When using the "creates" argument in the shell module, can this be a path to a directory? Or does it have to be a file?
Why don't you just try that yourself? The short answer is: Yes it can be anything that is then visible in the file system
---
- name: Test create arg of shell
hosts: localhost
tasks:
- name: Set up working area
shell: mktemp -d
register: workdir
- name: Working Area
debug:
msg: "{{ workdir }}"
- name: Create a file
shell: touch {{ workdir.stdout }}/test-file
args:
creates: "{{ workdir.stdout }}/test-file"
- name: "Test if it get's created again"
shell: touch {{ workdir.stdout }}/test-file
args:
creates: "{{ workdir.stdout }}/test-file"
- name: Create a directory
shell: mkdir {{ workdir.stdout }}/test-directory
args:
creates: "{{ workdir.stdout }}/test-directory"
- name: "Test if it get's created again"
shell: mkdir {{ workdir.stdout }}/test-directory
args:
creates: "{{ workdir.stdout }}/test-directory"
- name: Cleanup
shell: "rm -rf {{ workdir.stdout }}"
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