# Modifying a file **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [January 25, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506 "2021-01-25T18:58:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aris\_Aguirre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aris\_Aguirre](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Aris_Aguirre)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 6:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/1 "2021-01-25T18:58:45Z")
I can easily use a file module to delete the existing file and create a new one with File1 content. But I want to modifile the file using lineinfile or replace. Please help. Thanks Existing File: This is an existing file / $ % with invalid characters &\*() Blahh Expected Output: File1 ---
**Author:** ![Mauricio\_Tavares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Mauricio\_Tavares](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Mauricio_Tavares)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 7:05pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/2 "2021-01-25T19:05:16Z")
> I can easily use a file module to delete the existing file and create a new one with File1 content. > But I want to modifile the file using lineinfile or replace. Please help. > Thanks > > Existing File: > This is an existing file / $ % with invalid characters &\*() Blahh > > Expected Output: > File1       If you can define it in regexp you can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Aris\_Aguirre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aris\_Aguirre](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Aris_Aguirre)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 7:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/3 "2021-01-25T19:37:31Z")
you cant…cos a lot of characters there… i cant find a way how to delete them in regex. ---
**Author:** ![Antony\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@Antony\_Stone](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Antony_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/4 "2021-01-25T19:46:01Z")
> you cant...cos a lot of characters there.. i cant find a way how to delete > them in regex. Can you explain to us exactly what you want the command to identify? Are there, for example, certain characters which should never appear in a file, and if they do, you want the content to be replaced? If that's not the case, then what do you want to recognise and replace? How would you tell a person what to do? ---
**Author:** ![nagaraju\_balusa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f07891/32.png) [@nagaraju\_balusa](https://forum.ansible.com/u/nagaraju_balusa)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2021, 10:06am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/5 "2021-01-26T10:06:15Z")
please _don’t_ CC me. ---
**Author:** ![Aris\_Aguirre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aris\_Aguirre](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Aris_Aguirre)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 5:12am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/6 "2021-01-28T05:12:52Z")
- name: Delete Everything in the file lineinfile: path: /tmp/filetomodify regexp: “\*” line: This is for File1 state: absent Existing File: This is an existing file / $ % with invalid characters &\*() Blahh, a lot of characters here… Everything in this file should be delete and be replace by “This is for File1” Expected Output: This is for File1 My solution is below. But I would like the lineinfile as solution not as below. Thanks - name: Delete file file: path: /tmp/filetomodify state: absent - name: Add the line file: path: /tmp/filetomodify content: This is for File1 ---
**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 7:43am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/7 "2021-01-28T07:43:33Z")
> - name: Delete Everything in the file > lineinfile: > path: /tmp/filetomodify > regexp: "\*" > line: This is for File1 > state: absent > > Existing File: > This is an existing file / $ % with invalid characters &\*() Blahh, a lot of characters here.. Everything in this file > should be delete and be replace by "This is for File1" > > Expected Output: > This is for File1 > > My solution is below. But I would like the lineinfile as solution not as below. > Thanks lineinfile is definitely the wrong module if you are going to update the whole file. Try copy or content module. Regards         Racke ---
**Author:** ![Aris\_Aguirre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aris\_Aguirre](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Aris_Aguirre)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/modifying-a-file/34506/8 "2021-01-28T19:50:54Z")
I know, lineinfile. I was thinking of file or copy module. Like just absent/present and content as argument. My question is, how about replace? you think the module replace can help? Thanks