Related
Given:
PowerShell 5.1
I'm having a little trouble understanding hashtable and splatting. When splatting are use using a hash table to do that or is it something completely different?
I have the following code:
$hashtable1 = #{}
$hashtable1.add('PROD',#{ FirstName = 'John'; LastName = 'Smith'})
function Main() {
$sel = $hashtable1['PROD']
Function1 $sel
Function2 #sel
}
function Function1([hashtable] $x) {
"Value: $($x.LastName)"
$x.FirstName
}
function Function2([string] $firstName) {
"Value: $($firstName)"
}
Main
There's good information in the existing answers, but let me attempt a focused summary:
The answer to your actual question is:
Yes, #{ FirstName = 'John'; LastName = 'Smith' } is a hashtable too, namely in the form of a declarative hashtable literal - just like #{} is an empty hashtable literal (it constructs an instance that initially has no entries).
A hashtable literal consists of zero or more key-value pairs, with = separating each key from its value, and pairs being separated with ; or newlines.
Keys usually do not require quoting (e.g. FirstName), except if they contain special characters such as spaces or if they're provided via an expression, such as a variable reference; see this answer for details.
This contrasts with adding entries to a hashtable later, programmatically, as your $hashtable1.Add('PROD', ...) method call exemplifies (where PROD is the entry key, and ... is a placeholder for the entry value).
Note that a more convenient alternative to using the .Add() method is to use an index expression or even dot notation (property-like access), though note that it situationally either adds an entry or updates an existing one: $hashtable1['PROD'] = ... or $hashtable1.PROD = ...
The answer to the broader question implied by your question's title:
PowerShell's hashtables are a kind of data structure often called a dictionary or, in other languages, associative array or map. Specifically, they are case-insensitive instances of the .NET [hashtable] (System.Collections.Hashtable) type, which is a collection of unordered key-value pair entries. Hashtables enable efficient lookup of values by their associated keys.
Via syntactic sugar [ordered] #{ ... }, i.e. by placing [ordered] before a hashtable literal, PowerShell offers a case-insensitive ordered dictionary that maintains the entry-definition order and allows access by positional index in addition to the usual key-based access. Such ordered hashtables are case-insensitive instances of the .NET System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary type.
A quick example:
# Create an ordered hashtable (omit [ordered] for an unordered one).
$dict = [ordered] #{ foo = 1; bar = 'two' }
# All of the following return 'two'
$dict['bar'] # key-based access
$dict.bar # ditto, with dot notation (property-like access)
$dict[1] # index-based access; the 2nd entry's value.
Splatting is an argument-passing technique that enables passing arguments indirectly, via a variable containing a data structure encoding the arguments, which is useful for dynamically constructing arguments and making calls with many arguments more readable.
Typically and robustly - but only when calling PowerShell commands with declared parameters - that data structure is a hashtable, whose entry keys must match the names of the target command's parameters (e.g., key Path targets parameter -Path) and whose entry values specify the value to pass.
In other words: This form of splatting uses a hashtable to implement passing named arguments (parameter values preceded by the name of the target parameter, such as -Path /foo in direct argument passing).
A quick example:
# Define the hashtable of arguments (parameter name-value pairs)
# Note that File = $true is equivalent to the -File switch.
$argsHash = #{ LiteralPath = 'C:\Windows'; File = $true }
# Note the use of "#" instead of "$"; equivalent to:
# Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath 'C:\Windows' -File
Get-ChildItem #argsHash
Alternatively, an array may be used for splatting, comprising parameter values only, which are then passed positionally to the target command.
In other words: This form of splatting uses an array to implement passing positional arguments (parameter values only).
This form is typically only useful:
when calling PowerShell scripts or functions that do not formally declare parameters and access their - invariably positional - arguments via the automatic $args variable
when calling external programs; note that from PowerShell's perspective there's no concept of named arguments when calling external programs, as PowerShell's knows nothing about the parameter syntax in that case, and all arguments are simply placed on the process command line one by one, and it is up to the target program to interpret them as parameter names vs. values.
A quick example:
# Define an array of arguments (parameter values)
$argsArray = 'foo', 'bar'
# Note the use of "#" instead of "$", though due to calling an
# *external program* here, you may use "$" as well; equivalent to:
# cmd /c echo 'foo' 'bar'
cmd /c echo #argsArray
#postanote has some very good links about hashtables and splatting and are good reads. Taking your examples, you have two different functions. One to handle hashtables as a parameter, and the second one that can only handle a single string parameter. The hashtable cannot be used to pass parameters to the second function, e.g.:
PS C:\> Function2 $sel
Value: System.Collections.Hashtable
Conceptually, the real difference between using hashtables and splatting is not about how you are using them to pass information and parameters to functions, but how the functions and their parameters receive the information.
Yes, certain functions can have hashtables and arrays as parameters, but, typically in 98% of the cases, functions don't use hashtables as a named parameter to get its values.
For ex. Copy-Item doesn't use hash tables as a parameter. If it did, would you want to do this every time you want to copy anything:
$hashtable = #{
Path = "C:\Temp\myfile.txt",
Destination = "C:\New Folder\"
}
Copy-Item -Parameters $hashtable
No, instead, you want the parameters as strings, so you can make it a much easier one liner:
Copy-Item -Path "C:\Temp\myfile.txt" -Destination "C:\New Folder\"
It makes more sense to most people to deal with individual strings as opposed to a generic, large, hashtable "config" to pass. Also, by separating the parameters as separate strings, integers, floats, chars, etc. it is also easier to do validation, default values, mandatory/not mandatory parameters, etc.
Now despite saying all that, there is a situation where you have certain functions with lots of parameters (e.g. sending an email message), or you want to do something multiple times (e.g. copying/moving lots of files from a CSV file). In that case, using a hashtable, and/or arrays, and/or arrays of hashtables, would be useful.
This is where splating comes in. It takes a hashtable and instead of treating it like you are passing a single value (i.e. why Function2 $sel returns System.Collections.Hashtable), the # signt tells PowerShell that it is a collection of values, and to use the collection to try and match to the parameters of the function. That's why passing the hashtable to Function2 doesn't work, but splatting works e.g.:
PS C:\> Function2 #sel
Value: John
In this case, it takes the hashtable $sel and by using splatting #sel PowerShell now knows to not pass the hashtable as-is, but to open up the collection and to matche the $sel.FirstName to the -Firstname parameter.
After playing around with some powershell script for a while i was wondering if there is a version of this without using c#. It feels like i am missing some information on how to pipe things properly.
$packages = Get-ChildItem "C:\Users\A\Downloads" -Filter "*.nupkg" |
%{ $_.Name }
# Select-String -Pattern "(?<packageId>[^\d]+)\.(?<version>[\w\d\.-]+)(?=.nupkg)" |
# %{ #($_.Matches[0].Groups["packageId"].Value, $_.Matches[0].Groups["version"].Value) }
foreach ($package in $packages){
$match = [System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::Match($package, "(?<packageId>[^\d]+)\.(?<version>[\w\d\.-]+)(?=.nupkg)")
Write-Host "$($match.Groups["packageId"].Value) - $($match.Groups["version"].Value)"
}
Originally i tried to do this with powershell only and thought that with #(1,2,3) you could create an array.
I ended up bypassing the issue by doing the regex with c# instead of powershell, which works, but i am curious how this would have been done with powershell only.
While there are 4 packages, doing just the powershell version produced 8 lines. So accessing my data like $packages[0][0] to get a package id never worked because the 8 lines were strings while i expected 4 arrays to be returned
Terminology note re without using c#: You mean without direct use of .NET APIs. By contrast, C# is just another .NET-based language that can make use of such APIs, just like PowerShell itself.
Note:
The next section answers the following question: How can I avoid direct calls to .NET APIs for my regex-matching code in favor of using PowerShell-native commands (operators, automatic variables)?
See the bottom section for the Select-String solution that was your true objective; the tl;dr is:
# Note the `, `, which ensures that the array is output *as a single object*
%{ , #($_.Matches[0].Groups["packageId"].Value, $_.Matches[0].Groups["version"].Value) }
The PowerShell-native (near-)equivalent of your code is (note tha the assumption is that $package contains the content of the input file):
# Caveat: -match is case-INSENSITIVE; use -cmatch for case-sensitive matching.
if ($package -match '(?<packageId>[^\d]+)\.(?<version>[\w\d\.-]+)(?=.nupkg)') {
"$($Matches['packageId']) - $($Matches['Version'])"
}
-match, the regular-expression matching operator, is the equivalent of [System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex]::Match() (which you can shorten to [regex]::Match()) in that it only looks for (at most) one match.
Caveat re case-sensitivity: -match (and its rarely used alias -imatch) is case-insensitive by default, as all PowerShell operators are; for case-sensitive matching, use the c-prefixed variant, -cmatch.
By contrast, .NET APIs are case-sensitive by default; you'd have to pass the [System.Text.RegularExpressions.RegexOptions]::IgnoreCase flag to [regex]::Match() for case-insensitive matching (you may use 'IgnoreCase', which PowerShell auto-converts for you).
As of PowerShell 7.2.x, there is no operator that is the equivalent of the related return-ALL-matches .NET API, [regex]::Matches(). See GitHub issue #7867 for a green-lit but yet-to-be-implemented proposal to introduce one, named -matchall.
However, instead of directly returning an object describing what was (or wasn't) matched, -match returns a Boolean, i.e. $true or $false, to indicate whether matching succeeded.
Only if -match returns $true does information about a match become available, namely via the automatic $Matches variable, which is a hashtable reflecting the matching parts of the input string: entry 0 is always the full match, with optional additional entries reflecting what any capture groups ((...)) captured, either by index, if they're anonymous (starting with 1) or, as in your case, for named capture groups ((?<name>...)) by name.
Syntax note: Given that PowerShell allows use of dot notation (property-access syntax) even with hashtables, the above command could have used $Matches.packageId instead of $Matches['packageId'], for instance, which also works with the numeric (index-based) entries, e.g., $Matches.0 instead of $Matches[0]
Caveat: If an array (enumerable) is used as the LHS operand, -match' behavior changes:
$Matches is not populated.
filtering is performed; that is, instead of returning a Boolean indicating whether matching succeeded, the subarray of matching input strings is returned.
Note that the $Matches hashtable only provides the matched strings, not also metadata such as index and length, as found in [regex]::Match()'s return object, which is of type [System.Text.RegularExpressions.Match].
Select-String solution:
$packages |
Select-String '(?<packageId>[^\d]+)\.(?<version>[\w\d\.-]+)(?=.nupkg)' |
ForEach-Object {
"$($_.Matches[0].Groups['packageId'].Value) - $($_.Matches[0].Groups['version'].Value)"
}
Select-String outputs Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MatchInfo instances, whose .Matches collection contains one or more [System.Text.RegularExpressions.Match] instances, i.e. instances of the same type as returned by [regex]::Match()
Unless -AllMatches is also passed, .Matches only ever has one entry, hence the use of [0] to target that entry above.
As you can see, working with Select-Object's output objects requires you to ultimately work with the same .NET type as when you call [regex]::Match() directly.
However, no method calls are required, and discovering the properties of the output objects is made easy in PowerShell via the Get-Member cmdlet.
If you want to capture the matches in a jagged array:
$capturedStrings = #(
$packages |
Select-String '(?<packageId>[^\d]+)\.(?<version>[\w\d\.-]+)(?=.nupkg)' |
ForEach-Object {
# Output an array of all capture-group matches,
# *as a single object* (note the `, `)
, $_.Matches[0].Groups.Where({ $_.Name -ne '0' }).Value
}
)
This returns an array of arrays, each element of which is the array of capture-group matches for a given package, so that $capturedStrings[0][0] returns the packageId value for the first package, for instance.
Note:
$_.Matches[0].Groups.Where({ $_.Name -ne '0' }).Value programmatically enumerates all capture-group matches and returns an their .Value property values as an array, using member-access enumeration; note how name '0' must be excluded, as it represents the whole match.
With the capture groups in your specific regex, the above is equivalent to the following, as shown in a commented-out line in your question:
#($_.Matches[0].Groups['packageId'].Value, $_.Matches[0].Groups['version'].Value)
, ..., the unary form of the array-construction operator, is used as a shortcut for outputting the array (symbolized by ... here) as a whole, as a single object. By default, enumeration would occur and the elements would be emitted one by one. , ... is in effect a shortcut to the conceptually clearer Write-Output -NoEnumerate ... - see this answer for an explanation of the technique.
Additionally, #(...), the array subexpression operator is needed in order to ensure that a jagged array (nested array) is returned even in the event that only one array is returned across all $packages.
I have the following code:
$DatabaseSettings = #();
$NewDatabaseSetting = "" | select DatabaseName, DataFile, LogFile, LiveBackupPath;
$NewDatabaseSetting.DatabaseName = "LiveEmployees_PD";
$NewDatabaseSetting.DataFile = "LiveEmployees_PD_Data";
$NewDatabaseSetting.LogFile = "LiveEmployees_PD_Log";
$NewDatabaseSetting.LiveBackupPath = '\\LiveServer\LiveEmployeesBackups';
$DatabaseSettings += $NewDatabaseSetting;
When I try to use one of the properties in a string execute command:
& "$SQlBackupExePath\SQLBackupC.exe" -I $InstanceName -SQL `
"RESTORE DATABASE $DatabaseSettings[0].DatabaseName FROM DISK = '$tempPath\$LatestFullBackupFile' WITH NORECOVERY, REPLACE, MOVE '$DataFileName' TO '$DataFilegroupFolder\$DataFileName.mdf', MOVE '$LogFileName' TO '$LogFilegroupFolder\$LogFileName.ldf'"
It tries to just use the value of $DatabaseSettings rather than the value of $DatabaseSettings[0].DatabaseName, which is not valid.
My workaround is to have it copied into a new variable.
How can I access the object's property directly in a double-quoted string?
When you enclose a variable name in a double-quoted string it will be replaced by that variable's value:
$foo = 2
"$foo"
becomes
"2"
If you don't want that you have to use single quotes:
$foo = 2
'$foo'
However, if you want to access properties, or use indexes on variables in a double-quoted string, you have to enclose that subexpression in $():
$foo = 1,2,3
"$foo[1]" # yields "1 2 3[1]"
"$($foo[1])" # yields "2"
$bar = "abc"
"$bar.Length" # yields "abc.Length"
"$($bar.Length)" # yields "3"
PowerShell only expands variables in those cases, nothing more. To force evaluation of more complex expressions, including indexes, properties or even complete calculations, you have to enclose those in the subexpression operator $( ) which causes the expression inside to be evaluated and embedded in the string.
#Joey has the correct answer, but just to add a bit more as to why you need to force the evaluation with $():
Your example code contains an ambiguity that points to why the makers of PowerShell may have chosen to limit expansion to mere variable references and not support access to properties as well (as an aside: string expansion is done by calling the ToString() method on the object, which can explain some "odd" results).
Your example contained at the very end of the command line:
...\$LogFileName.ldf
If properties of objects were expanded by default, the above would resolve to
...\
since the object referenced by $LogFileName would not have a property called ldf, $null (or an empty string) would be substituted for the variable.
Documentation note: Get-Help about_Quoting_Rules covers string interpolation, but, as of PSv5, not in-depth.
To complement Joey's helpful answer with a pragmatic summary of PowerShell's string expansion (string interpolation in double-quoted strings ("...", a.k.a. expandable strings), including in double-quoted here-strings):
Only references such as $foo, $global:foo (or $script:foo, ...) and $env:PATH (environment variables) can directly be embedded in a "..." string - that is, only the variable reference itself, as a whole is expanded, irrespective of what follows.
E.g., "$HOME.foo" expands to something like C:\Users\jdoe.foo, because the .foo part was interpreted literally - not as a property access.
To disambiguate a variable name from subsequent characters in the string, enclose it in { and }; e.g., ${foo}.
This is especially important if the variable name is followed by a :, as PowerShell would otherwise consider everything between the $ and the : a scope specifier, typically causing the interpolation to fail; e.g., "$HOME: where the heart is." breaks, but "${HOME}: where the heart is." works as intended.
(Alternatively, `-escape the :: "$HOME`: where the heart is.", but that only works if the character following the variable name wouldn't then accidentally form an escape sequence with a preceding `, such as `b - see the conceptual about_Special_Characters help topic).
To treat a $ or a " as a literal, prefix it with escape char. ` (a backtick); e.g.:
"`$HOME's value: $HOME"
For anything else, including using array subscripts and accessing an object variable's properties, you must enclose the expression in $(...), the subexpression operator (e.g., "PS version: $($PSVersionTable.PSVersion)" or "1st el.: $($someArray[0])")
Using $(...) even allows you to embed the output from entire commands in double-quoted strings (e.g., "Today is $((Get-Date).ToString('d')).").
Interpolation results don't necessarily look the same as the default output format (what you'd see if you printed the variable / subexpression directly to the console, for instance, which involves the default formatter; see Get-Help about_format.ps1xml):
Collections, including arrays, are converted to strings by placing a single space between the string representations of the elements (by default; a different separator can be specified by setting preference variable $OFS, though that is rarely seen in practice) E.g., "array: $(#(1, 2, 3))" yields array: 1 2 3
Instances of any other type (including elements of collections that aren't themselves collections) are stringified by either calling the IFormattable.ToString() method with the invariant culture, if the instance's type supports the IFormattable interface[1], or by calling .psobject.ToString(), which in most cases simply invokes the underlying .NET type's .ToString() method[2], which may or may not give a meaningful representation: unless a (non-primitive) type has specifically overridden the .ToString() method, all you'll get is the full type name (e.g., "hashtable: $(#{ key = 'value' })" yields hashtable: System.Collections.Hashtable).
To get the same output as in the console, use a subexpression in which you pipe to Out-String and apply .Trim() to remove any leading and trailing empty lines, if desired; e.g.,
"hashtable:`n$((#{ key = 'value' } | Out-String).Trim())" yields:
hashtable:
Name Value
---- -----
key value
[1] This perhaps surprising behavior means that, for types that support culture-sensitive representations, $obj.ToString() yields a current-culture-appropriate representation, whereas "$obj" (string interpolation) always results in a culture-invariant representation - see this answer.
[2] Notable overrides:
• The previously discussed stringification of collections (space-separated list of elements rather than something like System.Object[]).
• The hashtable-like representation of [pscustomobject] instances (explained here) rather than the empty string.
#Joey has a good answer. There is another way with a more .NET look with a String.Format equivalent, I prefer it when accessing properties on objects:
Things about a car:
$properties = #{ 'color'='red'; 'type'='sedan'; 'package'='fully loaded'; }
Create an object:
$car = New-Object -typename psobject -Property $properties
Interpolate a string:
"The {0} car is a nice {1} that is {2}" -f $car.color, $car.type, $car.package
Outputs:
# The red car is a nice sedan that is fully loaded
If you want to use properties within quotes follow as below. You have to use $ outside of the bracket to print property.
$($variable.property)
Example:
$uninstall= Get-WmiObject -ClassName Win32_Product |
Where-Object {$_.Name -like "Google Chrome"
Output:
IdentifyingNumber : {57CF5E58-9311-303D-9241-8CB73E340963}
Name : Google Chrome
Vendor : Google LLC
Version : 95.0.4638.54
Caption : Google Chrome
If you want only name property then do as below:
"$($uninstall.name) Found and triggered uninstall"
Output:
Google Chrome Found and triggered uninstall
I have the following code:
$DatabaseSettings = #();
$NewDatabaseSetting = "" | select DatabaseName, DataFile, LogFile, LiveBackupPath;
$NewDatabaseSetting.DatabaseName = "LiveEmployees_PD";
$NewDatabaseSetting.DataFile = "LiveEmployees_PD_Data";
$NewDatabaseSetting.LogFile = "LiveEmployees_PD_Log";
$NewDatabaseSetting.LiveBackupPath = '\\LiveServer\LiveEmployeesBackups';
$DatabaseSettings += $NewDatabaseSetting;
When I try to use one of the properties in a string execute command:
& "$SQlBackupExePath\SQLBackupC.exe" -I $InstanceName -SQL `
"RESTORE DATABASE $DatabaseSettings[0].DatabaseName FROM DISK = '$tempPath\$LatestFullBackupFile' WITH NORECOVERY, REPLACE, MOVE '$DataFileName' TO '$DataFilegroupFolder\$DataFileName.mdf', MOVE '$LogFileName' TO '$LogFilegroupFolder\$LogFileName.ldf'"
It tries to just use the value of $DatabaseSettings rather than the value of $DatabaseSettings[0].DatabaseName, which is not valid.
My workaround is to have it copied into a new variable.
How can I access the object's property directly in a double-quoted string?
When you enclose a variable name in a double-quoted string it will be replaced by that variable's value:
$foo = 2
"$foo"
becomes
"2"
If you don't want that you have to use single quotes:
$foo = 2
'$foo'
However, if you want to access properties, or use indexes on variables in a double-quoted string, you have to enclose that subexpression in $():
$foo = 1,2,3
"$foo[1]" # yields "1 2 3[1]"
"$($foo[1])" # yields "2"
$bar = "abc"
"$bar.Length" # yields "abc.Length"
"$($bar.Length)" # yields "3"
PowerShell only expands variables in those cases, nothing more. To force evaluation of more complex expressions, including indexes, properties or even complete calculations, you have to enclose those in the subexpression operator $( ) which causes the expression inside to be evaluated and embedded in the string.
#Joey has the correct answer, but just to add a bit more as to why you need to force the evaluation with $():
Your example code contains an ambiguity that points to why the makers of PowerShell may have chosen to limit expansion to mere variable references and not support access to properties as well (as an aside: string expansion is done by calling the ToString() method on the object, which can explain some "odd" results).
Your example contained at the very end of the command line:
...\$LogFileName.ldf
If properties of objects were expanded by default, the above would resolve to
...\
since the object referenced by $LogFileName would not have a property called ldf, $null (or an empty string) would be substituted for the variable.
Documentation note: Get-Help about_Quoting_Rules covers string interpolation, but, as of PSv5, not in-depth.
To complement Joey's helpful answer with a pragmatic summary of PowerShell's string expansion (string interpolation in double-quoted strings ("...", a.k.a. expandable strings), including in double-quoted here-strings):
Only references such as $foo, $global:foo (or $script:foo, ...) and $env:PATH (environment variables) can directly be embedded in a "..." string - that is, only the variable reference itself, as a whole is expanded, irrespective of what follows.
E.g., "$HOME.foo" expands to something like C:\Users\jdoe.foo, because the .foo part was interpreted literally - not as a property access.
To disambiguate a variable name from subsequent characters in the string, enclose it in { and }; e.g., ${foo}.
This is especially important if the variable name is followed by a :, as PowerShell would otherwise consider everything between the $ and the : a scope specifier, typically causing the interpolation to fail; e.g., "$HOME: where the heart is." breaks, but "${HOME}: where the heart is." works as intended.
(Alternatively, `-escape the :: "$HOME`: where the heart is.", but that only works if the character following the variable name wouldn't then accidentally form an escape sequence with a preceding `, such as `b - see the conceptual about_Special_Characters help topic).
To treat a $ or a " as a literal, prefix it with escape char. ` (a backtick); e.g.:
"`$HOME's value: $HOME"
For anything else, including using array subscripts and accessing an object variable's properties, you must enclose the expression in $(...), the subexpression operator (e.g., "PS version: $($PSVersionTable.PSVersion)" or "1st el.: $($someArray[0])")
Using $(...) even allows you to embed the output from entire commands in double-quoted strings (e.g., "Today is $((Get-Date).ToString('d')).").
Interpolation results don't necessarily look the same as the default output format (what you'd see if you printed the variable / subexpression directly to the console, for instance, which involves the default formatter; see Get-Help about_format.ps1xml):
Collections, including arrays, are converted to strings by placing a single space between the string representations of the elements (by default; a different separator can be specified by setting preference variable $OFS, though that is rarely seen in practice) E.g., "array: $(#(1, 2, 3))" yields array: 1 2 3
Instances of any other type (including elements of collections that aren't themselves collections) are stringified by either calling the IFormattable.ToString() method with the invariant culture, if the instance's type supports the IFormattable interface[1], or by calling .psobject.ToString(), which in most cases simply invokes the underlying .NET type's .ToString() method[2], which may or may not give a meaningful representation: unless a (non-primitive) type has specifically overridden the .ToString() method, all you'll get is the full type name (e.g., "hashtable: $(#{ key = 'value' })" yields hashtable: System.Collections.Hashtable).
To get the same output as in the console, use a subexpression in which you pipe to Out-String and apply .Trim() to remove any leading and trailing empty lines, if desired; e.g.,
"hashtable:`n$((#{ key = 'value' } | Out-String).Trim())" yields:
hashtable:
Name Value
---- -----
key value
[1] This perhaps surprising behavior means that, for types that support culture-sensitive representations, $obj.ToString() yields a current-culture-appropriate representation, whereas "$obj" (string interpolation) always results in a culture-invariant representation - see this answer.
[2] Notable overrides:
• The previously discussed stringification of collections (space-separated list of elements rather than something like System.Object[]).
• The hashtable-like representation of [pscustomobject] instances (explained here) rather than the empty string.
#Joey has a good answer. There is another way with a more .NET look with a String.Format equivalent, I prefer it when accessing properties on objects:
Things about a car:
$properties = #{ 'color'='red'; 'type'='sedan'; 'package'='fully loaded'; }
Create an object:
$car = New-Object -typename psobject -Property $properties
Interpolate a string:
"The {0} car is a nice {1} that is {2}" -f $car.color, $car.type, $car.package
Outputs:
# The red car is a nice sedan that is fully loaded
If you want to use properties within quotes follow as below. You have to use $ outside of the bracket to print property.
$($variable.property)
Example:
$uninstall= Get-WmiObject -ClassName Win32_Product |
Where-Object {$_.Name -like "Google Chrome"
Output:
IdentifyingNumber : {57CF5E58-9311-303D-9241-8CB73E340963}
Name : Google Chrome
Vendor : Google LLC
Version : 95.0.4638.54
Caption : Google Chrome
If you want only name property then do as below:
"$($uninstall.name) Found and triggered uninstall"
Output:
Google Chrome Found and triggered uninstall
I have the following code:
$DatabaseSettings = #();
$NewDatabaseSetting = "" | select DatabaseName, DataFile, LogFile, LiveBackupPath;
$NewDatabaseSetting.DatabaseName = "LiveEmployees_PD";
$NewDatabaseSetting.DataFile = "LiveEmployees_PD_Data";
$NewDatabaseSetting.LogFile = "LiveEmployees_PD_Log";
$NewDatabaseSetting.LiveBackupPath = '\\LiveServer\LiveEmployeesBackups';
$DatabaseSettings += $NewDatabaseSetting;
When I try to use one of the properties in a string execute command:
& "$SQlBackupExePath\SQLBackupC.exe" -I $InstanceName -SQL `
"RESTORE DATABASE $DatabaseSettings[0].DatabaseName FROM DISK = '$tempPath\$LatestFullBackupFile' WITH NORECOVERY, REPLACE, MOVE '$DataFileName' TO '$DataFilegroupFolder\$DataFileName.mdf', MOVE '$LogFileName' TO '$LogFilegroupFolder\$LogFileName.ldf'"
It tries to just use the value of $DatabaseSettings rather than the value of $DatabaseSettings[0].DatabaseName, which is not valid.
My workaround is to have it copied into a new variable.
How can I access the object's property directly in a double-quoted string?
When you enclose a variable name in a double-quoted string it will be replaced by that variable's value:
$foo = 2
"$foo"
becomes
"2"
If you don't want that you have to use single quotes:
$foo = 2
'$foo'
However, if you want to access properties, or use indexes on variables in a double-quoted string, you have to enclose that subexpression in $():
$foo = 1,2,3
"$foo[1]" # yields "1 2 3[1]"
"$($foo[1])" # yields "2"
$bar = "abc"
"$bar.Length" # yields "abc.Length"
"$($bar.Length)" # yields "3"
PowerShell only expands variables in those cases, nothing more. To force evaluation of more complex expressions, including indexes, properties or even complete calculations, you have to enclose those in the subexpression operator $( ) which causes the expression inside to be evaluated and embedded in the string.
#Joey has the correct answer, but just to add a bit more as to why you need to force the evaluation with $():
Your example code contains an ambiguity that points to why the makers of PowerShell may have chosen to limit expansion to mere variable references and not support access to properties as well (as an aside: string expansion is done by calling the ToString() method on the object, which can explain some "odd" results).
Your example contained at the very end of the command line:
...\$LogFileName.ldf
If properties of objects were expanded by default, the above would resolve to
...\
since the object referenced by $LogFileName would not have a property called ldf, $null (or an empty string) would be substituted for the variable.
Documentation note: Get-Help about_Quoting_Rules covers string interpolation, but, as of PSv5, not in-depth.
To complement Joey's helpful answer with a pragmatic summary of PowerShell's string expansion (string interpolation in double-quoted strings ("...", a.k.a. expandable strings), including in double-quoted here-strings):
Only references such as $foo, $global:foo (or $script:foo, ...) and $env:PATH (environment variables) can directly be embedded in a "..." string - that is, only the variable reference itself, as a whole is expanded, irrespective of what follows.
E.g., "$HOME.foo" expands to something like C:\Users\jdoe.foo, because the .foo part was interpreted literally - not as a property access.
To disambiguate a variable name from subsequent characters in the string, enclose it in { and }; e.g., ${foo}.
This is especially important if the variable name is followed by a :, as PowerShell would otherwise consider everything between the $ and the : a scope specifier, typically causing the interpolation to fail; e.g., "$HOME: where the heart is." breaks, but "${HOME}: where the heart is." works as intended.
(Alternatively, `-escape the :: "$HOME`: where the heart is.", but that only works if the character following the variable name wouldn't then accidentally form an escape sequence with a preceding `, such as `b - see the conceptual about_Special_Characters help topic).
To treat a $ or a " as a literal, prefix it with escape char. ` (a backtick); e.g.:
"`$HOME's value: $HOME"
For anything else, including using array subscripts and accessing an object variable's properties, you must enclose the expression in $(...), the subexpression operator (e.g., "PS version: $($PSVersionTable.PSVersion)" or "1st el.: $($someArray[0])")
Using $(...) even allows you to embed the output from entire commands in double-quoted strings (e.g., "Today is $((Get-Date).ToString('d')).").
Interpolation results don't necessarily look the same as the default output format (what you'd see if you printed the variable / subexpression directly to the console, for instance, which involves the default formatter; see Get-Help about_format.ps1xml):
Collections, including arrays, are converted to strings by placing a single space between the string representations of the elements (by default; a different separator can be specified by setting preference variable $OFS, though that is rarely seen in practice) E.g., "array: $(#(1, 2, 3))" yields array: 1 2 3
Instances of any other type (including elements of collections that aren't themselves collections) are stringified by either calling the IFormattable.ToString() method with the invariant culture, if the instance's type supports the IFormattable interface[1], or by calling .psobject.ToString(), which in most cases simply invokes the underlying .NET type's .ToString() method[2], which may or may not give a meaningful representation: unless a (non-primitive) type has specifically overridden the .ToString() method, all you'll get is the full type name (e.g., "hashtable: $(#{ key = 'value' })" yields hashtable: System.Collections.Hashtable).
To get the same output as in the console, use a subexpression in which you pipe to Out-String and apply .Trim() to remove any leading and trailing empty lines, if desired; e.g.,
"hashtable:`n$((#{ key = 'value' } | Out-String).Trim())" yields:
hashtable:
Name Value
---- -----
key value
[1] This perhaps surprising behavior means that, for types that support culture-sensitive representations, $obj.ToString() yields a current-culture-appropriate representation, whereas "$obj" (string interpolation) always results in a culture-invariant representation - see this answer.
[2] Notable overrides:
• The previously discussed stringification of collections (space-separated list of elements rather than something like System.Object[]).
• The hashtable-like representation of [pscustomobject] instances (explained here) rather than the empty string.
#Joey has a good answer. There is another way with a more .NET look with a String.Format equivalent, I prefer it when accessing properties on objects:
Things about a car:
$properties = #{ 'color'='red'; 'type'='sedan'; 'package'='fully loaded'; }
Create an object:
$car = New-Object -typename psobject -Property $properties
Interpolate a string:
"The {0} car is a nice {1} that is {2}" -f $car.color, $car.type, $car.package
Outputs:
# The red car is a nice sedan that is fully loaded
If you want to use properties within quotes follow as below. You have to use $ outside of the bracket to print property.
$($variable.property)
Example:
$uninstall= Get-WmiObject -ClassName Win32_Product |
Where-Object {$_.Name -like "Google Chrome"
Output:
IdentifyingNumber : {57CF5E58-9311-303D-9241-8CB73E340963}
Name : Google Chrome
Vendor : Google LLC
Version : 95.0.4638.54
Caption : Google Chrome
If you want only name property then do as below:
"$($uninstall.name) Found and triggered uninstall"
Output:
Google Chrome Found and triggered uninstall