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Answered what does "%" mean in powershell syntax

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      Monday, February 15, 2010 1:42 PM
       
       
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      I know that typically the "%" character is for mod functionality.  In some powershell scripts I've come across, I've noticed % being used after the | character and I can't seem to find what the syntax means.

      For example. "$old | % { Remove-Item $_.SPBackupDirectory -Recurse }"   I can't figure out what | % is doing.....  is it a shorthand foreach expression?
      Tony Testa www.tonytestasworld.com
       

    Answers

    • Monday, February 15, 2010 1:46 PM
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      Yes, it is a shortcut notation or alias for ForEach-Object:

      PS > get-alias -definition foreach-object

CommandType     Name                                                Definition
-----------     ----                                                ----------
Alias           %                                                   ForEach-Object
Alias           foreach                                             ForEach-Object


      The above only works with PowerShell v2.  V1 doesn't support the -Definition parameter.
       

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    • Monday, February 15, 2010 1:46 PM
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      Yes, it is a shortcut notation or alias for ForEach-Object:

      PS > get-alias -definition foreach-object

CommandType     Name                                                Definition
-----------     ----                                                ----------
Alias           %                                                   ForEach-Object
Alias           foreach                                             ForEach-Object


      The above only works with PowerShell v2.  V1 doesn't support the -Definition parameter.
       
    • Tuesday, February 16, 2010 4:22 PM
       
       
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      Also this is math operator: division with a reminder. When percent sign is placed after pipeline sign "|" — it always threated as Foreach-Object alias. In all other cases it is threated as math operator.
      http://www.sysadmins.lv