shell changed_when a file is updated

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1

Hello!

Is it possible to do something similar to the creates argument, but
one that would affect the changed attribute?

- shell: ./configure
  register: last_command
  args:
    updates: Makefile

Would return changed=true when the configure script changed the
Makefile, and changed=false when it generates the same Makefile.

This will enable us to do

- shell: make all
  when: last_command | changed

Currently I don't think there is a way other than fetching the md5sum
of the Makefile before and after then configure command, and comparing
them, but that seems clumsy.

Regards,
  Akos Vandra

2

Another use-case would be when performing an "rvm get", which would
upgrade, (and possibly change) the rvm binary, and we would need to do
some reloading stuff if that happens.

3

Check this section of the docs out: http://docs.ansible.com/playbooks_error_handling.html#overriding-the-changed-result