Using a variable in Get-Content or Select-String

Question

_{Monday, November 8, 2010 9:15 PM}

gc C:\temp\running_servs.txt | Select-String -Pattern "MSS" -quiet
gc C:\temp\running_servs.txt | Select-String -Pattern $serv -quiet

gc = Get-Content

Running the first example I get back TRUE - as expected. The file contains two lines with 'MSSQL$SERV1' and 'MSSQL$SERV1' in it. I cannot get the second example to work - when I use a variable in the pattern search I always get FALSE, the value of $serv is also MSS. I have also tried this:

Select-String C:\temp\running_servs.txt -Pattern "MSS" -quiet

also to no avail. Is it possible to use a variable in the -Pattern?

MM

All replies (5)

_{Tuesday, November 9, 2010 3:39 PM ✅Answered}

If "MSSQL$DEV" is the value of the variable you're using for the pattern match, I think that may be the problem. 

The default pattern type in select-string is a regex, and $ is a reserved character in regex (eol) , that has to be escaped in the regex if you want to use it as a literal match. 

Does it work if you add the -simplematch switch to your select-string?

gc C:\temp\running_servs.txt | Select-String -Pattern $serv -simplematch -quiet 

[string](0..33|%{[char][int](46+("686552495351636652556262185355647068516270555358646562655775 0645570").substring(($_*2),2))})-replace " "

_{Monday, November 8, 2010 9:31 PM}

Are you sure about the value of that variable?  I just tested against a test file, and using a variable for the pattern match seems to work fine.

$serv

$serv.length

gc C:\temp\running_servs.txt | Select-String -Pattern "MSS" -quiet
gc C:\temp\running_servs.txt | Select-String -Pattern $serv -quiet

[string](0..33|%{[char][int](46+("686552495351636652556262185355647068516270555358646562655775 0645570").substring(($_*2),2))})-replace " "

_{Monday, November 8, 2010 10:57 PM}

Yea, I do not repro this issue either:

PS C:\> 'MSSQL$SERV1','MSSQL$SERV1' | Out-File Test.txt
PS C:\> type .\Test.txt
MSSQL$SERV1
MSSQL$SERV1
PS C:\> gc .\Test.txt | select-string "MSS" -quiet
True
PS C:\> $serv = "MSS"
PS C:\> gc .\Test.txt | select-string $serv -quiet
True

Make double sure of the value of $serv, maybe it is an array and you didn't notice?

PS C:\> $serv,$serv.gettype()
MSS
IsPublic IsSerial Name                   BaseType
                     
True   True   String                  System.Object

-Lincoln

_{Tuesday, November 9, 2010 3:16 PM}

gettype returns the below - MSSQL$DEV is the value of the variable.

MSSQL$DEV

MemberType          : Method
OverloadDefinitions : {type GetType()}
TypeNameOfValue     : System.Management.Automation.PSMethod
Value               : type GetType()
Name                : GetType
IsInstance          : True

_{Tuesday, November 9, 2010 3:29 PM}

You need to include the trailing parens on gettype

$serv.gettype()

[string](0..33|%{[char][int](46+("686552495351636652556262185355647068516270555358646562655775 0645570").substring(($_*2),2))})-replace " "