Not able to add data to csv file powershell - powershell

Question

I am trying to add data to an csv file.
I am creating the csv with header first and then trying to add the rows. but it is returning blank csv file
$props=[ordered]#{
ServerName=''
SystemFolderPath=''
IdenityReference=''
FileSystemRights=''
}
New-Object PsObject -Property $props |
Export-Csv "C:\status_report.csv" -NoTypeInformation
$serverlist = Get-Content -Path "C:\ServerList.txt"
foreach($server in $serverlist)
{
$paths_list = $env:Path -Split ';'
Foreach ($sys_Path in $paths_list)
{
$Permissions = Get-Acl -Path $sys_Path
$Users_Permissions = $Permissions.Access | Where-Object {$_.IdentityReference}
#$Users_Permission
Foreach ($user in $Users_Permissions)
{
$IdenityReference = $user.IdentityReference.Value
$FileSystemRights = $user.FileSystemRights
$NewLine = "{0},{1},{2},{3}" -f $server,$sys_Path,$IdenityReference,$FileSystemRights
$NewLine | Export-Csv -Path "C:\status_report.csv" -Append -NoTypeInformation -Force
}
}
}
Please let me know what I am doing wrong here

Answer 1

The main reason why you're seeing this is because Export-Csv expects an object or object[] through the pipeline and you're passing a formatted string instead. This is specified on MS Docs:
Do not format objects before sending them to the Export-CSV cmdlet. If Export-CSV receives formatted objects the CSV file contains the format properties rather than the object properties.
PS /> 'server01,C:\Windows,Computer\User,FullControl' | ConvertTo-Csv
"Length"
"45"
Instead of appending to a CSV which is quite inefficient, unless there is a specific need for this, what you will want to do is collect the results first and then export them.
I'm not too sure why | Where-Object { $_.IdentityReference } is needed, I left it there but I don't think it's needed.
Regarding $serverlist, if you will run this on remote hosts you would be better of using Invoke-Command since it allows parallel invocations. The outer loop wouldn't be needed in that case:
$serverlist = Get-Content -Path "C:\ServerList.txt"
# Collect results here
$result = Invoke-Command -ComputerName $serverlist -ScriptBlock {
$paths_list = $env:Path -Split [System.IO.Path]::PathSeparator
foreach($sys_Path in $paths_list)
{
$Permissions = (Get-Acl -Path $sys_Path).Access
foreach($acl in $Permissions)
{
if(-not $acl.IdentityReference)
{
continue
}
[pscustomobject]#{
ComputerName = $env:ComputerName
SystemFolderPath = $sys_Path
IdenityReference = $acl.IdentityReference.Value
FileSystemRights = $acl.FileSystemRights
}
}
}
} -HideComputerName
$result | Export-Csv -Path "C:\status_report.csv" -NoTypeInformation

Answer 2

Accept Santiago above but this is what I did with what you wrote.
$props = [ordered]#{
ServerName = ''
SystemFolderPath = ''
IdenityReference = ''
FileSystemRights = ''
}
New-Object PsObject -Property $props |
Export-Csv "C:\status_report.csv" -NoTypeInformation
$serverlist = Get-Content -Path "C:\ServerList.txt"
$result = $serverlist | ForEach-Object {
foreach ($server in $_) {
$paths_list = $null
$paths_list = $env:Path -Split ';'
Foreach ($sys_Path in $paths_list) {
$Permissions = Get-Acl -Path $sys_Path
$Users_Permissions = $Permissions.Access | Where-Object { $_.IdentityReference }
#$Users_Permission
Foreach ($user in $Users_Permissions) {
$IdenityReference = $null
$FileSystemRights = $null
$IdenityReference = $user.IdentityReference.Value
$FileSystemRights = $user.FileSystemRights
[PSCustomObject]#{
Server = $server
Sys_Path = $sys_Path
Referecent = $IdenityReference
Rights = $FileSystemRights
}
$sys_Path = $null
}
}
}
}
$result | Export-Csv -Path "C:\status_report.csv" -NoTypeInformation

Answer 3

Santiago's answer is correct and contains all the required information for you to understand the issue you have here.
I just wanted to provide you with the minimum modifications to be done in your script:
Replace the $props custom object by a function (i.e CreateCustomObject)
function CreateCustomObject($val1, $val2, $val3, $val4) {
$NewObject = New-Object PSObject ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "ServerName" -Value $val1 ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "SystemFolderPath" -Value $val2 ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "IdenityReference" -Value $val3 ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "FileSystemRights" -Value $val4 ;
return $NewObject ;
}
Replace the String Variable $NewLine by an Array
$NewLine = #()
$NewLine += CreateCustomObject $server $sys_Path $IdenityReference $FileSystemRights
Write to CSV only once data is collected (move the command to the end of the script)
So the final script will look something like that:
function CreateCustomObject($val1, $val2, $val3, $val4) {
$NewObject = New-Object PSObject ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "ServerName" -Value $val1 ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "SystemFolderPath" -Value $val2 ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "IdenityReference" -Value $val3 ;
Add-Member -InputObject $NewObject -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "FileSystemRights" -Value $val4 ;
return $NewObject ;
}
$serverlist = Get-Content -Path "C:\Temp\ServerList.txt"
$NewLine = #()
foreach($server in $serverlist) {
$paths_list = $env:Path -Split ';'
Foreach ($sys_Path in $paths_list) {
$Permissions = Get-Acl -Path $sys_Path
$Users_Permissions = $Permissions.Access | Where-Object {$_.IdentityReference}
#$Users_Permission
Foreach ($user in $Users_Permissions) {
$IdenityReference = $user.IdentityReference.Value
$FileSystemRights = $user.FileSystemRights
$NewLine += CreateCustomObject $server $sys_Path $IdenityReference $FileSystemRights
}
}
}
$NewLine | Export-Csv -Path "C:\temp\status_report.csv" -NoTypeInformation -Force