# restart service for a single computer using a loop when file copied **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [September 5, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/restart-service-for-a-single-computer-using-a-loop-when-file-copied/28508 "2018-09-05T18:23:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chris7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Chris7](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Chris7)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/restart-service-for-a-single-computer-using-a-loop-when-file-copied/28508/1 "2018-09-05T18:23:35Z")
Good day, I have a list that I loop over to copy files. I want to restart a service only if that file has been changed on the remote system. What is the best method to restart a service on only on a system if the file was copied to the system. For instance: defaults/main.yml copy\_files: - name: macsec all\_systems\_copy\_src: “files/etc/modprobe.d/macsec.conf” all\_systems\_copy\_dest: “/etc/modprobe.d/macsec.conf” all\_systems\_copy\_owner: “0” all\_systems\_copy\_group: “0” all\_systems\_copy\_mode: “0644” - name: rsyslog all\_systems\_copy\_src: “files/etc/rsyslog/syslog.conf” all\_systems\_copy\_dest: “/etc/rsyslog.d/syslog.conf” all\_systems\_copy\_owner: “0” all\_systems\_copy\_group: “0” all\_systems\_copy\_mode: “0644” tasks/copy\_files/main.yml - name: “Copy files” copy: src: “{{ item.all\_systems\_copy\_src }}” dest: “{{ item.all\_systems\_copy\_dest }}” owner: “{{ item.all\_systems\_copy\_owner }}” group: “{{ item.all\_systems\_copy\_group }}” mode: “{{ item.all\_systems\_copy\_mode }}” with\_items: - “{{ copy\_files }}” If the system copies a new syslog file restart syslog. I know there are handlers and notify, but I only want to restart on a specific system if it gets updated. Chris ---
**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:** [September 5, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/restart-service-for-a-single-computer-using-a-loop-when-file-copied/28508/2 "2018-09-05T19:48:44Z")
> Good day, > > I have a list that I loop over to copy files. I want to restart a service > only if that file has been changed on the remote system. What is the best > method to restart a service on only on a system if the file was copied to > the system. Here you say system and system. > If the system copies a new syslog file restart syslog. > > I know there are handlers and notify, but I only want to restart on a > specific system if it gets updated. And system again, so i guess this is system is the same host and notify is perfect in that scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Chris7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Chris7](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Chris7)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 8:12pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/restart-service-for-a-single-computer-using-a-loop-when-file-copied/28508/3 "2018-09-05T20:12:28Z")
Apologies if that was not clear. On my ansible server I have files that I want to copy to remote servers. I only want to restart a service if a specific file was copied and not just any other file. My example shows two files, but I only want to restart the syslog service if the syslog file is copied. Additionally I don’t want to restart the syslog service on all of the inventoried servers just the ones with the updated file. I hope that makes my question more clear. Chris ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Lozada\_De\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Jonathan\_Lozada\_De\_L](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Jonathan_Lozada_De_L)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/restart-service-for-a-single-computer-using-a-loop-when-file-copied/28508/4 "2018-09-05T20:19:29Z")
use handlers [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/2.6/user\_guide/playbooks\_intro.html#handlers-running-operations-on-change](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/2.6/user_guide/playbooks_intro.html#handlers-running-operations-on-change) ---
**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:** [September 5, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/restart-service-for-a-single-computer-using-a-loop-when-file-copied/28508/5 "2018-09-05T20:32:00Z")
That's exactly what notify/handlers does, it only notify if it's a change. So if you add a key to your list called notify then you can have notify: '{{ item.notify | default(omit) }}' on the task. So any entry in the list that don't have notify key will just omit notify entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Chris7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Chris7](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Chris7)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2018, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/restart-service-for-a-single-computer-using-a-loop-when-file-copied/28508/6 "2018-09-05T21:32:55Z")
Thank you, this is the answer I was searching for with my question. I will add a notify key and then use a handler off of the key.