Display a CSV file in 2 columns in Powershell - powershell

Question

I want to read a csv file in 2 columns that when i will open my excel it will shows the informations of my CSV file displayed in 2 columns.
Actually, i only display in one column with the Following code :
Function Read-File {
Param([string]$file, [string]$head)
if (Test-Path $file) {
Write-Verbose "$file exists, importing list."
$data = Import-Csv -Path $file
$s = #()
if ($data.$head) {
foreach ($device in $data) {
try {
$s += $device.$head
Write-Verbose -Message "$device.$head"
} catch {
Write-Error -Message "Failed to add $device to list."
}
}
} else {
Write-Error -Message "No such column, $head, in CSV file $file."
}
return $s
}
}
$list = Read-File $file $fileColumn
So now i want to do it but in 2 columns , i'm a beginner in PowerShell so i would apreciate some help :)
thank you
this is my CSV file :
Asset Number, Serial Number
cd5013172cffd6a317bd2a6003414c1,N5WWGGNL
8df47f5b1f1fcda12ed9d390c1c55feaab8,SN65AGGNL
dc0d1aaba9d55ee8992c657,B2NGAA3501119
i am only trying to display thoses both ( asset number and serial number) on 2 columns on my excel , dont worry thoses informations are not sensitive at all so its ok :)

Answer 1

Use Select-Object to extract multiple properties from input objects (wrapped in custom object instances, [pscustomobject]).
Use implicit output from your function - no need to collect results in an array first, especially not by building it inefficiently with +=, which behind the scenes creates a new array in every iteration.
Note that return is never required to return (output) data from a function in PowerShell; any command whose output is neither captured, suppressed, nor redirected contributes to function's overall output.
Function Read-File {
# Not that $column (formerly: $head) now accepts an *array* of strings,
# [string[]]
Param([string] $file, [string[]] $column)
if (Test-Path $file) {
Write-Verbose "$file exists, importing list."
# Import the CSV file, create custom objects with only the column(s)
# of interest, and output the result.
# Also store the result in variable $result via -OutVariable, for
# inspection below.
Import-Csv -Path $file | Select-Object -Property $column -OutVariable result
# If at least 1 object was output, see if all columns specified exist
# in the CSV data.
if ($result.Count) {
foreach ($col in $column) {
if ($null -eq $result[0].$col) {
Write-Error -Message "No such column in CSV file $file`: $column"
}
}
}
}
}
# Sample call with 2 column names.
$list = Read-File $file 'Asset Number', 'Serial Number'
$list can then be piped to Export-Csv to create a new CSV file, which you can open in Excel:
# Export the selected properties to a new CSV file.
$list | Export-Csv -NoTypeInformation new.csv
# Open the new file with the registered application, asssumed to be Excel.
Invoke-Item new.csv