How to uncomment multiple lines in a file using Ansible playbook - ansible

Question

I want to uncomment multiple lines in a file using Ansible playbook.
Let's say this as a content which I need to comment out.
if [xxxx]; then
echo xxxxxxxx
exit;
fi
These 4 lines I need to comment out using Ansible playbook.
PLease help me how I can comment out.

Answer 1

An option would be to use blockinfile if you control the content of the file. Set the BEGIN and END markers in the file. Then replace the block as you wish.
If the content of the file is not under your control you might want to try and set the markers with lineinfile (use line, insertbefore, insertafter, firstmatch ...)
The best practice, however, is to use the module template.
Example of blockinfile
Given the file below for testing
shell> cat /tmp/test.txt
line1
line2
if [yyy]; then echo yyyyyyyyy exit;
cmd
cmd
fi
# if [xxxx]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;
# cmd
# cmd
# fi
lineX
the goal is to uncomment the if statement. Create the markers first. Declare the variables
marker: marker_1
path: /tmp/test.txt
regex1: '# if \[xxxx\]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;'
replace1: '# if [xxxx]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;'
regex2: '# fi'
replace2: '# fi'
Test if the BEGIN marker exists. If it does not exist, create the markers in the block
- name: "Check begin marker {{ marker }}"
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: >
grep -q '# BEGIN ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}' {{ path }}
register: checkmarker
ignore_errors: true
changed_when: false
- block:
- name: "Create begin marker {{ marker }}"
ansible.builtin.replace:
path: '{{ path }}'
regexp: '{{ regex1 }}'
replace: |-
{{ '#' }} BEGIN ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}
{{ replace1 }}
- name: "Create end marker {{ marker }}"
ansible.builtin.replace:
path: '{{ path }}'
regexp: '({{ regex1 }}[\s\S]*?){{ regex2 }}'
replace: |-
\g<1>{{ replace2 }}
{{ '#' }} END ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}
when: checkmarker.rc != 0
gives
shell> cat /tmp/test.txt
line1
line2
if [yyy]; then echo yyyyyyyyy exit;
cmd
cmd
fi
# BEGIN ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK marker_1
# if [xxxx]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;
# cmd
# cmd
# fi
# END ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK marker_1
lineX
Declare the variables
test_content: "{{ (test_out['content']|b64decode).splitlines() }}"
marker_1_begin: "{{ test_content|select('regex', '^.*BEGIN.*marker_1.*$')|first }}"
marker_1_end: "{{ test_content|select('regex', '^.*END.*marker_1.*$')|first }}"
block_1_begin_index: "{{ test_content.index(marker_1_begin) + 1 }}"
block_1_end_index: "{{ test_content.index(marker_1_end) }}"
block_1: "{{ test_content[block_1_begin_index|int:block_1_end_index|int] }}"
block_1_update: "{{ block_1|
map('regex_replace', block_1_regex, block_1_replace)|
join('\n') }}"
block_1_regex: '^#\s(.*)$'
block_1_replace: '\1'
Read and update the block
- name: "Read file {{ path }}"
slurp:
src: "{{ path }}"
register: test_out
gives
marker_1_begin: '# BEGIN ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK marker_1'
block_1_begin_index: '9'
marker_1_end: '# END ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK marker_1'
block_1_end_index: '13'
block_1:
- '# if [xxxx]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;'
- '# cmd'
- '# cmd'
- '# fi'
block_1_update: |-
if [xxxx]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;
cmd
cmd
fi
Update the block
- name: "Update block {{ marker }} in {{ path }}"
ansible.builtin.blockinfile:
path: "{{ path }}"
marker: '# {mark} ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}'
block: |
{{ block_1_update }}
gives
shell> cat /tmp/test.txt
line1
line2
if [yyy]; then echo yyyyyyyyy exit;
cmd
cmd
fi
# BEGIN ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK marker_1
if [xxxx]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;
cmd
cmd
fi
# END ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK marker_1
lineX
Example of a complete playbook for testing
- hosts: localhost
vars:
marker: marker_1
path: /tmp/test.txt
regex1: '# if \[xxxx\]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;'
replace1: '# if [xxxx]; then echo xxxxxxxx exit;'
regex2: '# fi'
replace2: '# fi'
test_content: "{{ (test_out['content']|b64decode).splitlines() }}"
marker_1_begin: "{{ test_content|select('regex', '^.*BEGIN.*marker_1.*$')|first }}"
marker_1_end: "{{ test_content|select('regex', '^.*END.*marker_1.*$')|first }}"
block_1_begin_index: "{{ test_content.index(marker_1_begin) + 1 }}"
block_1_end_index: "{{ test_content.index(marker_1_end) }}"
block_1: "{{ test_content[block_1_begin_index|int:block_1_end_index|int] }}"
block_1_update: "{{ block_1|
map('regex_replace', block_1_regex, block_1_replace)|
join('\n') }}"
block_1_regex: '^#\s(.*)$'
block_1_replace: '\1'
tasks:
- name: "Check begin marker {{ marker }}"
ansible.builtin.command:
cmd: >
grep -q '# BEGIN ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}' {{ path }}
register: checkmarker
ignore_errors: true
changed_when: false
- block:
- name: "Create begin marker {{ marker }}"
ansible.builtin.replace:
path: '{{ path }}'
regexp: '{{ regex1 }}'
replace: |-
{{ '#' }} BEGIN ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}
{{ replace1 }}
- name: "Create end marker {{ marker }}"
ansible.builtin.replace:
path: '{{ path }}'
regexp: '({{ regex1 }}[\s\S]*?){{ regex2 }}'
replace: |-
\g<1>{{ replace2 }}
{{ '#' }} END ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}
when: checkmarker.rc != 0
- name: "Read file {{ path }}"
slurp:
src: "{{ path }}"
register: test_out
- debug:
var: test_content
- debug:
var: marker_1_begin
- debug:
var: block_1_begin_index
- debug:
var: marker_1_end
- debug:
var: block_1_end_index
- debug:
var: block_1
- debug:
var: block_1_update
- name: "Update block {{ marker }} in {{ path }}"
ansible.builtin.blockinfile:
path: "{{ path }}"
marker: '# {mark} ANSIBLE MANAGED BLOCK {{ marker }}'
block: |
{{ block_1_update }}
See:
Example of blockinfile markers
files-markers.yml