Powershell: Stop-Parsing argument not working inside Braces

Question

I have a need to check if a file has not been modified in XX minutes, and if condition is true, then kill the PID that has the file locked. Only clean way to determine if a file has not been modified in XX minutes is in powershell but Only way i have found to kill the associated PID locking the file is using handle OS command. So, i am stuck with 1/2 batch and 1/2 powershell to accomplish what i want.

I have it working fine as a standalone command to kill the PID, but as soon as i put it all together inside braces, Powershell doesnt like it. Seems like it may not like putting the Stop-Parsing argument. Code is below.. Calculating the $inactive variable earlier in the script. That part is fine. Its the cmd batch code that doesnt like being in curly braces.

if ($inactive -eq 'True') {cmd --% /C for /f "tokens=3,6 skip=5 delims=: " %i in ('handle.exe -accepteula file.csv') do taskkill /t /f /PID %i}

if i just run the cmd line inside powershell alone but without the {} it works fine, but i need to evaluate on the $inactive variable first to determine if i need to run the command

Works fine..

cmd --% /C for /f "tokens=3,6 skip=5 delims=: " %i in ('handle.exe -accepteula file.csv') do taskkill /t /f /PID %i

Doesnt work..

if ($inactive -eq 'True') {cmd --% /C for /f "tokens=3,6 skip=5 delims=: " %i in ('handle.exe -accepteula file.csv') do taskkill /t /f /PID %i}

thank you

mklement0 · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-25 19:47:13Z

3

If you place the closing } on the same line, it isn't recognized as the block's closing delimiter (it is treated as part of the unparsed command line following --%, the stop-parsing symbol).

Place the } on the next line to fix the problem:

if ($inactive -eq 'True') {
  cmd --% /C for /f "tokens=3,6 skip=5 delims=: " %i in ('handle.exe -accepteula file.csv') do taskkill /t /f /PID %i
}

For more information on --%, including its limitations and pitfalls, see this answer.

edited Aug 25, 2021 at 19:47

answered Aug 25, 2021 at 19:05

mklement0

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