# working on playbook to check file exists **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [July 28, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/working-on-playbook-to-check-file-exists/22156 "2016-07-28T20:20:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![venkat\_velpuri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f475e1/32.png) [@venkat\_velpuri](https://forum.ansible.com/u/venkat_velpuri)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/working-on-playbook-to-check-file-exists/22156/1 "2016-07-28T20:20:13Z")
I am new to ansible getting error ansible-playbook -vvvv -i apphosts file.yml ERROR: parse error: playbooks must be formatted as a YAML list, got \ tasks: - name: Check that the somefile.conf exists stat: path=/etc/file.txt register: stat\_result - name: Create the file, if it doesnt exist already file: path=/etc/file.txt state=touch when: stat\_result.stat.exists == False can any one please help me to sort this problem ---
**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:** [July 31, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/working-on-playbook-to-check-file-exists/22156/2 "2016-07-31T19:26:55Z")
This is a task list not a playbook, I suggest reading this short intro and you'll learn the difference. [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/playbooks\_intro.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/playbooks_intro.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@Bill\_Carlson](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Bill_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/working-on-playbook-to-check-file-exists/22156/3 "2016-08-01T13:34:55Z")
Assuming that is your full playbook file, it needs more than tasks. Sample of a working file, read up for explanation of each portion: