Powershell error adding to an array

Question

Hi I am trying to run a script to get users in a network into an array so that it can be outputted to a csv file along with other data that I am going to get, such as distribution groups.

The code script I am running is giving an error:

Method invocation failed because [System.Management.Automation.PSObject] doesn't contain a method named 'op_Addition'.

The script is a simple for loop:

$ActiveDirectoryList=@() 
$UserDetails = get-aduser -filter {enabled -eq $true} -properties * | Select DisplayName,EmailAddress, SAMAccountName
$counter = 0
foreach($User in $UserDetails){

    $ActiveDirectoryList = New-Object PSObject
    $Users = get-aduser $User.SAMAccountName -properties * 
    if(!$Users.EmailAddress -eq ""){
        $counter++
        $ActiveDirectoryList | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "DisplayName" -Value $Users.DisplayName
        $ActiveDirectoryList | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "Email Address" -Value $Users.EmailAddress 
        write-host $Users.DisplayName
        $ActiveDirectoryList+=$ActiveDirectoryList
    }
}

Tried looking on the internet for a solution but they don't seem to solve anything.

$ActiveDirectoryList is not an array, you've instantiated it as a PSObject — Mathias R. Jessen
– Mathias R. Jessen, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 10:12
$ActiveDirectoryList+=$ActiveDirectoryList looks very suspicious ... — Joey
– Joey, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 10:16
It is adding an array to the array, I think/hope it is anyway. That's where $ActiveDirectoryList+=$ActiveDirectoryList comes in — Sam Lucas
– Sam Lucas, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 10:20
@SamLucas You overwrite the array with a PSObject when you do $ActiveDirectoryList = New-Object PSObject, so that add operation is effectively PSObject + PSObject, for which there is no overload for the + operator — Mathias R. Jessen
– Mathias R. Jessen, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 10:22
@Sam, even if it worked like you want, you're adding an object to itself. Presumably because you're re-assigning the variable. — Joey
– Joey, Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 10:29

Mathias R. Jessen · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-21 10:16:33Z

14

Don't reuse the same variable name for the array, and the individual objects that you want to add to the array. Here I've renamed the PSObject variable to $ActiveDirectoryObject:

$ActiveDirectoryList=@() 
$UserDetails = get-aduser -filter {enabled -eq $true} -properties * | Select DisplayName,EmailAddress, SAMAccountName
$counter = 0
foreach($User in $UserDetails){

    $ActiveDirectoryObject = New-Object PSObject
    $Users = get-aduser $User.SAMAccountName -properties * 
    if(!$Users.EmailAddress -eq ""){
        $counter++
        $ActiveDirectoryObject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "DisplayName" -Value $Users.DisplayName
        $ActiveDirectoryObject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "Email Address" -Value $Users.EmailAddress 
        write-host $Users.DisplayName
        $ActiveDirectoryList += $ActiveDirectoryObject
    }
}

answered Mar 21, 2016 at 10:16

Mathias R. Jessen

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1 Comment

Sam Lucas Over a year ago

Thanks, I was actually following a script that was written by a colleague and he had the same in his script. He said it worked so I had no reason to believe it didn't until now! Thanks your version works!

js2010 · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-05 01:55:50Z

1

+= kills puppies. (the whole array is copied every time)

$UserDetails = get-aduser -filter {enabled -eq $true} -properties | 
  Select DisplayName,EmailAddress, SAMAccountName
$counter = 0

$ActiveDirectoryList = foreach($User in $UserDetails){

    $Users = get-aduser $User.SAMAccountName -properties * 
    if(!$Users.EmailAddress -eq ""){
        $counter++
        New-Object PSObject -property @{
          Displayname = $Users.DisplayName
          'Email Address' = $Users.EmailAddress
        }
        write-host $Users.DisplayName
    }
}

This can be simplified to:

$ActiveDirectoryList = get-aduser -filter {enabled -eq $true -and
  EmailAddress -like '*'} -properties Displayname,EmailAddress | 
  select Displayname,@{n='Email Address';e={$_.EmailAddress}}

edited Nov 5, 2021 at 1:55

answered Nov 5, 2021 at 1:34

js2010

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Comments

Todd Albers · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-04 21:53:14Z

Additional Note: This can also occur if you don't declare the array as an array or mistype it when you declare it. Simple little error. But, maybe it will help someone that comes here and still can't get it resolved. Check your array variable name declaration carefully.

# Example 1 of how you could unintentionally fubar it.
$ActiveDirectoryList=$null
# Example 2 of how you could unintentionally fubar it.
$ActiveDirectoryList_ExaggeratedExampleWrongName=@() 
# Example 3. Same as 2 above, but not as easily identifiable type error
$ActiveDirectoryLists=@()


$UserDetails = get-aduser -filter {enabled -eq $true} -properties * | Select DisplayName,EmailAddress, SAMAccountName
$counter = 0
foreach($User in $UserDetails){

    $ActiveDirectoryObject = New-Object PSObject
    $Users = get-aduser $User.SAMAccountName -properties * 
    if(!$Users.EmailAddress -eq ""){
        $counter++
        $ActiveDirectoryObject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "DisplayName" -Value $Users.DisplayName
        $ActiveDirectoryObject | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name "Email Address" -Value $Users.EmailAddress 
        write-host $Users.DisplayName
        $ActiveDirectoryList += $ActiveDirectoryObject
    }
}

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