PowerShell - Outputting to a variable not working

Question

I am writing a rather lengthy PowerShell script to perform a lot of functions. For the most part, everything is going very well.

However, another function I am running at all levels of the script is a very detailed log. I'll post the command line portion as an example (simplified):

    $Batch = $RunMe[1]
    $ResultCode = (Invoke-Expression $Batch -ErrorAction Stop)
    $ResultCode

My expected result is:

Return Code 0

Then I would log it. Instead I am getting something like:

C:\batchfiles\batchfile.bat argument

Which is the command I am using Invoke-Expression to execute.

Some quick explanation of the variables:

$RunMe is an array that stores the commands (0 is either "Batch" or "Proc" and 1 is the command to run)

$Batch is created in the code as written (this is the first reference to it)

$CurrFileToExec is the current file being processed (the script runs on a folder at a time). I'm using it for a string replace for the command line I got from SQL.

I can't get $ResultCode to pass the correct output of the command. It just passes the command line function ($Batch) again.

As I said, the actual functionality part works great, but I can't get that return code to my logfile.

If you could put together a smaller, simpler script illustrating your point with current and expected results I think you'd get better responses. This question is full of implementation details (stuff specific to your job) that makes it hard to understand - i.e. SQL has nothing to do with your problem. — x0n
– x0n, Commented Nov 12, 2010 at 18:28

x0n · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-12 18:47:08Z

5

If I can presume $batch contains external executables, the return code will be in the automatic variable $LASTEXITCODE - invoke-expression's return consists of things written to STDOUT and STDERR by external applications or things written to powershell's output or error streams by script. It will not contain the executable's dos-style return code, if you called one.

answered Nov 12, 2010 at 18:47

x0n

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2 Comments

JNK Over a year ago

$Batch has a batch file and a command line parameter for it. When I run it manually from a PS prompt, the $ReturnCode variable returns the expected output, but not from within the script.

JNK Over a year ago

This is still not working. Do I need to use a scope with this? The actual command is in a function in a much larger script. When I call $LastExitCode I just get a blank.

JNK · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-15 18:45:35Z

4

The solution was to modify my $Batch variable to add a cmd /c to the beginning. I think there was an issue with just using Invoke-Expression and scoping of the output parameter. I added a line for:

$Batch = "cmd /c " + $Batch

Then ran again, and $ResultCode had the expected output.

answered Nov 15, 2010 at 18:45

JNK

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