Powershell Switch Statement String Match Not Working

Question

I am having trouble getting a simple switch statement to work in a Powershell script I'm using. Had previously been using nested if's and wanted to clean up a bit. Code is below.

When I walk it through Powershell ISE in debug and evaluate the tests (e.g. $_ -match 'match1' ) it does evaluate to true as expected based on the value of $mystring. However, it never seems to properly execute the code associated with that value in the Switch block. I'm sure I'm missing something obvious, and appreciate any guidance. Hope my description makes sense. I'm running v5.1.

Switch ($myString)
{
  ($_ -match 'match1') { somecodeblock }
  ($_ -match 'match2') { somecodeblock }
  ($_ -match 'match3') { somecodeblock }
  ($_ -match 'match3') { somecodeblock }
  ($_ -match 'match4') { somecodeblock }
  ($_ -match 'match4') { somecodeblock }
}

Mark Wragg · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-29 15:12:51Z

9

The correct syntax is to use curly braces around your test when using $_ (you are currently using brackets):

Switch ($myString)
{
   {$_ -match 'match1'} {somecodeblock}
}

When you are not using $_ they can be ommitted from the test entirely, and you could do this if you used the -wildcard parameter:

Switch -wildcard ($myString)
{
   '*match1*' {somecodeblock}
}

edited Mar 29, 2017 at 15:12

answered Mar 29, 2017 at 14:44

Mark Wragg

23.6k7 gold badges48 silver badges77 bronze badges

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

1 Comment

Jeff Over a year ago

Thought it might be a dumb syntax mistake on my part. That change did the trick. Thanks very much Mark.

fbehrens · Accepted Answer · 2019-10-01 09:38:07Z

3

the correct use of the switch statement is:

Switch -regex ($myString)
{
  'match1' {somecodeblock}
  'match2' {somecodeblock}
}

answered Oct 1, 2019 at 9:38

fbehrens

6,6612 gold badges21 silver badges22 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Powershell Switch Statement String Match Not Working

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related