Two loops two files comparison - powershell - powershell

Question

Trying to make 2 loops while reading 2 files, the purpose to take 1 value from first file compare it to 1,2,3rd.. etc values in second file, then go back to outside loop, take 2nd value and compare to all the values in second file sequencially, and so on.
Problem is it only runs comparison on first value in first file and stops.
Code:
Get-ExecutionPolicy
$main_list = [System.IO.File]::OpenText('c:\ping-workstations\main_list.txt')
$retired = [System.IO.File]::OpenText('c:\ping-workstations\retired.txt')
$main_i = 1
$retired_i = 1
[string]$main_list_line
[string]$retired_list_line
try
{
while(!$main_list.EndOfStream)
{
$main_list_line = $main_list.ReadLine()
while(!$retired.EndOfStream)
{
$retired_list_line = $retired.readline()
if($main_list_line -eq $retired_list_line)
{
write-host "`n`n`n match found for $main_list_line in main list `n`n`n`n"
add-content "c:\ping-workstations\matches-through-text-files.txt" "$main_list_line`n"
}
write-host "main iteration: $main_i / inside iteration: $retired_i`n - main value: $main_list_line ---- inside value: $retired_list_line`n`n"
$retired_1++
}
$main_i++
}
}
finally
{
$main_list.close()
$retired.close()
}

Answer 1

You need to re-open the $retired file after the inner loop finishes. As it is written now, once the inner loop traverses the $retired file, $retired.EndOfStream will forever remain true.
try
{
while(!$main_list.EndOfStream)
{
$main_list_line = $main_list.ReadLine()
while(!$retired.EndOfStream)
{
$retired_list_line = $retired.readline()
if($main_list_line -eq $retired_list_line)
{
write-host "`n`n`n match found for $main_list_line in main list `n`n`n`n"
add-content "c:\ping-workstations\matches-through-text-files.txt" "$main_list_line`n"
}
write-host "main iteration: $main_i / inside iteration: $retired_i`n - main value: $main_list_line ---- inside value: $retired_list_line`n`n"
$retired_1++
}
$main_i++
$retired.close()
$retired = [System.IO.File]::OpenText('c:\ping-workstations\retired.txt')
}
}
finally
{
$main_list.close()
$retired.close()
}
As a side note, have you looked into using the Powershell ISE? It has debugging capabilities; by setting a breakpoint and stepping through your code, I was able to spot the problem quickly.