ansible.builtin.first_found – return first file found from list
Note
This lookup plugin is part of ansible-core
and included in all Ansible
installations. In most cases, you can use the short
plugin name
first_found
even without specifying the collections:
keyword.
However, we recommend you use the FQCN for easy linking to the
plugin documentation and to avoid conflicting with other collections that may have
the same lookup plugin name.
Synopsis
This lookup checks a list of files and paths and returns the full path to the first combination found.
As all lookups, when fed relative paths it will try use the current task’s location first and go up the chain to the containing locations of role / play / include and so on.
The list of files has precedence over the paths searched. For example, A task in a role has a ‘file1’ in the play’s relative path, this will be used, ‘file2’ in role’s relative path will not.
Either a list of files
_terms
or a key files with a list of files is required for this plugin to operate.
Parameters
Parameter |
Comments |
---|---|
A list of file names. |
|
A list of file names. Default: [] |
|
A list of paths in which to look for the files. Default: [] |
|
Return an empty list if no file is found, instead of an error. Choices:
|
Notes
Note
This lookup can be used in ‘dual mode’, either passing a list of file names or a dictionary that has
files
andpaths
.
Examples
- name: show first existing file or ignore if none do
debug:
msg: "{{ lookup('first_found', findme, errors='ignore') }}"
vars:
findme:
- /path/to/foo.txt
- bar.txt # will be looked in files/ dir relative to role and/or play
- /path/to/biz.txt
- name: include tasks only if files exist.
include_tasks:
file: "{{ query('first_found', params) }}"
vars:
params:
files:
- path/tasks.yaml
- path/other_tasks.yaml
- name: |
copy first existing file found to /some/file,
looking in relative directories from where the task is defined and
including any play objects that contain it
copy:
src: "{{ lookup('first_found', findme) }}"
dest: /some/file
vars:
findme:
- foo
- "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
- bar
- name: same copy but specific paths
copy:
src: "{{ lookup('first_found', params) }}"
dest: /some/file
vars:
params:
files:
- foo
- "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
- bar
paths:
- /tmp/production
- /tmp/staging
- name: INTERFACES | Create Ansible header for /etc/network/interfaces
template:
src: "{{ lookup('first_found', findme) }}"
dest: "/etc/foo.conf"
vars:
findme:
- "{{ ansible_virtualization_type }}_foo.conf"
- "default_foo.conf"
- name: read vars from first file found, use 'vars/' relative subdir
include_vars: "{{ lookup('first_found', params) }}"
vars:
params:
files:
- '{{ ansible_distribution }}.yml'
- '{{ ansible_os_family }}.yml'
- default.yml
paths:
- 'vars'
Return Values
Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this lookup:
Key |
Description |
---|---|
path to file found Returned: success |
Authors
Seth Vidal (!UNKNOWN) <skvidal@fedoraproject.org>