How to remove specific item include content in text file using PowerShell?

Question

I have a text file with this format.

Configuration
;
;   Authors: James
;   Created: 10/11/2018
;
;   Accepted

Name
    James
Class
    A2
Birthday
    1 September 1982
Family Member
    4
First Year Salary Number
    100 USD
Second Year Salary Number
    150 USD
Company Name
    Unlimited Company
Total Salary Number
    1300 USD
ExpectedSalaryNumber
    FY:350 USD
    SY:450 USD
    TS:2000 USD

I want to remove the whole content if the head contain of "Salary Number" and "SalaryNumber", also remove the title "Configuration.... " and output the file after remove it. My expectation output file is like this

Name
    James
Class
    A2
Birthday
    1 September 1982
Family Member
    4
Company Name
    Unlimited Company

I tried this, but it just output the content that I remove. Anyone can help me please. Thank you so much.

$name = $false 
& { 
  switch -regex -file .\Configuration.TXT {
    '^*Salary Number*, ^*SalaryNumber*' { $name = $true; continue }
    '^\s' { if ($name) { $_.Trim() }}
    '^\S' { if ($name) { return } }
  }
} | Remove-Item | Out-File .\Output.txt

Updated Format File

ExpectedSalaryNumber
        FY:350 USD
        (White Space)
        SY:450 USD
        (White Space)
        TS:2000 USD

Sorry, had to delete my answer as it didn't work. switch isn't the right technique to use. — mjsqu
– mjsqu, Commented Nov 12, 2019 at 9:04
stackoverflow.com/questions/33511772/… - Use this in combination with Add-Content to add lines to the final output file. — mjsqu
– mjsqu, Commented Nov 12, 2019 at 9:07

mjsqu · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-12 09:40:35Z

1

This example still uses switch, but this time it uses it to determine what to do with each line, after which it outputs only those lines of interest (non-salary, non-header):

# These variables are changed to true if the line is a header or a salary
$header = $false
$salary = $false
Get-Content .\Configuration.TXT | ForEach-Object {
    # The header flag is reset each time as the header checks are made first
    $header = $false
    # The $salary variable is only reset back to false when a new header is reached, provided it does not contain Salary\s*Number

    # Use switch to find out what type of line it is
    switch -regex ($_)
    {
        '^Configuration' # Beginning with Configuration 
        {
            $header = $true
        }
        '^;' # Beginning with semicolon 
        {
            $header = $true
        }
        # Data lines begin with a space
        # move to the next line - do not alter $salary variable
        '^\s'  
        {
            continue
        }
        # If Salary Number is found set the flag
        'Salary\s*Number' {
            $salary = $true
        }
        # This is only reached once it has been determined the line is 
        # not a header
        # not a salary header line
        # not a data line 
        # i.e. only headers that are not Salary
        # this resets the flag and makes lines eligible for output
        default {
            $salary = $false
        }

    }
    # Only output lines that are not Salary and not headers
    if ($salary -eq $false -and $header -eq $false) {
        $_
    }
} | Out-File .\Output.txt

edited Nov 12, 2019 at 9:40

answered Nov 12, 2019 at 9:22

mjsqu

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8 Comments

mjsqu Over a year ago

I don't have a Windows computer to test this on at the moment, let me know if it works!

Cheries Over a year ago

It return empty output file :(

mjsqu Over a year ago

That should now work, I wasn't resetting the $header variable each time. Do you follow how the code works?

mjsqu Over a year ago

Cheers - pretty tough without a computer to test it on! Could you accept the answer if you're happy with it. Added heaps of comments too to explain how it processes. I learnt how to use switch too, so we both gained something :)

Cheries Over a year ago

Yes, I did. Thank you so much!!

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