PowerShell using a variable in quotes within a command

Question

I have this which works (triple double quotes are not a mistake; it works exactly like this)—concentrate on the Start-Process part:

Start-Process powershell -Credential $cred -WorkingDirectory "$lettre_disque" -ArgumentList '-noprofile -command &{Start-Process """D:\WD Drive Unlock.exe""" -verb runas}'

Now I'm simply trying to replace the string D:\WD Drive Unlock.exe with a variable named $chemin_fichier which contains the exact same text (D:\WD Drive Unlock.exe).

I'm trying:

"""$chemin_fichier"""

""$chemin_fichier""

"$chemin_fichier"

""""$chemin_fichier""""

Nothing works...

How do I get that variable to show up? This command is pretty confusing. What is the right combination? Do I have to escape something or?

-ArgumentList ('-noprofile -command &{Start-Process """D:\WD Drive Unlock.exe""" -verb runas}' -f $chemin_fichier) — EBGreen
– EBGreen, Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 18:38
My aim is to remove D:\WD...since the letter is variable, the correct path is stored in $chemin_fichier, how do i place $chemin_fichier so it replaces that string? Like : -ArgumentList ('-noprofile -command &{Start-Process """$chemin_fichier""" — Rakha
– Rakha, Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 18:43
Woops...didn't finish editing it: -ArgumentList ('-noprofile -command &{Start-Process """{0}""" -verb runas}' -f $chemin_fichier) — EBGreen
– EBGreen, Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 18:50

Peter Mortensen · Accepted Answer · 2023-09-02 23:47:18Z

1

I'd break your command into pieces using splatting:

$chemin_fichier = 'D:\WD Drive Unlock.exe'

$ArgList = @{
    FilePath = 'powershell'
    Credential = $cred
    WorkingDirectory = $lettre_disque
    ArgumentList = @(
        '-NoProfile'
        '-Command'
        "`"Start-Process -FilePath '$chemin_fichier' -Verb runas`""
    )
}
Start-Process @ArgList

Wrapping your command in a script block was unnecessary.

edited Sep 2, 2023 at 23:47

Peter Mortensen

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answered Dec 14, 2017 at 18:43

Maximilian Burszley

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2 Comments

Rakha Over a year ago

Thank you so much, yes it was a nightmare working with the one line command. That syntax is hardcore though haha. I'll get used to it one day, MUCH appreciated.

Maximilian Burszley Over a year ago

@Rakha Yeah, working with Start-Process arguments is rough at first.

Peter Mortensen · Accepted Answer · 2023-09-02 23:49:58Z

1

I use a command with parameters like this, which will replace store:Schema="abcd" with an empty string. It's critical to escape " to "" or """", and you should give it a try. Test and modify to ensure the script works:

powershell -Command "$varStr='store:Schema=""abcd""""'; $filePath='%~dp0SomeFolder\SomeFile.txt'; (gc $filePath) -replace $varStr, '' | Out-File $filePath"

edited Sep 2, 2023 at 23:49

Peter Mortensen

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answered Oct 7, 2019 at 4:04

yu yang Jian

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