# Replace a string in multiple lines in a file not working

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [February 14, 2020, 8:27am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232 "2020-02-14T08:27:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Uppara\_venkat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uppara\_venkat](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Uppara_venkat)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 8:27am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232/1 "2020-02-14T08:27:30Z")

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Hi all,  
I’m written a play book to replace a string in multiple lines in a file but it not reflected, It has changed in last line of a file.  
not replace in multiple places.

- name: updating driver letter as in config file  
win\_lineinfile:  
path: “{{ item.path }}”  
backrefs: true  
regexp: ‘-fileOverwrite\_D’  
line: ‘-fileOverwrite\_{{ target\_disk|upper }}’  
state: present  
with\_items:
- “{{ result.files }}”

The file of content is as below:

#install

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tabrez\_Nazir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Tabrez\_Nazir](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Tabrez_Nazir)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 8:47am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232/2 "2020-02-14T08:47:36Z")

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Hi Venkat,

Use replace instead of line. Replace will substitute all instances of regexp.

See example below:

```auto

- name: Replace after the expression till the end of the file (requires Ansible >= 2.4)
  replace:
    path: /etc/apache2/sites-available/default.conf
    after: 'NameVirtualHost [*]'
    regexp: '^(.+)$'
    replace: '# '

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Uppara\_venkat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uppara\_venkat](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Uppara_venkat)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 9:39am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232/3 "2020-02-14T09:39:06Z")

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Thanks for reply.  
I’m working on windows so it’s not working “replace module”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [February 14, 2020, 9:50am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232/4 "2020-02-14T09:50:04Z")

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> Thanks for reply.  
> I'm working on windows so it's not working "replace module"

Why wouldn't the module work on Windows?

Regards  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Racke

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Uppara\_venkat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uppara\_venkat](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Uppara_venkat)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 10:15am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232/5 "2020-02-14T10:15:13Z")

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All modules not supporting for windows.

see below link for windows for window;  
[https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/list\_of\_windows\_modules.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/list_of_windows_modules.html)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [February 14, 2020, 10:19am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232/6 "2020-02-14T10:19:07Z")

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> All modules not supporting for windows.
> 
> see below link for windows for window;  
> [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/list\_of\_windows\_modules.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/modules/list_of_windows_modules.html)

I would assume that all regular Ansible modules work with Windows unless specifically noted in  
the module documentation.

Regards  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Racke

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Uppara\_venkat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Uppara\_venkat](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Uppara_venkat)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2020, 10:25am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/replace-a-string-in-multiple-lines-in-a-file-not-working/32232/7 "2020-02-14T10:25:39Z")

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Ansible is easy in linux but not easy in windows.