Build Powershell String Parameter From Pipeline

Question

I need to dynamically build a string parameter using output from a pipe which is then passed to another command.

The source command is Get-VM which has an element called Name

The destination command is Move-VM, which accepts a parameter of -DestinationStoragePath

I need to dynamically manipulate this path based on the source Name to be D:\{0} where {0} is the VM Name.

I have this so far:

Get-VM | Move-VM -DestinationStoragePath [string]::Format("D:\{0}",$_.Name)

But it is throwing an exception, if i statically set the DestinationStoragePath parameter, then it works fine, so its just this little bit that is tripping it up.

Any ideas?

Micky Balladelli · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-21 12:26:18Z

7

Get-VM | Move-VM -DestinationStoragePath [string]::Format("D:{0}",$_.Name)

is trying to pass the string [string]::Format("D:{0}",$_.Name) literally to the parameter -DestinationStoragePath.

What you need is execute the expression and return the result by surrounding your expression in parenthesis like this:

Get-VM | % { Move-VM -DestinationStoragePath ([string]::Format("D:{0}",$_.Name)) }

edited Dec 21, 2014 at 12:26

answered Dec 21, 2014 at 12:14

Micky Balladelli

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3 Comments

GreatSamps Over a year ago

was so close! This has fixed the problem, but i am now getting another issue with $_.Name being null. Has it been piped corrected from Get-VM?

Micky Balladelli Over a year ago

I'm not awake. Updated in answer. I forgot the Foreach-object.

lit Over a year ago

This works, but the -DestinationStoragePath parameter could be as simple as "D:$($_.Name)". Is there something that [string]::Format() does that I am missing?

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