How to store a command line with arguments in a PowerShell variable

Question

I am signing some built exe files with the Microsoft signtool. The command line is quite long, and always the same, apart from the target file name at the end. So I'd like to keep most of it in a handy variable:

& "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64\signtool.exe" sign /fd SHA256 /a /t http://timestamp.comodoca.com/authenticode $builtFile

I could store the path to signtool in a simple variable, but I want to include the arguments. How can I do that without getting a parser error?

$signTool = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64\signtool.exe" sign /fd SHA256
ParserError: Unexpected token 'sign' in expression or statement.

Have you considered using a function instead of a variable? ☝🏼😉 — Olaf
– Olaf, Commented Sep 10 at 10:49
Good point. I've just started learning PowerShell, so I did not even know it has user defined functions. — Anse
– Anse, Commented Sep 10 at 11:36

efotinis · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-14 06:59:05Z

5

Usually the pattern is to store the binary in one variable and the arguments in another, then you can use the call operator & as you're doing:

$signTool = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64\signtool.exe"
$arguments = 'sign', '/fd', 'SHA256'
& $signTool @arguments /a /t http://...

edited Sep 14 at 6:59

efotinis

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answered Sep 10 at 11:28

Santiago Squarzon

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Mathias R. Jessen · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-10 11:41:59Z

4

You can store the call in a scriptblock ({ ... }) and then invoke that:

$command = { & "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64\signtool.exe" sign /fd SHA256 /a /t http://timestamp.comodoca.com/authenticode $builtFile }

# ... later in the script
$builtFile = "file path goes here"

# invoke stored command
& $command

ScriptBlocks are in essence anonymous functions, and PowerShell functions support inline parameter declaration - meaning you can also define $builtFile as a parameter:

$command = { 
  param([string]$builtFile)

  & "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64\signtool.exe" sign /fd SHA256 /a /t http://timestamp.comodoca.com/authenticode $builtFile 
}

# ... later

& $command -builtFile "path to file"

edited Sep 10 at 11:41

answered Sep 10 at 11:29

Mathias R. Jessen

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3 Comments

dan-gph Sep 11 at 2:22

I think a named function would be clearer.

FstTesla Sep 11 at 9:02

You may also use $args[0] in the scriptblock body instead of a named variable/parameter, and then invoke & $command "path to file"

Mathias R. Jessen Sep 11 at 10:37

@dan-gph I don't disagree, but OP specifically asked about something assignable to a variable :)

RLDailey · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-14 01:56:08Z

1

an alternate method is to kinda-sorta use the splat concept. Get-Help about_Splatting here's an example using robocopy ...

$SourceComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME
$Source = "\\$SourceComputerName\c$\Temp"
    
$DestComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME
$Destination = "\\$DestComputerName\d$\Temp\aaa"
    
$FileSpec = '*.*'
    
$TimeStamp = Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd_hh-mm-ss'
$Subject = 'RobocopyTest'
$LogFileName = -join ($Subject, '_-_', $TimeStamp, '.log')
$FullLogFileName = Join-Path -Path $env:TEMP -ChildPath $LogFileName
 
$RC_Params = @(
    $Source
    $Destination
    $FileSpec 
    # put your current options below
    "/Log:$FullLogFileName"
    '/NP'
    '/E'
    '/TEE'
    )

# the next line will show just what the parameters are
#$RC_Params

# the following line actually runs robocopy with the desired parameters
robocopy $RC_Params

here's the result on my system just now ...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

               Total    Copied   Skipped  Mismatch    FAILED    Extras
    Dirs :        20        20         0         0         0         0
   Files :        93        93         0         0         0         0
   Bytes :  137.25 m  137.25 m         0         0         0         0
   Times :   0:00:10   0:00:10                       0:00:00   0:00:00


   Speed :           13,900,142 Bytes/sec.
   Speed :              795.373 MegaBytes/min.
   Ended : Saturday, September 13, 2025 6:53:23 PM

edited Sep 14 at 1:56

answered Sep 14 at 1:54

RLDailey

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2 Comments

Mathias R. Jessen Sep 14 at 13:13

You're not actually splatting the arguments here, did you perhaps mean robocopy @RC_Params?

RLDailey Sep 14 at 21:55

i know it aint splatting, exactly. that's why i said kinda-sorta. however it is a close-ish idea - a structure for passing organized parameters and values. plus, it really does work with the $ instead of a @. [grin]

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