src= parameters for template and copy operations can be relative to the playbook (for /usr/bin/ansible-playbook) or current directory (for /usr/bin/ansible)

examples/playbook.yml

@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
     max_clients: 200
   tasks:
   - include: base.yml favcolor=blue
-  - name: write the apache config file using vars set above
+  - name: write the foo config file using vars set above
-    action: template src=/srv/httpd.j2 dest=/etc/httpd.conf
+    action: template src=foo.j2 dest=/etc/some_random_foo.conf
     notify:
     - restart apache
   - name: ensure apache is running

lib/ansible/playbook.py

@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ class PlayBook(object):
         # playbook file can be passed in as a path or
         # as file contents (to support API usage)
 
+        self.basedir = os.path.dirname(playbook)
         self.playbook = self._parse_playbook(playbook)
 
     def _include_tasks(self, play, task, dirname, new_tasks):
@@ -178,7 +179,8 @@ class PlayBook(object):
             module_path=self.module_path,
             timeout=self.timeout,
             remote_user=remote_user,
-            setup_cache=SETUP_CACHE
+            setup_cache=SETUP_CACHE,
+            basedir=self.basedir
         ).run()
 
     def _run_task(self, pattern=None, task=None, host_list=None,

lib/ansible/runner.py

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import Queue
 import random
 import paramiko
 import jinja2
+from ansible.utils import *
     
 ################################################
 
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         remote_user=C.DEFAULT_REMOTE_USER,
         remote_pass=C.DEFAULT_REMOTE_PASS,
         background=0,
+        basedir=None,
         setup_cache={},
         verbose=False):
     
@@ -94,6 +96,9 @@ class Runner(object):
         self.remote_pass = remote_pass
         self.background  = background
 
+        if basedir is None: 
+            basedir = os.getcwd()
+        self.basedir = basedir
 
         # hosts in each group name in the inventory file
         self._tmp_paths  = {}
@@ -287,7 +292,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         # transfer the file to a remote tmp location
         tmp_path = tmp
         tmp_src = tmp_path + source.split('/')[-1]
-        self._transfer_file(conn, source, tmp_src)
+        self._transfer_file(conn, path_dwim(self.basedir, source), tmp_src)
 
         # install the copy  module
         self.module_name = 'copy'
@@ -318,7 +323,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         tpath = tmp
         tempname = os.path.split(source)[-1]
         temppath = tpath + tempname
-        self._transfer_file(conn, source, temppath)
+        self._transfer_file(conn, path_dwim(self.basedir, source), temppath)
 
         # install the template module
         template_module = self._transfer_module(conn, tmp, 'template')