copy module complains that "absolute paths are required"

[Nirkus]

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

module copy

ANSIBLE VERSION

$ ansible --version
ansible 2.2.1.0
  config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg
  configured module search path = Default w/o overrides

CONFIGURATION

OS / ENVIRONMENT

$ lsb_release -idrc
Distributor ID: Debian
Description:    Debian GNU/Linux 8.7 (jessie)
Release:        8.7
Codename:       jessie

SUMMARY

When deploying an application cluster, I am copying the applications war file to destination hosts before deploying them to multiple tomcat instances.
Currently, my playbook copies the .war file from the local "files/" directory on the ansible control machine.
On the target machine, the war file is renamed (compared to src) and ownership and mode are changed.
When the file is already present on the target machine and has the correct checksum, module "copy" complains that "absolute paths are required" and fails.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

https://gist.github.com/Nirkus/ee6d1782be1e7e1cdaa6ca8fcece066c
https://gist.github.com/Nirkus/941281b7b89c416e6ecd3a205ec03bbc

EXPECTED RESULTS

• copy the file to target machine if missing
• continue with success w/o copying the file if present and checksum matches

ACTUAL RESULTS

When the file is already present on the target machine and has the correct checksum, module "copy" complains that "absolute paths are required" and fails.
(see gist links above)

[Nirkus]

Found a workround for now:

https://gist.github.com/Nirkus/941281b7b89c416e6ecd3a205ec03bbc#gistcomment-2039262

[ansibot]

cc @ptux
click here for bot help

[samdoran]

That error seems to be coming from ln since it doesn't appear in any Ansible code. Is the destination file a sym link?

[relrod]

This error message did exist in Ansible 2.5 and down, but was removed in 2.6+. This might be fixed in 2.6.

[sivel]

I have not been able to reproduce this in recent versions of ansible. If you are still having problems, please feel free to open a new issue with a simple reproducer.

If you have further questions please stop by IRC or the mailing list:

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