copying .deb file fails while using ansible playbook

Question

I am trying to install a .deb file. Currently, I am just trying it out before actually deploying it but the copying keeps failing. Here's my ansible-deb-installation.yaml:

- name: Install .deb packages
  hosts: hosts
  become: true

  tasks:

    - name: Copy .deb files to the remote host
      copy:
        src: /home/$USER/my-deb.deb
        dest: /home/ansible/

    - name: Install .deb packages
      apt:
        deb: /home/ansible/my-deb.deb
        update_cache: yes
      register: apt_install_result

    - name: Display installed packages
      debug:
        var: apt_install_result

I am getting this error:

TASK [Copy .deb files to the remote host] ************************************************************************************************************
fatal: [192.168.1.12]: FAILED! => {"changed": false, "checksum": "24666b3d4b2ebb70463c05e3bab49a21b183c30a", "msg": "Source /home/ansible/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1691040448.7838528-56121-85302757455574/source not found"}

I have cross checked and verified the path to the .deb file but I still keep getting this error. I am not sure what else I am doing wrong here.

Answer 1

Check on the Ansible controller what the complete path is of the .deb file.

    - name: Copy .deb files to the remote host
      copy:
        src: /home/$USER/my-deb.deb
        dest: /home/ansible/

The src you provided here is incorrect. A playbook written in .yml does not handle bash expansion.

Change that path to the full path, or use a variable, e.g.

---
- hosts: hosts
  become: true
  vars:
    some_user: me
  tasks:
    - name: Copy .deb files to the remote host
      copy:
        src: "/home/{{ some_user }}/my-deb.deb"
        dest: /home/ansible/

The remaining part of your playbook looks fine.