PowerShell Replace Code

[RetiredGeek]

I'm working my way through the "Windows PowerShell in Action" book and I was thinking I understood it but that was a stretch.

Here's the code:

foreach-object ($f in dir *.xml) {$f = $f -replace 'Bruces-PC','Inspiron15-i5'}

Now as I understand this, obviously wrong, according to page 144 of the book, this should find all the .xml files in the current directory then replace all instances of Bruces-PC with Inspiron15-i5 and then write it back to the same filename!

I've also tried the variant of {${$f} = ${$f} -replace ...} and still no love.
I've also tried it with a full path on the dir command w/o luck.

Ideas?

[JoeP517]

Have you tried quotation marks as the string delimiter?

Joe

[Paul T]

My guess is that you haven't specified the dir command properly. Try this: ($f in 'dir *.xml')

cheers, Paul

[cafed00d]

Also, you cannot use the ${..} syntax with a variable. That is, ${$f} won't work. Instead use "get-content $f". Similaryl, use set-content to write to a file:

foreach ($f in dir *.xml) {(get-content $f) -replace 'Bruces-PC','Inspiron15-15' | set-content $f}

BTW, are you looking at the first or second edition of PowerShell in Action? I assume first edition based on the page reference.

[RetiredGeek]

Cafed00d,

You da' MAN!

My book is copyrighted 2007 and makes no mention of being a 2nd ed., so I assume it is the 1st ed.

Thanks so much I now have a better handle on thing especially, the not using a variable in the ${} construct . I've still got a ways to go to get through the book.

Thanks again.

[cafed00d]

The second edition just came out - it's almost twice as thick as the first! Can't wait to work my way through it.

I do have a suggestion: never try a long command unless you have first tried the parts. For example, I found out the ${$f} doesn't work, while ${some.xml} does by at the command line assigning $f to a file, and then entering just ${$f} in the command line. I also played with an empty foreach command to make sure that it found the files I was looking for:

foreach ($f in dir *.xml) {$f}

And then I tried various individual command to see what it would take to read a file:

get-content $f

Only once I was sure the individual pieces worked did I string the full command together.

All the best in your PowerShell studies!

[RetiredGeek]

Cafed00d,

I was doing exactly as you stated but had not got all the way there yet. I also did not yet know about the get-content cmdlet.

Thanks Again.