Powershell select-string fails due to escape sequence

Question

I am having a file which has following contents

change sets:
  promotion level: INITIAL
  depends on: 
    GEESF_R2.1.0.9.5179@\My_PVOB (MES@\My_PVOB)
    My_2.1.0.13.4875@\My_PVOB (Notification@\My_PVOB)
    MyComponents_8_8_2011.6859@\My_PVOB (SQLReporting@\My_PVOB)
    My_2.1.0.13.7098@\My_PVOB (Support@\My_PVOB)

I wanted to read the contents which has pattern @\My_PVOB)

So i write select-string option like this.

Select-string -pattern "@\My_PVOB)" -path "C:\Baselines.txt"

But i am getting following issue

parsing "@\My_PVOB)" - Unrecognized escape sequence \M.

Even if change the pattern as

Select-string -pattern "@\\My_PVOB)" -path "c:\Baselines.txt"

I am getting following error

 "@\\My_PVOB)" - Too many )'s.

Any idea how to solve it?

Shay Levy · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-20 13:47:53Z

4

You can use the Escape method to replace metacharacters with their escape codes:

PS> $pattern = [regex]::Escape('@\My_PVOB)')
PS> $pattern
@\\My_PVOB\)

PS> Select-String -Path c:\Baselines.txt -Pattern $pattern

answered Dec 20, 2011 at 13:47

Shay Levy

128k34 gold badges193 silver badges210 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Emperor XLII Over a year ago

Or use -SimpleMatch to avoid regex evaluation altogether.

jon Z · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-20 10:25:40Z

3

The round bracket is a special character, so you should escape it:

Select-string -pattern "@\\My_PVOB\)" -path "c:\Baselines.txt"

answered Dec 20, 2011 at 10:25

jon Z

16.7k1 gold badge37 silver badges35 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Powershell select-string fails due to escape sequence

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related