Storing Directory Folder Names Into Array Powershell

Question

I am trying to write a script that will get the names of all the folders in a specific directory and then return each as an entry in an array. From here I was going to use each array element to run a larger loop that uses each element as a parameter for a later function call. All of this is through powershell.

At the moment I have this code:

function Get-Directorys
{
    $path = gci \\QNAP\wpbackup\

    foreach ($item.name in $path)
    {
        $a = $item.name
    }
}

The $path line is correct and gets me all of the directories, however the foreach loop is the problem where it actually stores the individual chars of the first directory instead of each directories full name to each element.

Shay Levy · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-22 08:59:28Z

46

Here's another option using a pipeline:

$arr = Get-ChildItem \\QNAP\wpbackup | 
       Where-Object {$_.PSIsContainer} | 
       Foreach-Object {$_.Name}

answered Dec 22, 2012 at 8:59

Shay Levy

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5 Comments

Frode F. Over a year ago

This is a more complete solution. Should be marked as answer.

Davos Over a year ago

this is so useful, thanks: | Foreach-Object {$_.Name}

r41n Over a year ago

In my case, for some reason, this joins all dir names into a single string.

André Polykanine Over a year ago

Here it also seems to be a string, though I need an array. Sorry, I'm new to Powershell...

Mheriff Apr 29 at 9:19

That is unfortunately only working, if the directory \\QNAP\wpbackup more than one child. In case of exactly one, $arr will be an array of chars, not directoriesand a loop over will enumerate chars of that string. Good powershell ;)

user1949917 · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-31 22:53:11Z

10

$array = (dir *.txt).FullName

$array is now a list of paths for all text files in the directory.

answered May 31, 2013 at 22:53

user1949917

Comments

Gomibushi · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-05 11:03:38Z

7

For completeness, and readability:

This get all files in "somefolder" starting with 'F' to an array.

$FileNames = Get-ChildItem -Path '.\somefolder\' -Name 'F*' -File

This gets all directories of current directory:

$FileNames = Get-ChildItem -Path '.\' -Directory

answered Sep 5, 2014 at 11:03

Gomibushi

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Comments

parvez rafi · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-26 20:38:22Z

6

# initialize the items variable with the
# contents of a directory

$items = Get-ChildItem -Path "c:\temp"

# enumerate the items array
foreach ($item in $items)
{
      # if the item is a directory, then process it.
      if ($item.Attributes -eq "Directory")
      {
            Write-Host $item.Name//displaying

            $array=$item.Name//storing in array

      }
}

answered Mar 26, 2017 at 20:38

parvez rafi

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Comments

jpmc26 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-22 01:17:04Z

3

I believe the problem is that your foreach loop variable is $item.name. What you want is a loop variable named $item, and you will access the name property on each one.

I.e.,

foreach ($item in $path)
{
    $item.name
}

Also take note that I've left $item.name unassigned. In Powershell, if the result isn't stored in a variable, piped to another command, or otherwise captured, it is included in the function's return value.

edited Dec 22, 2012 at 1:17

answered Dec 22, 2012 at 0:07

jpmc26

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2 Comments

Jingles177 Over a year ago

Thank you very much. I changed to this and then assigned each return value to a var outside of the function. From here I can now use $a[xxx] to get the value that I want. Was unaware of your second comment about non stored values being returned that way.

jpmc26 Over a year ago

Yeah. That's a little gotcha that bit me once or twice, especially since I didn't even realize I had unconsumed output at the time.

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