Write-output not showing after running PowerShell script

Question

My PowerShell script:

          $result = foreach ($user in $list) {
              $samname = $user.SamAccountName 
              $manager = $user.Manager
              $name = $user.Name 
              $managername = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select Name
                  if ($managername.Name -eq $manager) {
                      Write-Output "$manager exists in AD."
                      $dname = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select DistinguishedName
                      Get-ADUser -Filter "SamAccountName -eq '$samname'" | Set-ADUser -Manager $dname
                  }
                  else {
                      Write-Warning "$manager does not exist in AD."
                  } 
          }
          $result | Out-File -FilePath C:\testfile.txt -Width 500

$manager = $user.Manager is a list of names from a file. If $manager exists in AD, there will be a write-output "$manager exists in AD."

In order to find $manager in AD, I created the variable $managername, and wrote an if ($managername.Name -eq $manager).

I am able to produce the write-warning in the console, but not write-output. However, in the txt file, it is the opposite. The write-output if message is listed in the txt file, but not the write-warning else message.

What do I write to produce both if and else messages in the console and also the txt file?

Update: Based on the suggestions given, I tried:

I removed $result, replaced Write-Output and Write-Warning, and tested with both Write-Host, then Write-Information. It did not manage to send any message to the txt file:

          foreach ($user in $list) {
              $samname = $user.SamAccountName 
              $manager = $user.Manager
              $name = $user.Name 
              $managername = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select Name
                  if ($managername.Name -eq $manager) {
                      $if = Write-Host "$manager exists in AD."
                      $dname = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select DistinguishedName
                      Get-ADUser -Filter "SamAccountName -eq '$samname'" | Set-ADUser -Manager $dname
                  }
                  else {
                      $else = Write-Host "$manager does not exist in AD."
                  } 
          }
          $if, $else | Out-File -FilePath C:\testfile.txt -Width 500

Appending both if and else write-output messages to a variable shows up in the console, but nothing appeared in the txt file.

          foreach ($user in $list) {
              $samname = $user.SamAccountName 
              $manager = $user.Manager
              $name = $user.Name 
              $managername = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select Name
                  if ($managername.Name -eq $manager) {
                      $if = Write-Output "$manager exists in AD."
                      $dname = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select DistinguishedName
                      Get-ADUser -Filter "SamAccountName -eq '$samname'" | Set-ADUser -Manager $dname
                  }
                  else {
                      $else = Write-Output "$manager does not exist in AD."
                  } 
          }
          $if, $else | Out-File -FilePath C:\testfile.txt -Width 500

Both messages with write-output only will have both if and else messages in the console. How do I output the messages to a txt file though?

          foreach ($user in $list) {
              $samname = $user.SamAccountName 
              $manager = $user.Manager
              $name = $user.Name 
              $managername = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select Name
                  if ($managername.Name -eq $manager) {
                      Write-Output "$manager exists in AD."
                      $dname = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select DistinguishedName
                      Get-ADUser -Filter "SamAccountName -eq '$samname'" | Set-ADUser -Manager $dname
                  }
                  else {
                      Write-Output "$manager does not exist in AD."
                  } 
          }

halldk · Accepted Answer · 2023-06-20 16:57:50Z

0

Write-Host is what you're looking for, writes to the console, without having to capture anything.

Write-Host "$manager exists in AD."
$dname = Get-ADUser -Filter "Name -eq '$manager'" | Select DistinguishedName
Get-ADUser -Filter "SamAccountName -eq '$samname'" | Set-ADUser -Manager $dname

answered Jun 20, 2023 at 16:57

halldk

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3 Comments

iRon Over a year ago

I guess that the OP also want to write to the pipeline. What else is the $result = for?

halldk Over a year ago

The way it's written, the result isn't printed, or saved anywhere, so I assume it's a throw away, but maybe they're trying to save data into a csv for later? But to write-output with the $result a different way still accomplishes the same thing. I'm operating off of KISS, so just write-host for the desired result.

865296 Over a year ago

Yes, my intention is to output both the if and else message to a txt file, and also have these if and else messages written in the console. I have already added the missing " $result | Out-File -FilePath C:\testfile.txt -Width 500 "

iRon · Accepted Answer · 2023-06-21 12:50:08Z

0

`Write-Output` writes the specified objects to the pipeline.

It does not explicitly write to the console!

In PowerShell, objects in the pipeline might be:

passed on (piped) to a following cmdlet, e.g.:

  Write-Output "$manager exists in AD." |Next-Action

assigned to a variable, e.g.:

  $result = Write-Output "$manager exists in AD."

by default (in case they aren't piped or assigned), eventually displayed on the console

^{Note
The Write-Output cmdlet is usually not required as PowerShell sends any object that is not piped and not assigned down to the pipeline by default}

To explicitly write to the console you might use the Write-Host or the Write-Information cmdlet.

^{Note
Starting in Windows PowerShell 5.0, Write-Host is a wrapper for Write-Information This allows you to use Write-Host to emit output to the information stream. This enables the capture or suppression of data written using Write-Host while preserving backwards compatibility.}

In your case, the pipeline is captured by the result = assignment and I guess you actually want to write to both the pipeline line and the console. For this, you might use the Tee-Object cmdlet which saves the command output in a file or variable and also sends it down the pipeline. To print the output to console and use in the pipeline

Tee-Object -InputObject "$manager exists in AD." -FilePath ($IsWindows ? '\\.\CON': '/dev/tty')

Related: #19827 Tee-Object should have a -Console parameter

edited Jun 21, 2023 at 12:50

answered Jun 20, 2023 at 7:33

iRon

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3 Comments

865296 Over a year ago

I replaced the line "Write-Output "$manager exists in AD."" with Tee-Object "$manager exists in AD." -FilePath ($IsWindows ? '\\.\CON': '/dev/tty') , but the error message says that ? is an unexpected token

iRon Over a year ago

Apparently you are using Windows PowerShell which doesn't know $IsWindows and the ternary if, in that case you might simplify the command to just: Tee-Object -InputObject "$manager exists in AD." -FilePath '\\.\CON'

john v kumpf Over a year ago

I usually do: "$manager exists in AD." | Tee-Object -Append file.txt which sends the string to the console AND the file.txt. Note that Tee-Object does not have a -NoClobber like Out-File does.

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Write-output not showing after running PowerShell script

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`Write-Output` writes the specified objects to the pipeline.

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Write-Output writes the specified objects to the pipeline.

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`Write-Output` writes the specified objects to the pipeline.