Powershell - Exchange JSON output without needing to write to a file - powershell

Question

EDIT: Added Setupconfigfiles.ps1
I'm a bit new to detailed scripting so please bear with me.
I have two Powershell scripts
Setupconfigfiles.ps1 generates JSON output to be fed to an API.
Script2 uses that JSON data to execute API commands.
Script 2 can call setupconfigfiles.ps1 as indicated below and use the output data.
.\SetupConfigFiles.ps1 -type $Type -outfile .\Templist.json
$servers = Get-Content -Raw -Path .\templist.json | ConvertFrom-Json
setupconfigfiles.ps1:
param (
# If this parameter is set, format the output as csv.
# If this parameter is not set, just return the output so that the calling program can use the info
[string]$outfile,
# this parameter can be 'production', 'development' or 'all'
[string]$type
)
enum MachineTypes {
production = 1
development = 2
all = 3
}
$Servers = Get-ADObject -Filter 'ObjectClass -eq "computer"' -SearchBase 'Obfuscated DSN' | Select-Object Name
$output = #()
$count = 0
# Set this to [MachineTypes]::production or [MachineTypes]::development or [MachineTypes]::all
if ($type -eq "all") {
$server_types = [MachineTypes]::all
}
ElseIf ($type -eq "production") {
$server_types = [MachineTypes]::production
}
else {
$server_types = [MachineTypes]::development
}
ForEach ($Server in $Servers)
{
$count = $count + 1
$this_server = #{}
$this_server.hostname = $Server.Name
$this_server.id = $count
$this_server."site code" = $this_server.hostname.substring(1,3)
$this_server."location code" = $this_server.hostname.substring(4,2)
if ($this_server.hostname.substring(7,1) -eq "P") {
$this_server.environment = "Production"
}
ElseIf ($this_server.hostname.substring(7,1) -eq "D") {
$this_server.environment = "Development"
}
Else {
$this_server.environment = "Unknown"
}
if (($server_types -eq [MachineTypes]::production ) -and ($this_server.environment -eq "Production")) {
$output += $this_server
}
ElseIf (($server_types -eq [MachineTypes]::development ) -and ($this_server.environment -eq "Development")) {
$output += $this_server
}
Else {
if ($server_types -eq [MachineTypes]::all ) {
$output += $this_server
}
}
}
if ($outfile -eq "")
{
ConvertTo-Json $output
}
else {
ConvertTo-Json $output | Out-File $outfile
}
How can I do it without needing to write to the Templist.json file?
I've called this many different ways. The one I thought would work is .\SetupConfigFiles.ps1 $servers

Answer 1

Y'all are great. #Zett42 pointed me in a direction and #Mathias rounded it out.
The solution was to change:
"ConvertTo-Json $output" to "Write-Output $output"
Then it's handled in the calling script.
thanks!