From 4f262779cd93ca358c55cc302a193d1af86e32fe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mike Grozak <mike.grozak@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2014 17:20:32 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 1/3] Started the development of the 'chdir' functionality for
 file module - creation symlinks without the base directory prefix

---
 files/file | 9 +++++++++
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+)

diff --git a/files/file b/files/file
index bef175873e7..4b59b652c7d 100644
--- a/files/file
+++ b/files/file
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ def main():
             original_basename = dict(required=False), # Internal use only, for recursive ops
             recurse  = dict(default='no', type='bool'),
             force = dict(required=False,default=False,type='bool'),
+            chdir = dict(required=False,default=False),
             diff_peek = dict(default=None),
             validate = dict(required=False, default=None),
         ),
@@ -159,8 +160,16 @@ def main():
     params = module.params
     state  = params['state']
     force = params['force']
+
+    params['chdir'] = chdir = os.path.expanduser(params['chdir'])
     params['path'] = path = os.path.expanduser(params['path'])
 
+    if state == 'link' and chdir is not None and os.isdir(chdir):
+        os.chdir(chdir)
+        # catch exception permission deny, no directory, etc
+        # save current working directory, chdir to it at the end of the module
+        # or before any escape
+
     # short-circuit for diff_peek
     if params.get('diff_peek', None) is not None:
         appears_binary = False

From ecd8b5d0640a9301a6609fca2d92322d024d7474 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mike Grozak <mike.grozak@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2014 14:13:41 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 2/3] Found a way how to have symlinks towards files without
 absolute paths in prefixes; fixed incorrect force setting on the hard links,
 which can not point to non-existing files

---
 files/file | 10 +---------
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/files/file b/files/file
index 4b59b652c7d..7f789242df2 100644
--- a/files/file
+++ b/files/file
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ def main():
             original_basename = dict(required=False), # Internal use only, for recursive ops
             recurse  = dict(default='no', type='bool'),
             force = dict(required=False,default=False,type='bool'),
-            chdir = dict(required=False,default=False),
             diff_peek = dict(default=None),
             validate = dict(required=False, default=None),
         ),
@@ -161,15 +160,8 @@ def main():
     state  = params['state']
     force = params['force']
 
-    params['chdir'] = chdir = os.path.expanduser(params['chdir'])
     params['path'] = path = os.path.expanduser(params['path'])
 
-    if state == 'link' and chdir is not None and os.isdir(chdir):
-        os.chdir(chdir)
-        # catch exception permission deny, no directory, etc
-        # save current working directory, chdir to it at the end of the module
-        # or before any escape
-
     # short-circuit for diff_peek
     if params.get('diff_peek', None) is not None:
         appears_binary = False
@@ -298,7 +290,7 @@ def main():
             else:
                 module.fail_json(msg="absolute paths are required")
 
-            if not os.path.exists(abs_src) and not force:
+            if not os.path.exists(abs_src):
                 module.fail_json(path=path, src=src, msg='src file does not exist')
 
         if prev_state == 'absent':

From 3f74dd65926aa1ae44a95d5e06c3aea07ca0f133 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Mike Grozak <mike.grozak@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2014 14:29:20 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 3/3] Updated the force parameter description; added one
 example how to create the symlinks pointing to non-absolute paths

---
 files/file | 7 +++++--
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/files/file b/files/file
index 7f789242df2..ac766839f16 100644
--- a/files/file
+++ b/files/file
@@ -123,8 +123,7 @@ options:
     default: "no"
     choices: [ "yes", "no" ]
     description:
-      - 'force the creation of the symlinks in two cases: the source file does 
-        not exist (but will appear later); the destination exists and is a file (so, we need to unlink the
+      - 'force the creation of the symlinks when the destination exists and is a file (so, we need to unlink the
         "path" file and create symlink to the "src" file in place of it).'
 notes:
     - See also M(copy), M(template), M(assemble)
@@ -135,6 +134,10 @@ author: Michael DeHaan
 EXAMPLES = '''
 - file: path=/etc/foo.conf owner=foo group=foo mode=0644
 - file: src=/file/to/link/to dest=/path/to/symlink owner=foo group=foo state=link
+- file: path=/tmp/{{ item.path }} dest={{ item.dest }} state=link
+  with_items:
+    - { path: 'x', dest: 'y' }
+    - { path: 'z', dest: 'k' }
 '''
 
 def main():