Powershell: Format output of Import-Csv Records in a specific way

Question

id like to format the output of CSV Records in a specific way.

Lets say, i have a csv file with these records:

Field1,Field2
blah,blah
bluh,bluh

Now, what i want to achieve is an output (into console or file) with this format

('blah','blah')
('bluh','bluh')

This [1] does not work! Powershell simply writes nothing into out.txt.

[1]

Import-Csv .\test.csv | Select-Object Field1,Field2 | ForEach-Object {Write-Host "('"$_.Field1"', '"$_.Field2"')"} > .\out.txt

Instead of Write-Host you should use Write-Output if you intend the text to be output. — Matt
– Matt, Commented Oct 11, 2014 at 18:09

JohnLBevan · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-11 16:33:57Z

3

Use the format operator:

import-csv .\test.csv | %{ "({0},{1})" -f $_.Field1, $_.Field2; }

To output to file, simply pipe the output there; i.e.

import-csv .\test.csv | %{ "({0},{1})" -f $_.Field1, $_.Field2; } | out-file .\out.txt

For more info on the format operator: http://ss64.com/ps/syntax-f-operator.html

edited Oct 11, 2014 at 16:33

answered Oct 11, 2014 at 16:14

JohnLBevan

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1 Comment

Frode F. Over a year ago

The key here is not the format operator, but that fact that he removes write-host so it sends the object(string) to the pipeline(he could also use Write-Output, which does the same). Write-Host is for interactive messages only, they are not sent as objects that can be piped into another command or written to a file.

walid toumi · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-11 15:35:54Z

2

Try this if work

...{Write-output "('$($_.Field1)', '$($_.Field2)')"} > .\out.txt

Dont use write-host

answered Oct 11, 2014 at 15:35

walid toumi

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