Delete a file, if it is empty except for a header row - powershell

Question

I am trying to write a PowerShell script to delete a file if its empty, apart from the header.

Answer 1

postanote's answer provides some useful background information on the use of the Measure-Object cmdlet.
In the case at hand, however, it's simpler and faster to use the following:
$file = 'C:\path\to\FileOfInterest'
if ((Get-Content -First 2 $file).Count -le 1) {
Remove-Item $file
}
Get-Content -First 2 $file returns up to 2 lines from the start of file $file, as an array.
Note:-First is a more descriptive alias for the -TotalCount parameter; in PowerShell v2, use the latter.
(...).Count counts the elements of that array, i.e., the number of lines actually read.[1]
-le 1 (-le meaning less-than-or-equal) returns $true if, despite asking for 2 lines, only 0 or 1 are returned.
The Remove-Item call then removes file $file.
[1] Up to PowerShell version 2, .Count would return $null if only 1 line had been read, because PowerShell returns a single output object as-is instead of wrapping it in a single-element array. However, since $null is coerced to 0 in a numerical comparison such as with -le, ths solution works in v2 as well. PowerShell versions 3 and higher implicitly implement a .Count property even on scalars (single objects), which - sensibly - returns 1.

Answer 2

Agreed Olaf...
Khader - What did you search for. There are samples of how to count lines in a file all over the web.
Just search for 'powershell count lines in file'
Example hits.
Use a PowerShell Cmdlet to Count Files, Words, and Lines
How to count number of lines and words in a file using Powershell?
If I want to know how many lines are contained in the file, I use the
Measure-Object cmdlet with the line switch. This command is shown
here:
Get-Content C:\fso\a.txt | Measure-Object –Line
If I need to know the number of characters, I use the character
switch:
Get-Content C:\fso\a.txt | Measure-Object -Character
There is also a words switched parameter that will return the number
of words in the text file. It is used similarly to the character or
line switched parameter. The command is shown here:
Get-Content C:\fso\a.txt | Measure-Object –Word
In the following figure, I use the Measure-Object cmdlet to count
lines; then lines and characters; and finally lines, characters, and
words. These commands illustrate combining the switches to return
specific information.
Update for OP.
You should have updated your original question for context vs putting your code in the comment
As for …
Is there any way I can return just the count and use it with an if
statement to check if it is equal to 1, and then del the file
Just use the if statement when checking for the 'lines' count greater than 1
If (Get-Content $_.FullName | Measure-Object –Line | Where-Object -Property Lines -gt 1)
{
'Count is greater than one'
Remove-Item ...
}
Again, this is very basic PowerShell overview stuff, so it's prudent you take Olaf's suggestion to limit future confusion, frustrations, misconceptions and errors you are going to encounter.