ansible/examples/playbooks/selective_file_sources.yml

---
# this is an example of how to template a file over using some variables derived
# from the system.  For instance, if you wanted to have different configuration
# templates by OS version, this is a neat way to do it.  Any Ansible facts, facter facts,
# or ohai facts could be used to do this.  

- hosts: all

  tasks:

  - name: template a config file
    action: template dest=/etc/imaginary_file.conf
    first_available_file:

       # first see if we have a file for this specific host
       - /srv/whatever/${ansible_hostname}.conf

       # next try to load something like CentOS6.2.conf
       - /srv/whatever/${ansible_distribution}${ansible_distribution_version}.conf

       # next see if there's a CentOS.conf
       - /srv/whatever/${ansible_distribution}.conf

       # finally give up and just use something generic
       - /srv/whatever/default