Powershell function to replace or add lines in text files

Question

I'm working on a powershell script that modifies config files. I have files like this:

#####################################################
# comment about logentrytimeout
#####################################################
Logentrytimeout= 1800

who should look like this:

#####################################################
# comment about logentrytimeout
#####################################################
Logentrytimeout= 180
disablepostprocessing = 1
segmentstarttimeout = 180

If there is a key set(Logentrytimeout), just update it to the given value. Ignore comments, where the key is mentioned(lines that start with #). The Key is case insensitive.

If the key is not set(disablepostprocessing and segmentstarttimeout), append key and value to the file. My function so far goes like this:

function setConfig( $file, $key, $value )
{
  (Get-Content $file) |
  Foreach-Object {$_ -replace "^"+$key+".=.+$", $key + " = " + $value } |
  Set-Content $file
}

setConfig divider.conf "Logentrytimeout" "180"
setConfig divider.conf "disablepostprocessing" "1"
setConfig divider.conf "segmentstarttimeout" "180"

What is the correct regex?
How do I check if there was a replacement?
If there was no replacement: How can I append $key+" = "+$value to the file then?

MikeM · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-27 16:33:38Z

14

Assuming the $key you want to replace is always at the beginning of a line, and that it contains no special regex characters

function setConfig( $file, $key, $value ) {
    $content = Get-Content $file
    if ( $content -match "^$key\s*=" ) {
        $content -replace "^$key\s*=.*", "$key = $value" |
        Set-Content $file     
    } else {
        Add-Content $file "$key = $value"
    }
}

setConfig "divider.conf" "Logentrytimeout" "180"

If there is no replacement $key = $value will be appended to the file.

answered Mar 27, 2013 at 16:33

MikeM

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Comments

CarlR · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-17 10:46:56Z

3

Updated version of the functions above with some parametrisation and verbose output if required.

   Function Set-FileConfigurationValue()
{
    [CmdletBinding(PositionalBinding=$false)]   
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory)][string][ValidateScript({Test-Path $_})] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory)][string][ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()] $Key,
        [Parameter(Mandatory)][string][ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()] $Value,
        [Switch] $ReplaceExistingValue,
        [Switch] $ReplaceOnly
    )

    $content = Get-Content -Path $Path
    $regreplace = $("(?<=$Key).*?=.*")
    $regValue = $("=" + $Value)
    if (([regex]::Match((Get-Content $Path),$regreplace)).success)
    {
        If ($ReplaceExistingValue)
        {
            Write-Verbose "Replacing configuration Key ""$Key"" in configuration file ""$Path"" with Value ""$Value"""
            (Get-Content -Path $Path) | Foreach-Object { [regex]::Replace($_,$regreplace,$regvalue) } | Set-Content $Path
        }
        else
        {
            Write-Warning "Key ""$Key"" found in configuration file ""$Path"". To replace this Value specify parameter ""ReplaceExistingValue"""
        }
    } 
    elseif (-not $ReplaceOnly) 
    {    
        Write-Verbose "Adding configuration Key ""$Key"" to configuration file ""$Path"" using Value ""$Value"""
        Add-Content -Path $Path -Value $("`n" + $Key + "=" + $Value)       
    }
    else
    {
        Write-Warning "Key ""$Key"" not found in configuration file ""$Path"" and parameter ""ReplaceOnly"" has been specified therefore no work done"
    }
}

edited Apr 17, 2014 at 10:46

answered Apr 16, 2014 at 14:37

CarlR

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1 Comment

Jon Weinraub Over a year ago

Question, if a key/value exists but happens to be commented out, how do I either uncomment it, or throw an exception? i am using this standalone, but how do i use it as an actual function with the parameters as strings, so i can use ..("./foo.cfg", "foo", "bar, baz")

mjolinor · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-27 16:25:25Z

2

I'd do this:

function setConfig( $file, $key, $value )
{
  $regex = '^' + [regex]::escape($key) + '\s*=.+'
  $replace = "$key = $value"
  $old = get-content $file
  $new = $old -replace $regex,$replace 

  if (compare-object $old $new)
    {  
      Write-Host (compare-object $old $new |  ft -auto | out-string) -ForegroundColor Yellow
      $new | set-content $file
    }

    else {
           $replace | add-content $file
           Write-Host "$replace added to $file" -ForegroundColor Cyan
         }

}

Edit: added a replacement bell, and a not match whistle.

edited Mar 27, 2013 at 16:25

answered Mar 27, 2013 at 15:44

mjolinor

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Comments

Nick · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-27 16:39:48Z

Change the function to this:

function Set-Config( $file, $key, $value )
{
    $regreplace = $("(?<=$key).*?=.*")
    $regvalue = $(" = " + $value)
    if (([regex]::Match((Get-Content $file),$regreplace)).success) {
        (Get-Content $file) `
            |Foreach-Object { [regex]::Replace($_,$regreplace,$regvalue)
         } | Set-Content $file
    } else {
        Add-Content -Path $file -Value $("`n" + $key + " = " + $value)          
    }
}

Then when you call the function, use this format:

Set-Config -file "divider.conf" -key "Logentrytimeout" -value "180"

Edit: I forgot your requirement of adding the line if it doesn't exist. This will check for the $key, if it exists it will set its value to $value. If it doesn't exist it will add $key = $value to the end of the file. I also renamed the function to be more consistent with power shell naming conventions.

Juan Antonio Tubío · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-13 20:21:59Z

@CarlR Function it's for PowerShell Version 3. This it's the same adapted to PowerShell Version 2.

EDIT: Changed regular expression to fix two bugs on Set-FileConfigurationValue:

If you have one line like this:

; This is a Black line

And you try to do:

Set-FileConfigurationValue $configFile "Black" 20 -ReplaceExistingValue

You get one message about "Replacing" but nothing happens.
If you have two lines like these:

filesTmp=50
Tmp=50

And you try to do:

Set-FileConfigurationValue $configFile "Tmp" 20 -ReplaceExistingValue

You get the two lines changed!

filesTmp=20 Tmp=20

This is the final version:

Function Set-FileConfigurationValue()
{
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
        [ValidateScript({Test-Path $_})]
        [string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
        [string] $Key,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()] 
        [string]$Value,
        [Switch] $ReplaceExistingValue,
        [Switch] $ReplaceOnly
    )

    $regmatch= $("^($Key\s*=\s*)(.*)")
    $regreplace=$('${1}'+$Value)

    if ((Get-Content $Path) -match $regmatch)
    {
        If ($ReplaceExistingValue)
        {
            Write-Verbose "Replacing configuration Key ""$Key"" in configuration file ""$Path"" with Value ""$Value"""
            (Get-Content -Path $Path) | ForEach-Object { $_ -replace $regmatch,$regreplace } | Set-Content $Path
        }
        else
        {
            Write-Warning "Key ""$Key"" found in configuration file ""$Path"". To replace this Value specify parameter ""ReplaceExistingValue"""
        }
    } 
    elseif (-not $ReplaceOnly) 
    {    
        Write-Verbose "Adding configuration Key ""$Key"" to configuration file ""$Path"" using Value ""$Value"""
        Add-Content -Path $Path -Value $("`n" + $Key + "=" + $Value)       
    }
    else
    {
        Write-Warning "Key ""$Key"" not found in configuration file ""$Path"" and parameter ""ReplaceOnly"" has been specified therefore no work done"
    }
}

I've also added a function to read from the config file

Function Get-FileConfigurationValue()
{
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
        [ValidateScript({Test-Path $_})]
        [string] $Path,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
        [string] $Key,
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$False)]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()] 
        [string]$Default=""
    )

    # Don't have spaces before key. 
    # To allow spaces, use "$Key\s*=\s*(.*)"
    $regKey = $("^$Key\s*=\s*(.*)")

    # Get only last time 
    $Value = Get-Content -Path $Path | Where {$_ -match $regKey} | Select-Object -last 1 | ForEach-Object { $matches[1] }
    if(!$Value) { $Value=$Default }

    Return $Value
}

DimaSan · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-26 20:01:51Z

0

function sed($filespec, $search, $replace)
{
    foreach ($file in gci -Recurse $filespec | ? { Select-String $search $_ -Quiet } )
    { 
    (gc $file) | 
     ForEach-Object {$_ -replace $search, $replace } | 
     Set-Content $file
    }
}

Usage:

sed ".\*.config" "intranet-" "intranetsvcs-"

edited Oct 26, 2016 at 20:01

DimaSan

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answered Oct 26, 2016 at 19:44

GBute

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