# template module when dest is a directory **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [May 9, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-module-when-dest-is-a-directory/24425 "2017-05-09T13:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Josh\_Smift1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@Josh\_Smift1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Josh_Smift1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-module-when-dest-is-a-directory/24425/1 "2017-05-09T13:20:36Z")
If you use the template module and the dest parameter specifies a directory, the module creates a file in the directory with the same name as the value of the src parameter. However, if you then change the source contents, and run ansible-playbook with --check --diff, it says that there's a change but doesn't show the diff. [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/template\_module.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/template_module.html) doesn't say that you can specify a directory as the value of the dest parameter. Should that work? If it should work to specify a directory, should 'diff' work as well? I can create a bug report, but I wasn't sure what the intended/expected behavior was.                                       -Josh (jbs@care.com) (apologies for the automatic corporate disclaimer that follows) This email is intended for the person(s) to whom it is addressed and may contain information that is PRIVILEGED or CONFIDENTIAL. Any unauthorized use, distribution, copying, or disclosure by any person other than the addressee(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by return email and delete the message and any attachments from your system. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Wieers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/45deac/32.png) [@Dag\_Wieers](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Dag_Wieers)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2017, 2:00pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-module-when-dest-is-a-directory/24425/2 "2017-05-09T14:00:35Z")
That seems to be a bug. Can you open a bug report with a minimal reproducer and the required context-information ? If it is a bug, we need to improve our integration tests to catch this one (before fixing ;-)). Thanks ! ---
**Author:** ![Josh\_Smift1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@Josh\_Smift1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Josh_Smift1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2017, 2:10pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-module-when-dest-is-a-directory/24425/3 "2017-05-09T14:10:26Z")
> [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/template\_module.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/template_module.html) doesn't say > that you can specify a directory as the value of the dest parameter. > Should that work? > > If it should work to specify a directory, should 'diff' work as well? > > I can create a bug report, but I wasn't sure what the > intended/expected behavior was. > That seems to be a bug. Just to double-check: You think you should be able to specify a file as the src parameter and a directory as the dest parameter (even though the module docs don't say this), and that therefore diff should work? That seems sensible to me, I just wanted to confirm before opening a bug about something that isn't supposed to work. :^)                                       -Josh (jbs@care.com) (apologies for the automatic corporate disclaimer that follows) This email is intended for the person(s) to whom it is addressed and may contain information that is PRIVILEGED or CONFIDENTIAL. Any unauthorized use, distribution, copying, or disclosure by any person other than the addressee(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by return email and delete the message and any attachments from your system. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Wieers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/45deac/32.png) [@Dag\_Wieers](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Dag_Wieers)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-module-when-dest-is-a-directory/24425/4 "2017-05-09T15:28:38Z")
Yes, that ought to work. ---
**Author:** ![Josh\_Smift1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@Josh\_Smift1](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Josh_Smift1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/template-module-when-dest-is-a-directory/24425/5 "2017-05-09T17:31:41Z")
[https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/24413](https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/24413) -- thanks!                                       -Josh (jbs@care.com) (apologies for the automatic corporate disclaimer that follows) This email is intended for the person(s) to whom it is addressed and may contain information that is PRIVILEGED or CONFIDENTIAL. Any unauthorized use, distribution, copying, or disclosure by any person other than the addressee(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by return email and delete the message and any attachments from your system.