# Module lookup **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [May 18, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/module-lookup/11558 "2012-05-18T16:09:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Matt\_Goodall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Matt\_Goodall](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Matt_Goodall)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/module-lookup/11558/1 "2012-05-18T16:09:08Z")
Hi, I wrote a simple module this afternoon and then discovered that it really needs to be copied to the single, shared Ansible module directory to be found by a playbook. I would like to extend the module lookup to search multiple directories, to: - provide a way for other modules, e.g. the proposed contrib library, to be added - allow project-specific modules I found the relevant code and it was a simple change to make it search through a list of paths instead, allowing:     ansible -M /usr/share/ansible:/path/to/another/library Commit is here, [https://github.com/emgee/ansible/commit/3a447f8b3295c23589bfe5a5a010eb9bf6b6925a](https://github.com/emgee/ansible/commit/3a447f8b3295c23589bfe5a5a010eb9bf6b6925a). Assuming it's a change you agree with I think it's useful enough like that. However, it would probably be nicer to be able to \*extend\* the module search path to avoid knowing where Ansible's library is installed. There are probably a couple of options that would work here:     --module-path         as for my commit     --extend-module-path         append path(s) to above module path     Should be a safe change. OR     --module-path         append path(s), could even be callable multiple times     --no-default-modules         don't include Ansible's library     Changes behaviour for anyone relying on current --module-path behaviour. Firstly is this a good change to make? Secondly, would you prefer one of the above command line changes (or something completely different) before it's merged? Thanks, Matt ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/module-lookup/11558/2 "2012-05-18T16:56:58Z")
> Commit is here, > [https://github.com/emgee/ansible/commit/3a447f8b3295c23589bfe5a5a010eb9bf6b6925a](https://github.com/emgee/ansible/commit/3a447f8b3295c23589bfe5a5a010eb9bf6b6925a). This seems reasonable, send me a pull request and we can include in 0.5 > Assuming it’s a change you agree with I think it’s useful enough like > that. However, it would probably be nicer to be able to _extend_ the > module search path to avoid knowing where Ansible’s library is > installed. > > There are probably a couple of options that would work here: > > –module-path > as for my commit > –extend-module-path > append path(s) to above module path Using the existing option like you have now is best, where if you want to specify a module path you just have to include the stock one too. Keep it simple and explicit… ---
**Author:** ![Matt\_Goodall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Matt\_Goodall](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Matt_Goodall)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/module-lookup/11558/3 "2012-05-18T20:10:19Z")
> Commit is here, > [https://github.com/emgee/ansible/commit/3a447f8b3295c23589bfe5a5a010eb9bf6b6925a](https://github.com/emgee/ansible/commit/3a447f8b3295c23589bfe5a5a010eb9bf6b6925a). > > This seems reasonable, send me a pull request and we can include in 0.5 Done. > Assuming it's a change you agree with I think it's useful enough like > that. However, it would probably be nicer to be able to \*extend\* the > module search path to avoid knowing where Ansible's library is > installed. > > There are probably a couple of options that would work here: > > --module-path > as for my commit > --extend-module-path > append path(s) to above module path > > Using the existing option like you have now is best, where if you want to > specify a module path > you just have to include the stock one too. > > Keep it simple and explicit... Yep fair enough, and that's the reason why I did the obvious (and easy) bit first and left the other bit for discussion. - Matt