powershell script reading parameters from txt

Question

I have a script that takes 2 parameters (name and location). I put the name and location into a txt file as per this post here Powershell parameters from file. I got prompted to put in value for the 2nd parameter:

Import-Csv 'C:\temp\paramtest.txt' | % { C:\temp\script\paramtest.ps1 @_ }

cmdlet paramtest.ps1 at command pipeline position 1 Supply values for the following parameters: param2:**

This is what my .txt look like:

"param","param2"
"foo","c:\temp"
"bar","c:\temp"
"foobar","c:\temp"

and the Powershell script is just plain:

Param (
    [Parameter(mandatory=$true,Position=1)]
    [string]$param, 
    [Parameter(mandatory=$true,Position=2)]
    [string]$param2
    ) 

$greeting='Hello to ' + $param + ' and ' + $param2
Write-Output $greeting

Any help is appreciated.

What version of PowerShell?

briantist
– briantist

2015-07-16 21:15:33 +00:00
Commented Jul 16, 2015 at 21:15 — briantist
– briantist, Commented Jul 16, 2015 at 21:15
From Get-Host and $PSVersionTable, I got:Version=4.

lmbNbirt
– lmbNbirt

2015-07-17 12:58:59 +00:00
Commented Jul 17, 2015 at 12:58 — lmbNbirt
– lmbNbirt, Commented Jul 17, 2015 at 12:58

Community · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-20 09:12:55Z

4

When you import the file with Import-Csv cmdlet, you get objects of type PSCustomObject back.

The splatting operator (@) expects a hashtable, not a PSCustomObject.

PowerShell 3.0+

To import the parameters from the txt file, you could use ConvertFrom-StringData cmdlet to return them as hashtables instead:

Get-Content -Path .\test.txt -ReadCount 2 | ForEach-Object {
    $Splat = ConvertFrom-StringData $($_ -join [Environment]::NewLine)
    .\paramtest.ps1 @Splat
}

And format your text file like this:

text.txt

param=foo
param2=c:\\temp
param=bar
param2=c:\\temp
param=foobar
param2=c:\\temp

PowerShell 2.0

If you are working with PowerShell 2.0, or if you need to retain the csv format, you can do the work yourself by refencing the values from PSCustomObject into a new hashtable and splat that:

Import-Csv .\test.txt |ForEach-Object {
    $Splat = @{}
    $_.psobject.Properties |ForEach-Object { $Splat[$_.Name] = $_.Value }
    .\paramtest.ps1 @Splat
}

edited Jun 20, 2020 at 9:12

CommunityBot

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answered Jul 16, 2015 at 22:17

Mathias R. Jessen

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5 Comments

lmbNbirt Over a year ago

Thank you Mathias for your suggestion. I need to read more into Splatting to understand how the above work so that I can make it easier for user. Eventually, I would have a regular user put the value into the .txt file and cut and paste the command to get this script running - so I need to KISS(Keep It Simple Simple) this procedure and script.

lmbNbirt Over a year ago

Thank you everyone for giving me guidance on this topic. I had gone with a different approach. I changed my code to:

Mathias R. Jessen Over a year ago

@lmbNbirt If you found an alternative solution on your own, post it as an answer! :-)

lmbNbirt Over a year ago

sorry....run out of time for editing....."Thank you everyone for giving me guidance on this topic. I had gone with a different approach. I changed my code to: foreach ($name in get-content "paramtest.txt"){ do-somthing with $name}. The paramtest.txt is now have only one column of value. For now, this solution work, but eventually I will have to re-visit the Splatting and use function to get the script working."

Mathias R. Jessen Over a year ago

@lmbNbirt As I said: post an answer, not a comment!

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