Powershell Select-String Problem with variable - powershell

Question

I have a CSV list of numbers that I would like to use Select-String to return the name of the file that the string is in.
When I do this
$InvoiceList = Import-CSV "C:\invoiceList.csv"
Foreach ($invoice in $InvoiceList)
{
$orderFilename = $FileList | Select-String -Pattern "3505343956" | Select Filename,Pattern
$orderFilename
}
It gives me a response, I realize it is in a loop, but it gives me a response (albeit many times). This is what I would like.
Order# 199450619.pdf.txt 3505343956
Order# 199450619.pdf.txt 3505343956
But, when I run this:
$InvoiceList = Import-CSV "C:\invoiceList.csv"
Foreach ($invoice in $InvoiceList)
{
$orderFilename = $FileList | Select-String -Pattern "$invoice" | Select Filename,Pattern
$orderFilename
}
or this
$InvoiceList = Import-CSV "C:\invoiceList.csv"
Foreach ($invoice in $InvoiceList)
{
$orderFilename = $FileList | Select-String -Pattern $invoice | Select Filename,Pattern
$orderFilename
}
I get nothing in return.
I know there is data in $invoice because if I just ouput $invoice, I get all the invoice numbers that are in the CSV.
What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Since $InvoiceList contains the output from a Import-Csv call, it contains custom objects with properties named for the CSV columns, not strings.
Therefore, you must explicitly access the property that contains the invoice number (as a string) in order to use it as search pattern with Select-String.
Assuming that the property / column name of interest is InvoiceNum (adjust as needed):
Foreach ($invoice in $InvoiceList.InvoiceNum) { # Note the .InvoiceNum
$FileList | Select-String -Pattern $invoice | Select Filename,Pattern
}
Note:
Even though $InvoiceList contains an array of objects, PowerShell allows you to access a property that only exists on the elements of the array (.InvoiceNum here), and get the elements' property values as a result - this convenient feature is called member-access enumeration.
However, note that Select-String's -Pattern parameter accepts an array of search patterns, so you can shorten your command as follows, which also improves performance:
$FileList |
Select-String -Pattern (Import-Csv C:\invoiceList.csv).InvoiceNum |
Select-Object Filename,Pattern