Export CSV: file structure with folders as columns - powershell

Question

My question is quite similar to one posted here: Export CSV. Folder, subfolder and file into separate column
I have a file and folder structure containing possibly up to 10 folders deep and I want to run PowerShell to create a hash table that writes each file into a row, with each of the folders as a separate column, and then the filename at a dedicated column.
I start off with
gci -path C:\test -file -recurse|export-csv C:\temp\out.csv -notypeinformation
But this produces the standard table with some of the info I need but the directory is of course presented as one long string.
I'd like to get an output where each folder and its subfolder that houses the file to be presented as a column.
C:\Test\Folder1\Folder2\Folder3\file.txt
to be presented as
Name
Parent1
Parent2
Parent3
Parent4
Parent5
Parent6
Filename
file.txt
Folder1
Folder2
Folder3
file.txt
image1.png
Folder1
image.1png
Doc1.docx
Folder1
Folder2
Folder3
Folder4
Folder5
Folder6
Doc1.docx
table3.csv
Folder1
Folder2
table3.csv
As you can see there are some files which have just one folder whereas others could stored in several folders deep.
I need to keep this consistent, as I want to use Power Automate and the File system connector to read the file paths using the Excel table and then parse and create the file into SharePoint using the parent/folder levels as metadata/column in the document library.
I took zett42's code from the linked question and modified it.
$allItems = Get-ChildItem C:\Test -File -Recurse | ForEach-Object {
# Split on directory separator (typically '\' for Windows and '/' for Unix-like OS)
$FullNameSplit = $_.FullName.Split( [IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar )
# Create an object that contains the splitted path and the path depth.
# This is implicit output that PowerShell captures and adds to $allItems.
[PSCustomObject] #{
FullNameSplit = $FullNameSplit
PathDepth = $FullNameSplit.Count
Filename = $_.Name
}
}
# Determine highest column index from maximum depth of all paths.
# Minus one, because we'll skip root path component.
$maxColumnIndex = ( $allItems | Measure-Object -Maximum PathDepth ).Maximum - 1
$allRows = foreach( $item in $allItems ) {
# Create an ordered hashtable
$row = [ordered]#{}
# Add all path components to hashtable. Make sure all rows have same number of columns.
foreach( $i in 1..$maxColumnIndex ) {
$row[ "Filename" ] = $item.Filename
$row[ "Column$i" ] = if( $i -lt $item.FullNameSplit.Count ) { $item.FullNameSplit[ $i ] } else { $null }
}
# Convert hashtable to object suitable for output to CSV.
# This is implicit output that PowerShell captures and adds to $allRows.
[PSCustomObject] $row
}
I can get the filename to show as a separate column but I don't want the script to add the filename at the last column.
PowerShell allrows output screenshot
Thanks

Answer 1

I've answered my own question.
Modified zett42's script, and included a few variables around splitting around just the Name of from GetChild-Item as opposed to the FullName and then of course the fixed column with just the filename in the hash table.
$allItems = Get-ChildItem C:\Test -File -Recurse | ForEach-Object {
# Split on directory separator (typically '\' for Windows and '/' for Unix-like OS)
# $FullNameSplit = $_.FullName.Split( [IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar )
$FullNameSplit = split-path -Path $_.FullName
$DirNameSplit = $FullNameSplit.Split( [IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar )
# Create an object that contains the splitted path and the path depth.
# This is implicit output that PowerShell captures and adds to $allItems.
[PSCustomObject] #{
#FullNameSplit = $FullNameSplit
#PathDepth = $FullNameSplit.Count
DirNameSplit = $DirNameSplit
PathDepth = $DirNameSplit.Count
Filename = $_.Name
}
}
# Determine highest column index from maximum depth of all paths.
# Minus one, because we'll skip root path component.
$maxColumnIndex = ( $allItems | Measure-Object -Maximum PathDepth ).Maximum - 1
$allRows = foreach( $item in $allItems ) {
# Create an ordered hashtable
$row = [ordered]#{}
# Add all path components to hashtable. Make sure all rows have same number of columns.
foreach( $i in 1..$maxColumnIndex ) {
$row[ "Filename" ] = $item.Filename
#$row[ "Column$i" ] = if( $i -lt $item.FullNameSplit.Count ) { $item.FullNameSplit[ $i ] } else { $null }
$row[ "Parent$i" ] = if( $i -lt $item.DirNameSplit.Count ) { $item.DirNameSplit[ $i ] } else { $null }
# $row[ "Column$i" ] = $item.DirNameSplit[$i]
}
# Convert hashtable to object suitable for output to CSV.
# This is implicit output that PowerShell captures and adds to $allRows.
[PSCustomObject] $row
}