Reading strings from text files using switch -regex returns null element - powershell

Question

Question:
The intention of my script is to filter out the name and phone number from both text files and add them into a hash table with the name being the key and the phone number being the value.
The problem I am facing is
$name = $_.Current is returning $null, as a result of which my hash is not getting populated.
Can someone tell me what the issue is?
Contents of File1.txt:
Lori
234 east 2nd street
Raleigh nc 12345
9199617621
lori#hotmail.com
=================
Contents of File2.txt:
Robert
2531 10th Avenue
Seattle WA 93413
2068869421
robert#hotmail.com
Sample Code:
$hash = #{}
Switch -regex (Get-content -Path C:\Users\svats\Desktop\Fil*.txt)
{
'^[a-z]+$' { $name = $_.current}
'^\d{10}' {
$phone = $_.current
$hash.Add($name,$phone)
$name=$phone=$null
}
default
{
write-host "Nothing matched"
}
}
$hash

Answer 1

Remove the current property reference from $_:
$hash = #{}
Switch -regex (Get-content -Path C:\Users\svats\Desktop\Fil*.txt)
{
'^[a-z]+$' {
$name = $_
}
'^\d{10}' {
$phone = $_
$hash.Add($name, $phone)
$name = $phone = $null
}
default {
Write-Host "Nothing matched"
}
}
$hash

Answer 2

Mathias R. Jessen's helpful answer explains your problem and offers an effective solution:
it is automatic variable $_ / $PSItem itself that contains the current input object (whatever its type is - what properties $_ / $PSItem has therefore depends on the input object's specific type).
Aside from that, there's potential for making the code both less verbose and more efficient:
# Initialize the output hashtable.
$hash = #{}
# Create the regex that will be used on each input file's content.
# (?...) sets options: i ... case-insensitive; m ... ^ and $ match
# the beginning and end of every *line*.
$re = [regex] '(?im)^([a-z]+|\d{10})$'
# Loop over each input file's content (as a whole, thanks to -Raw).
Get-Content -Raw File*.txt | foreach {
# Look for name and phone number.
$matchColl = $re.Matches($_)
if ($matchColl.Count -eq 2) { # Both found, add hashtable entry.
$hash.Add($matchColl.Value[0], $matchColl.Value[1])
} else {
Write-Host "Nothing matched."
}
}
# Output the resulting hashtable.
$hash
A note on the construction of the .NET [System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex] object (or [regex] for short), [regex] '(?im)^([a-z]+|\d{10})$':
Embedding matching options IgnoreCase and Multiline as inline options i and m directly in the regex string ((?im) is convenient, in that it allows using simple cast syntax ([regex] ...) to construct the regular-expression .NET object.
However, this syntax may be obscure and, furthermore, not all matching options are available in inline form, so here's the more verbose, but easier-to-read equivalent:
$re = New-Object regex -ArgumentList '^([a-z]+|\d{10})$', 'IgnoreCase, Multiline'
Note that the two options must be specified comma-separated, as a single string, which PowerShell translates into the bit-OR-ed values of the corresponding enumeration values.

Answer 3

other solution, use convertfrom-string
$template=#'
{name*:Lori}
{street:234 east 2nd street}
{city:Raleigh nc 12345}
{phone:[phone]}
{mail:lori#hotmail.com}
{name*:Robert}
{street:2531 10th Avenue}
{city:Seattle WA 93413}
{phone:[phone]}
{mail:robert#hotmail.com}
{name*:Robert}
{street:2531 Avenue}
{city:Seattle WA 93413}
{phone:[phone]}
{mail:robert#hotmail.com}
'#
Get-Content -Path "c:\temp\file*.txt" | ConvertFrom-String -TemplateContent $template | select name, phone