---
- name: Playbook for testing lineinfile with regex
  hosts: localhost
  tasks:
    - name: Replace values in config file
      lineinfile:
        backup: no
        state: present
        path: ./key-value.cfg
        regexp: '^[# ]*{{ item.search }}\s*=\s*'
        line: '{{ item.replace }}'
      with_items:
        - { search: 'thiskey1', replace: 'thiskey1 = NEWthisval1' }
        - { search: 'thiskey2', replace: 'thiskey2 = NEWthisval2' }
        - { search: 'thiskey3', replace: 'thiskey3 = NEWthisval3' }
        - { search: 'thiskey4', replace: 'thiskey4 = NEWthisval4' }
        - { search: 'thiskey5', replace: 'thiskey5 = NEWthisval5' }
        - { search: 'thiskey6', replace: 'thiskey6 = NEWthisval6' }
        # keys that do not exist get created
        - { search: 'thiskey7', replace: 'thiskey7 = INSthisnewval7' }
    
#    - name: Show new file contents
#      command: "/bin/cat ./key-value.cfg"
#      register: details
#    
#    - debug: msg="{{ details.stdout_lines }}"