How to run a Powershell script from the command line and pass a directory as a parameter

Question

PowerShell -Command .\Foo.ps1

Foo.ps1:

Function Foo($directory)
{
    echo $directory
}

if ($args.Length -eq 0)
{
    echo "Usage: Foo <directory>"
}
else
{
    Foo($args[0])
}

Despite Foo.ps1 being in the directory from where I am calling Powershell, this results in:

The term '.\Foo.ps1' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. 
Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

EDIT: Wasn't working because PowerShell was changing directory due to profile.ps1 containing cd C:\

I then tried to call it specifying the full path to the script file, but no matter what I try, I can't get it to work. I believe I have to quote the path because it contains whitespaces, as does the file name I need to pass in an argument to the script.

Best guess so far:

PowerShell -Command "'C:\Dummy Directory 1\Foo.ps1' 'C:\Dummy Directory 2\File.txt'"

Outputs error:

Unexpected token 'C:\Dummy Directory 2\File.txt' in expression or statement. 
At line:1 char:136.

You can also use -NoProfile when you call powershell from the cmd. — user467384
– user467384, Commented Nov 5, 2013 at 19:51

CB. · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-05 15:10:07Z

65

try this:

powershell "C:\Dummy Directory 1\Foo.ps1 'C:\Dummy Directory 2\File.txt'"

edited Dec 5, 2012 at 15:10

answered Dec 5, 2012 at 14:19

CB.

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Comments

Loïc MICHEL · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-05 14:59:45Z

59

you are calling a script file not a command so you have to use -file eg :

powershell -executionPolicy bypass -noexit -file "c:\temp\test.ps1" "c:\test with space"

for PS V2

powershell.exe -noexit &'c:\my scripts\test.ps1'

(check bottom of this technet page http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee176949.aspx )

edited Dec 5, 2012 at 14:59

answered Dec 5, 2012 at 14:31

Loïc MICHEL

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1 Comment

Dave Anderson Over a year ago

The Windows PowerShell 1.0 Owner’s Manual has been retired. For the most up-to-date Windows PowerShell content, go to msdn.microsoft.com/en-au/powershell/scripting/core-powershell/…

Tom 'Blue' Piddock · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-13 17:39:57Z

32

Using the flag -Command you can execute your entire powershell line as if it was a command in the PowerShell prompt:

powershell -Command "& '<PATH_TO_PS1_FILE>' '<ARG_1>' '<ARG_2>' ... '<ARG_N>'"

This solved my issue with running PowerShell commands in Visual Studio Post-Build and Pre-Build events.

answered Jun 13, 2016 at 17:39

Tom 'Blue' Piddock

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Comments

Hyundong Hwang · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-07 00:27:13Z

3

Add the param declation at the top of ps1 file

test.ps1

param(
  # Our preferred encoding
  [parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
  [ValidateSet("UTF8","Unicode","UTF7","ASCII","UTF32","BigEndianUnicode")]
  [string]$Encoding = "UTF8"
)

write ("Encoding : {0}" -f $Encoding)

result

C:\temp> .\test.ps1 -Encoding ASCII
Encoding : ASCII

answered Nov 7, 2016 at 0:27

Hyundong Hwang

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Comments

Prasoon Dwivedi · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-05 14:54:57Z

2

Change your code to the following :

Function Foo($directory)
    {
        echo $directory
    }

    if ($args.Length -eq 0)
    {
        echo "Usage: Foo <directory>"
    }
    else
    {
        Foo([string[]]$args)
    }

And then invoke it as:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -File "c:\foo.ps1" "c:\Documents and Settings" "c:\test"

answered Dec 5, 2012 at 14:54

Prasoon Dwivedi

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Comments

Sachin Mishra · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-20 13:25:28Z

0

you have type and hit enter :

PowerShell -Command

answered Mar 20, 2020 at 13:25

Sachin Mishra

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