Powershell script for deleting an XML node in multiple XML files

Question

I would like to have a PowerShell script loop through all .xml files in a directory and delete a matching .xml node. I also want to save a copy of the original .xml file.

I have this line of code which is able to change one file at a time. However, I would like to have a script that does this for all .xml files in a folder.

Get-Content \\network\path\file1.xml | Where-Object {$_ -notmatch '<NUGLET key="000000000000025"/>'} | Set-Content \\network\path\file1.new.xml

I've been working on this script but I'm at a point where it seems to be looking in my documents directory instead of in the network path.

Get-ChildItem \\network\path\ *.xml | 
ForEach-Object {
# Load the file's contents, delete string
(Get-Content $_) | Where-Object {$_ -notmatch '<NUGLET key="000000000000025"/>'} 
}

So why am I getting the following error?

Get-Content : Cannot find path 'C:\Users\username\Documents\file1.xml' because it does not exist.
At C:\Users\username\Local\Temp\4a8c4fc2-9af6-4c35-ab40-99d88cf67a86.ps1:5 char:14
+     (Get-Content <<<<  $_) | Where-Object {$_ -notmatch '<NUGLET key="000000000000025"/>'} 
+ CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (C:\Users\userna...-file1.xml:String) [Get-Content], ItemNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PathNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetContentCommand

And how can I modify the script to make a copy of the original xml file for backup purposes.

EDIT:

So with Nate's suggestion I am now using the following:

Get-ChildItem \\network\path\ *.xml | 
ForEach-Object {
# Load the file's contents, delete string
(Get-Content $_.fullname) | Where-Object {$_ -notmatch '<NUGLET key="000000000000025"/>' | Set-Content $_.fullname} 
}

Nate Hekman · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-26 19:18:20Z

2

The $_ in Get-Content $_ is only passing the file's name to Get-Content, not the full path, causing Get-Content to look for it in the current directory.

Try Get-Content $_.FullName instead.

The full script, including copying the file, would be something like:

Get-ChildItem \\network\path\ *.xml |
ForEach-Object {
    Copy-Item $_.FullName ((Join-Path $_.Directory $_.BaseName) + ".orig" + $_.Extension )
    (Get-Content $_.fullname) | Where-Object {$_ -notmatch '<NUGLET key="000000000000025"/>' | Set-Content $_.fullname} 
}

edited Apr 26, 2013 at 19:18

answered Apr 26, 2013 at 17:48

Nate Hekman

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3 Comments

Geoff Dawdy Over a year ago

That works. Thanks Nate! So now my only issue is that I would like to create a backup of all the files before they're replaced. Is there a way to integrate that into the pipeline... or perhaps maybe it is better to just write a new pipeline to create the backups before modifying them.

Nate Hekman Over a year ago

Your foreach-object can do a copy-item before doing the get-content.

Stanley De Boer Over a year ago

I like saving backup files with the right extension if possible so programs still know how to open them. Change your copy line to this if you want that Copy-Item $_.FullName ((Join-Path $_.Directory $_.BaseName) + ".orig" + $_.Extension )

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