CSV appending normal String/text line

Question

I am really confused on why I am getting a funny output when appending string value to a CSV.

I have the following code

Set-Content $AutomonitorCSV -Force -Value "Type,Base,Status"
$now = get-date -Format "ddd MMM dd HH:mm:ss BST yyyy"
$status = "<!>Status,Last ran at $now"
$status >> $AutomonitorCSV

Which outputs

Type,Base,Status
< ! > S t a t u s , L a s t   r a n   a t   M o n   J u n   2 0   1 6 : 2 8 : 3 3   B S T   2 0 1 6

I need to append the $status at the end of the csv as the software needs to pick this line up. However it keeps adding spaces after each character. When I output in powershell it looks fine. How do I get it to output properly so I get

Type,Base,Status
<!>Status,Last ran at Mon Jun 20 16:28:33 BST 2016

Note, I have to use PowerShell v2.0 because of 2003 hosts.

Christopher G. Lewis · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-20 16:50:09Z

3

Looks like the powershell Set-Content command defaults to ANSI, but the >> echo defaults to unicode http://www.kongsli.net/2012/04/20/powershell-gotchas-redirect-to-file-encodes-in-unicode/ .

You can either force Set-Content to use Unicode Set-Content $AutomonitorCSV -Force -Value "Type,Base,Status" -Encoding Unicode

or use

Add-Content $AutomonitorCSV $status

which seems to use the original format of the file.

You could also use Out-File with the -encoding parameter to force the appropriate encoding:

$status | Out-File -Append $AutomonitorCSV -Encoding ascii

Either way, I'd think that the Set-Content command is doing something a little unexpected with regards to the default encoding.

edited Jun 20, 2016 at 16:50

answered Jun 20, 2016 at 16:25

Christopher G. Lewis

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1 Comment

Deano Over a year ago

Thanks, both options work. I did try out-file but did not inlcude -Encoding ascii.

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