2017-06-02T15:55:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Anfield](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Anfield)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lineinfile-anywhere-match/24637/1 "2017-06-02T15:55:04Z")
How do I do an anywhere match for a string and replace with some text? The below playbook doesnt work. But just looking for example to search for part of green - reen and replace this with jabba. How do I do that? Thanks List > red > > blahstuffcans > > buns > > buns > > grey > > green > > brown > > red > > grey > > grey Playbook - ---
**Author:** ![Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kai_Stian_Olstad)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lineinfile-anywhere-match/24637/2 "2017-06-02T16:51:44Z")
> How do I do an anywhere match for a string and replace with some text? > > The below playbook doesnt work. But just looking for example to search for > part of green - reen and replace this with jabba. > > How do I do that? Thanks I suggest reading about regexp here [https://docs.python.org/2/library/re.html](https://docs.python.org/2/library/re.html) and then [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/lineinfile\_module.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/lineinfile_module.html) > List > > red > blahstuffcans > buns > grey > green > brown > red > grey > > Playbook - > > --- > - hosts: local >    tasks: >      - name: Line In File >        lineinfile: >          dest: /home/ansible/test.txt >          regexp: '%reen%' >          line: '%jabba%' >        register: foundstuff >      - debug: var=foundstuff % is not a valid regexp special character so you literally searching for a line containing %reen% and replace that line with %jabba%. But since %reen% is not in file it will add %jabba% to the bottom. To make it work you need to do this    - name: Line In File      lineinfile:        dest: /home/ansible/test.txt        backrefs: yes        regexp: '(.\*)reen(.\*)'        line: '\1jabba\2' ---
**Author:** ![Anfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Anfield](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Anfield)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lineinfile-anywhere-match/24637/3 "2017-06-02T16:54:59Z")
Ive read both. Its still not clear to me how to do an anywhere match on a string ---
**Author:** ![Anfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Anfield](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Anfield)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lineinfile-anywhere-match/24637/4 "2017-06-02T17:00:13Z")
> Found the answer, from the below list, purple replaced brown with the playbook further below crimson blahstuffcans buns buns grey purple orange grey grey %jabba% jabba1 Below replaced brown with purple for example ---
**Author:** ![Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kai\_Stian\_Olstad](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kai_Stian_Olstad)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lineinfile-anywhere-match/24637/5 "2017-06-02T17:06:56Z")
OK, but did you read my entire answer? The answer to your question is in it. ---
**Author:** ![Anfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Anfield](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Anfield)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lineinfile-anywhere-match/24637/6 "2017-06-02T17:13:14Z")
Ah I didnt see the bit at the bottom. Thanks