Powershell - path's format is not supported when variables in the file name

Question

I'm trying to add an XML declaration to multiple files in a directory. The code works for a single file with hard-coded name but when I want to run it for multiple files, I'm getting the following error:

"Exception calling "Save" with "1" argument(s): "The given path's format is not supported."

I'm using:

$FilePath = C:\test
$files = Get-ChildItem $FilePath\*.xml
foreach ($file in $files)
{
$xml = [xml](get-content $file)
$decl = $xml.CreateXmlDeclaration("1.0", "ucs-2", "yes")
$xml.InsertBefore($decl, $xml.DocumentElement)
$xml.save($FilePath$file)
}

I've been changing the last line to

$xml.save($FilePath+"\"+$file)
$xml.save("$FilePath\$file")

and other formats but still getting the same error.

Bob007 · Accepted Answer · 2015-08-06 15:18:46Z

1

$xml.save("$file") ?

$FilePath = "C:\test"
$files = Get-ChildItem $FilePath\*.xml
foreach ($file in $files)
{
$xml = [xml](get-content $file)
$decl = $xml.CreateXmlDeclaration("1.0", "ucs-2", "yes")
$xml.InsertBefore($decl, $xml.DocumentElement)
$xml.save($file)
}

or

$FilePath = "C:\Scripts"
$files = Get-ChildItem $FilePath\*.xml
foreach ($file in $files)
{
$xml = [xml](get-content $file)
$decl = $xml.CreateXmlDeclaration("1.0", "ucs-2", "yes")
$xml.InsertBefore($decl, $xml.DocumentElement)
$xml.save($FilePath + $file.Name)
}

As $file is full:\path\of\file\plus\filename.xml you are trying to add full:\path to it.

$file or $Filepath + $File.Name will work.

edited Aug 6, 2015 at 15:18

answered Aug 6, 2015 at 15:11

Bob007

1091 silver badge7 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Shepherdess Over a year ago

Thanks. I've tried that before and am getting an error: "Access to the path 'C:\abc.xml' is denied." so it seems like it needs the full path to save in the correct directory. abc.xml is the file in C: , not sure why it is being picked up

Shepherdess Over a year ago

The second solution worked, I just needed to add "\". $xml.save($FilePath + "\" + $file.Name) . Thanks a lot!

Trondh Over a year ago

Just to chime in on this: Remember that $file is an object with attributes, one of which is "name". Set a breakpoint inside the loop and look at $file | get-member

Chops · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-08 19:55:43Z

1

I have a similar issue and I was able to get what I needed by joining strings using the -join command to create a new var. In this case we'll call it $XMLCompatibleFileNames.

$FilePath = C:\test
$files = Get-ChildItem $FilePath\*.xml
foreach ($file in $files)
{
$xml = [xml](get-content $file)
$decl = $xml.CreateXmlDeclaration("1.0", "ucs-2", "yes")
$xml.InsertBefore($decl, $xml.DocumentElement)
# Join your vars as strings and add the wack (\) if not included in the directory var
# Test it with write-host $XMLCompatibleFileName
$XMLCompatibleFileName = -join ("$($FilePath)\","$($File)")
$xml.save($XMLCompatibleFileName)
}

edited Sep 8, 2018 at 19:55

answered Sep 8, 2018 at 19:48

Chops

113 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Powershell - path's format is not supported when variables in the file name

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related