How to parse string - I tried following code but no proper outcome

Question

I have following string and I tried the following split mechanism to get the date and the account status but I think my split or index is off.

Write-host $result
@{AccountExpirationDate=1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl=512}
$aed =($result -split '=')[0].substring(3)
write-host $aed
ccountExpirationDate - This should be 1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM

$aStatus =($result -split '=')[1].substring(3)
Write-host $aStatus
It should show 512 but it doesn't

=== Added after posting the original code === I tried following code and it works half way. I thin I need to start the same method to get split date and 512 using $rightpath

PS C:\> $position = $result.indexof("=")
PS C:\> $rightpart = $result.substring($position+1)
PS C:\> write-host $rightpart
1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl=512}
PS C:\>

Are you sure $result is a string and not something else? Because that's what it looks like to me. — Etan Reisner
– Etan Reisner, Commented Jul 29, 2015 at 17:21
yes $result is a string and it contains @{AccountExpirationDate=1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl=512} including @ sign — Ninja Cowgirl
– Ninja Cowgirl, Commented Jul 29, 2015 at 17:22

Ansgar Wiechers · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-29 17:41:21Z

Your split operations don't do what you think they do. $result -split '=' splits the string at = into 3 parts:

@{AccountExpirationDate
1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl
512}

The index access [0] selects the first of these parts (@{AccountExpirationDate), and the .Substring(3) returns the substring from the 4th character (index starts at 0) to the end of the string:

ccountExpirationDate

Same for the other split operation. Index [1] selects the second element from the same array (1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl), and .Substring(3) returns the substring from the 4th character (index starts at 0) to the end of that string:

3/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl

Demonstration:

PS C:\> $result = "@{AccountExpirationDate=1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl=512}"
PS C:\> $result
@{AccountExpirationDate=1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl=512}
PS C:\> $a = $result -split '='
PS C:\> $a
@{AccountExpirationDate
1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl
512}
PS C:\> $a[0].Substring(3)
ccountExpirationDate
PS C:\> $a[1].Substring(3)
3/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl

If $result is acually a string and not a hashtable you should remove the @{ and } from beginning and end of the string:

$result -replace '^@{|}$'

split it at semicolons to separate the key/value pairs from each other, then split each key/value pair at = to separate key from value.

$pair1, $pair2  = $result -replace '^@{|}$' -split '; '
$null, $aed     = $pair1 -split '=', 2
$null, $aStatus = $pair2 -split '=', 2

The second argument to the -split operator ensures that everything after the first = goes into the second element, even if it contains another = character. The $null on the left side of the assignment discards the first element of the array returned by the split operation (the key name).

Demonstration:

PS C:\> $result = "@{AccountExpirationDate=1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl=512}"
PS C:\> $result
@{AccountExpirationDate=1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM; userAccountControl=512}
PS C:\> $pair1, $pair2 = $result -replace '^@{|}$' -split '; '
PS C:\> $null, $aed = $pair1 -split '=', 2
PS C:\> $null, $aStatus = $pair2 -split '=', 2
PS C:\> $aed
1/23/2016 6:00:00 PM
PS C:\> $aStatus
512

Ansgar: Your code worked like charmed. YOU ROCK. Thanks so much. You saved me from writing 15 lines of code. Thanks Thanks Thanks. Much appreciated.

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