Powershell rename using variable

Question

Hi am not able to rename a file using the below code. Please help me on this

    $date = Get-Date -format "yyyyMMdd"
    $path='D:\Users\user\Desktop\Working\'
    $fn = $path+'xxx_'+$date+'.txt'
    $tn = $path+'yyy'+$date+'.dat'
    Rename-Item -Path $fn -NewName $tn

Am getting the below error.

Rename-Item : Cannot process argument because the value of argument "path" is not valid. Change the value of the "path" argument and run the operation again. At line:1 char:1 + Rename-Item -Path $fn -NewName $tn + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (:) [Rename-Item], PSArgumentException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Argument,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.RenameItemCommand

Right before the rename, do this Write-Host ('$fn = {0} - $tn = {1}' -f $fn, $tn) — EBGreen
– EBGreen, Commented Jun 6, 2018 at 13:44
Please update your question with the result of the instruction in EBGreen's comment. — pfx
– pfx, Commented Jun 6, 2018 at 15:02
Try Remove-Variable path prior to defining path, in case something is casting $path to something besides a [string]. I had some code in my profile caused some similar issues by not cleaning up the $path variable. Using alternative methods of building the string like LotPings solution work by verifying that $path is of the expected type before use. (LotPings answer even has some extra validation to validate the path prior to use) — BenH
– BenH, Commented Jun 6, 2018 at 19:55

score 2 · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-06 14:52:55Z

2

I'd use Join-Path and Test-Path

$date = Get-Date -format "yyyyMMdd"
$path='D:\Users\user\Desktop\Working\'
$fn = Join-Path $path ("xxx_{0}.txt" -f $date)
$tn = Join-Path $path ("yyy_{0}.txt" -f $date)
If ((Test-Path $fn) -and !(Test-Path $tn)){
    Rename-Item -Path $fn -NewName $tn
} else {
    "{0} exists is {1}, `n{2} not exists is {3}" -f $fn,(Test-Path $fn),$tn,(!(Test-Path $tn))
}

There is no output on a successful rename, on error the output is like:

D:\Users\user\Desktop\Working\xxx_20180606.txt exists is False,
D:\Users\user\Desktop\Working\yyy_20180606.txt not exists is False

edited Jun 6, 2018 at 14:52

answered Jun 6, 2018 at 13:47

user6811411

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18 Comments

EBGreen Over a year ago

Not working how? There is an error? The file is accidentally being copied to Pluto? Wombats keep licking the spaces between your toes and it tickles? There is even a minimun limit on comment size so that people don't bother with worthless comments like "Not working".

user6811411 Over a year ago

@pfx See BenH's comment, my method of building the file name with the -format operator prevents mistreating $fn as a string array.

EBGreen Over a year ago

I lost track of the conversation. $fn is saying it is a string and the -Path property of Rename-Item takes a string. I don't understand what the issue is.

user6811411 Over a year ago

@EBGreen I think the assumpltion that the + was causing the $fn to become a string array. As we don't know the exact content of $path was and if probaply strange contents got lost pasting here it's IMO useless to speculate further without any input from OP.

BenH Over a year ago

@EBGreen My issue has to be something in my profile hence why I couldn't figure out why it was being treated as an array, but I got the same behavior as the asker but -noprofile fixes it. Still not sure what module is the offender.

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