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PowerShell Output - Need Help Exporting Data to Text File via Script RRS feed

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    Brand new to Powershell (today actually).  Let's get to it.

    I have done a lot of searching to try and figure out my issues, but have not had luck, or at least not in a way that I understand it for my situation.  What I am trying to do is read a .txt file, delete the last few lines, and then re-save as the same file.  I believe I have figured out the first two parts, but can't figure out the third.  I need help with that part, as well as how to do this as a script.

    Example File to Modify - export.txt

    "Time      " "vertical_accelerations.driver"
    0.000000e+000 7.283554e-002
    2.000000e-003 4.240822e-002
    4.000000e-003 -4.195203e-003
    6.000000e-003 -1.029092e-002
    8.000000e-003 -5.005013e-003
    1.000000e-002 -1.107896e-002
    1.200000e-002 -2.887172e-002
    1.400000e-002 -5.407065e-002
    1.600000e-002 -8.010106e-002
    1.800000e-002 -1.002183e-001
    2.000000e-002 -1.097979e-001

    The export.txt file length is not always the same, so what I have come up with for typing into the PS command window is:

    $content = (get-content C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt)
$content = $content[0..($content.length-6)]
out-file C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt

    However, the last line doesn't work.  It just makes export.txt a blank text file.  So I need help exporting what I get from the 2nd line.  If it has to be another .txt file instead, that is fine.

    Finally, as mentioned, this works (at least the first two lines) if I type into the PS command window.  What I want is to be able to run this as a script/batch file though.  I am utilizing a software (iSight) that allows me to automate this process.  First it creates the export.txt file via a command/batch file.  Then I want to do what I have described above.  Finally I have a command/batch file that will read the new file back into iSight.

    Sorry for the lengthy first post, but I was hoping someone here could help me out.  Thanks.

    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 8:38 PM
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    Hi,

    Your batch file (shell script) would look something like this:

    @echo off
setlocal enableextensions
%SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -File C:\ADAMS\WD\export_clean.ps1
endlocal

    Your PowerShell script would look like the script I posted previously:

    $exportFile = "C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt"
$content = get-content $exportFile
$content[0..($content.Length - 6)] | out-file $exportFile

    Note that I added the $exportFile variable so that in case you change that file name you only have to type it once.

    Bill


    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 9:44 PM
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    Hi,

    $content = (get-content C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt)
$content = $content[0..($content.length-6)]
out-file C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt

    Look at the last line of your code. out-file by itself, with just a file name, makes a blank file. I think you maybe mean something like this:

    $content = (get-content C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt)
$content[0..($content.length-6)] | out-file C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt

    Bill

    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 9:01 PM
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    Awesome Bill.  Thank you very much.  Works exactly as what I was looking for.

    Any idea on how I might incorporate all this into a batch file?  I feel like it needs to be something like this:

    set HOME=C:\ADAMS\WD
"powershell"
invoke-expression "C:\ADAMS\WD\export_clean.ps1"

    Where "export_clean.ps1" is my script from above.  However, this only opens the command window and begins powershell in the set directory.  I need help figuring out how to make it now run my .ps1 file.  Thank you again.
    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 9:28 PM
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    Hi,

    Your batch file (shell script) would look something like this:

    @echo off
setlocal enableextensions
%SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -File C:\ADAMS\WD\export_clean.ps1
endlocal

    Your PowerShell script would look like the script I posted previously:

    $exportFile = "C:\ADAMS\WD\export.txt"
$content = get-content $exportFile
$content[0..($content.Length - 6)] | out-file $exportFile

    Note that I added the $exportFile variable so that in case you change that file name you only have to type it once.

    Bill


    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 9:44 PM
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    Moderator
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    Fantastic help once again.  Thank you very much Bill!

    Tuesday, May 15, 2012 9:48 PM
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