title: Ansible - Fetching a file from a Windows remote share
body: <p>I'm trying to get a file from a windows DFS share to the localhost (linux) to parse it later.</p>
  
  <p>The path to the file is something like : \\windows_host\folder\file</p>
  
  <p>And I'm trying to use the fetch module with something similar to this:</p>
  
  <p><code>
  - name: Test
    hosts: all
    connection: local
    gather_facts: no
  tasks:
      - name: Fetching a file from a Windows DFS Share
        fetch:
           src: \\windows_host\folder\file
           dest: local_folder/file
           flat: yes
  </code></p>
  
  <p>But when I run it, it does not get the file and if I use the verbose option it says:<br>
  <strong>"msg": "the remote file does not exist, not transferring, ignored"</strong></p>
  
  <p>Though the file exists at the specific location.. so I think the problem is with the path encoding (I might be wrong) and I have tried a few different formats but so far no luck.</p>
  
  <p>Does anyone know how to do that or what I'm doing wrong?</p>
  
  <p>Alternative ways to get the file are also appreciated considering anyway that
  I'm not allowed to mount the share or to have any service (ftp/http/etc..)  returning the file</p>
  
  <p>Thanks in advance</p>
  
  <p>ValerioG</p>