How to read arrays into variables from specific file with Powershell to work with the variables in Powershell

Question

how do I read arrays from a file into variables with powershell? My ListOfFileNames.txt has arrays which are like this one:

#Begin ArrayOneList:
Filename4.txt
FilenameD.png
myone.exe

#Begin ArrayTwo:
myFile2.txt
Filename1.gif

#Begin ArrayNextOne:
speficifFile.doc
ExcelFile.xls
File3.png
AnotherFile.png
logFile.log

Now I want to read the Arrays into Variables and work with them in Powershell:

$ArrayOneList = Get-Content C:\Scripts\ListOfFileNames.txt
foreach($File in $ArrayOneList)
{
    $Weekday = $File.LastWriteTime.DayOfWeek
    $Destination = "D:\Test\$Weekday"

    Copy-Item $File.FullName -Destination $Destination -Recurse    
}


$ArrayTwo = Get-Content C:\Scripts\ListOfFileNames.txt
foreach($File in $ArrayTwo)
{
    $Weekday = $File.LastWriteTime.DayOfWeek
    $Destination = "E:\Dir\Dest"

    Copy-Item $File.FullName -Destination $Destination -Recurse    
}


$ArrayNextOne= Get-Content C:\Scripts\ListOfFileNames.txt
foreach($File in $ArrayNextOne)
{
    $Weekday = $File.LastWriteTime.DayOfWeek
    $Destination = "E:\Dir\SpecificDirectory"

    Copy-Item $File.FullName -Destination $Destination -Recurse    
}

How can I read all the Arrays from One File in to Variables?

Moerwald · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-09 05:56:48Z

If you can use JSON as format in your input file you can simply "deserialize" the array. Example:

PS C:\temp> [string[]]$array = @("1","2","3")

PS C:\temp> ConvertTo-Json $array
[
   "1",
   "2",
   "3"
]

PS C:\temp> ConvertTo-Json $array | Out-File array.json

PS C:\temp> Get-Content .\array.json |  ConvertFrom-Json
1
2
3

PS C:\temp> [string[]]$array2 = Get-Content .\array.json |  ConvertFrom-Json 

PS C:\temp> $array2.GetType()

IsPublic IsSerial Name                                     BaseType                                                                                                                          
-------- -------- ----                                     --------                                                                                                                          
True     True     String[]                                 System.Array   

PS C:\temp> $array2
1
2
3

To work with multiple arrays you can create a hashtable that contains these arrays. Example:

PS C:\temp> $arr1 = @("1","2")

PS C:\temp> $arr2 = @("3","4")

PS C:\temp> $arrays = @{"arr1"=$arr1; "arr2"=$arr2}

PS C:\temp> $arrays

Name                           Value                                                                                                                                                         
----                           -----                                                                                                                                                         
arr1                           {1, 2}                                                                                                                                                        
arr2                           {3, 4}                                                                                                                                                        


PS C:\temp> $arrays | ConvertTo-Json
{
     "arr1":  [
                "1",
                "2"
              ],
     "arr2":  [
                "3",
                "4"
              ]
 }

 PS C:\temp> $arrays | ConvertTo-Json | Out-File hash.json

 PS C:\temp> $recreatedHash = get-content .\hash.json | ConvertFrom-Json 

 PS C:\temp> $recreatedHash

 arr1   arr2  
 ----   ----  
 {1, 2} {3, 4}

Hope that helps

Sorry, this seems to be understandable for experts but not for me. Where do I call my ListOfFileNames.txt? Where do I declare the name of my Arrays "ArrayOneList,ArrayTwo,ArrayNextOne..." ?

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 12:17:02Z

0

You can do like this:

param(
    [parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
    [string[]]$myarr
)

Refer THIS Example also

In your case, you can do like this:

param(
    [parameter(Mandatory=$False)]
    [string[]]$myarr=@("ArrayOneList","ArrayTwo","ArrayNextOne")
)

edited May 23, 2017 at 12:17

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Feb 9, 2017 at 5:44

Ranadip Dutta

9,5493 gold badges33 silver badges48 bronze badges

4 Comments

Mailo Over a year ago

Do I've to call it like this?: Powershell.exe -File "MyScriptPath-ps1" "ArrayOneList,ArrayTwo,ArrayNextOne" How can I use the parameters withouth the calling of the arrays from outside and only from inside of my script?

Ranadip Dutta Over a year ago

@Mailo: Yes, you have to call like that. THe link which I have given in that you can see some examples also for that

Mailo Over a year ago

There is no example how ich can use it withouth the calling of parameters from outside. Ich just want to call the poweeshellfile.ps1 withouth parameters

Ranadip Dutta Over a year ago

@Mailo: I have edited my answer and showed you how to pass it from inside. Hope it helps

JPBlanc · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-09 08:31:18Z

0

Here is a solution to read the content of a text file (small) where parts are separated by an empty line :

# First read the file as one string
 $a = Get-Content 'D:\temp\test.txt' -raw

 # Get your arrays (here on the fact that the separator is an empty line
 $b = $a -split '\n\r'

 # Use array One
 foreach ($file in $($b[0] -split '\n'))
 {
 }

 # You can use $b[1] for file two etc...

edited Feb 9, 2017 at 8:31

answered Feb 9, 2017 at 7:16

JPBlanc

73.1k17 gold badges137 silver badges180 bronze badges

2 Comments

Mailo Over a year ago

My Arrays are separated by # only the entries are separated by empy line

JPBlanc Over a year ago

This is not what you give in the sample ? Can you edit your sample I will edit my answer.

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