How to run a powershell command in c#

Question

So I am attempting to change the creation date of a text file in C#. The user will type in thr creation date of the file, it will then change the text files creation date to what the user inputted. Trouble is it keeps adding a ' for some reason resulting in an error message, it is calling on Powershell to accomplish this:

    public partial class Form6 : Form
    {
        public Form6()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void textBox1_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            
        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            string dir = textBox1.Text;

            PowerShell ps = PowerShell.Create();



          ps.AddCommand("Get-ChildItem c:\\encryptedmessagehere.txt | % {$_.CreationTime = '"+ dir + "'}");

            ps.Invoke();
        }
    }
}

Trouble is, after the "'}");, it automatically adds another ', incorrecting the powershell command to change the date. Is there a way to stop it from adding the ' at the end?

The returned error is:

System.Management.Automation.CommandNotFoundException HResult=0x80131501 Message=The term 'Get - ChildItem C:\encryptedmessagehere.txt | % {$_.CreationTime = '06/12/12 09:27:03 AM'} ' 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.

Thank you.

Get - ChildItem <- this is your (first, if not only) problem, it should be Get-ChildItem without any spaces. — notjustme
– notjustme, Commented Sep 22, 2020 at 7:08
"Is there a way to stop it from adding the ' at the end?" As far as I can see, that's just a delimiter inside the error message. Not a part of the actual command string. — Fildor
– Fildor, Commented Sep 22, 2020 at 7:25
Thanks I just tried that. The problem persists its adding the ' at the end, thanks. — Keifer Bly
– Keifer Bly, Commented Sep 22, 2020 at 7:25
Is it really necessary to use PowerShell for this? Is something stopping you using a FileInfo object and using that to update the date? — arco444
– arco444, Commented Sep 22, 2020 at 7:45
If datetime formatting is the all you're using PowerShell for in this solution then you are making things way too complicated. — notjustme
– notjustme, Commented Sep 22, 2020 at 8:32

Michael · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-12 14:27:31Z

10

In case anyone wants to know, you need to install the following NuGet packages to use PowerShell in C#:

Microsoft.PowerShell.SDK
System.Management.Automation

That's how I was able to get Jack J Jun's answer to work.

edited Apr 12, 2022 at 14:27

answered Jan 13, 2022 at 19:52

Michael

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Comments

Abraham Zinala · Accepted Answer · 2022-02-14 05:22:27Z

8

First, you need to use Powershell.AddScript method instead of Powershell.AddCommand method.

Second, you can try the following Powershell code to change the creation time of the file.

(Get-ChildItem d:\Test\new.txt).CreationTime =  '2020/09/23'

Finally, you can try the following c# code example to call powershell code in c#.

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            string datetime= textBox1.Text;
            PowerShell ps = PowerShell.Create();
            string script = string.Format("(Get-ChildItem d:\\New.txt).CreationTime = '{0}'", datetime);
            ps.AddScript(script);
            ps.Invoke();
            MessageBox.Show("Test");
        }

edited Feb 14, 2022 at 5:22

Abraham Zinala

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answered Sep 23, 2020 at 2:51

Jack J Jun

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1 Comment

Jack J Jun Over a year ago

@KeiferBly, I am glad to hear that your problem has been solved, you can click '✔' to mark my reply as an answer.

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