PowerShell error "The argument is null or empty." - powershell

Question

I am trying to create a PowerShell script that uses the below code. I believe that the projects folder having spaces is causing my error but I am unable to come up with a solution. I have tried numerous things from different stackoverflow solutions with no success. I am not a PowerShell guy so I know it is something simple (maybe). Anyone help me out there...
Script code:
Write-Host ""
$projectsFolder = Read-Host **'E:\Work - VS.NET 2022'**
Write-Host ""
Write-Host "Adding Path Exclusion: " $projectsFolder
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath $projectsFolder
foreach ($exclusion in $pathExclusions)
{
Write-Host "Adding Path Exclusion: " $exclusion
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath $exclusion
}
Error:
Adding Path Exclusion: Add-MpPreference : Cannot validate argument
on parameter 'ExclusionPath'. The argument is null or empty. Provide
an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command
again. At E:\Work - VS.NET 2022\Tools\Visual
Studio\Windows_Defender_Exclusions_VS_2022.ps1:54 char:33
+ Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath $projectsFolder
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (:) [Add-MpPreference], ParameterBindingValidationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Add-MpPreference

Answer 1

I do not think you want to read host. I think you want to get the content of a file. Your code will be like the bottom but I also added a simple read-host for you to review.
==========read-host================
$YesNoResponse = $null
while ($YesNoResponse -ne "y" -and $YesNoResponse -ne "n") {
Clear-Host
write-host “Yes or No?”
Write-Host "Please confirm."
$YesNoResponse = Read-Host " [Y/N] "
If ($YesNoResponse -eq "") {
Write-Host "Enter was inputted"
Return $null
}
}
I think you are trying to do something like this. If you need something else please expand.
Write-Host ""
$projectsFolder = Import-Csv 'E:\Work - VS.NET 2022'
Write-Host ""
Write-Host "Adding Path Exclusion: "
$projectsFolder = Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath $projectsFolder
foreach ($exclusion in $pathExclusions) {
Write-Host "Adding Path Exclusion: "
$exclusion = Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath $exclusion }

Answer 2

The problem in your script is that the array you use for your loop ($pathExclusions) is not created and thus is empty, resulting in $exclusion variable being always empty/null... which explain your error message.
If the goal is to prompt the user to enter manually a list of directories to be processed, then you can do something like that:
# Create the exclusions array (of strings)
$pathExclusions = #()
Write-Host ""
$projectsFolder = Read-Host **'E:\Work - VS.NET 2022'**
# Press Enter at read-host prompt to exit the loop
while ($projectsFolder -ne "") {
$pathExclusions += $projectsFolder
$projectsFolder = Read-Host **'E:\Work - VS.NET 2022'**
}
Write-Host ""
# Process each item in the exclusions array
# Loop not executed if $pathExclusions is empty so no error message
foreach ($exclusion in $pathExclusions) {
Write-Host "Adding Path Exclusion: " $exclusion
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath $exclusion
}
If the goal is to get the list of directories from a file, then just populate the exclusions array by getting the file content instead of the Read-Host loop:
$pathExclusions = Get-Content -Path "c:\temp\exclusionsfile.txt"