Question:
I need to run a ps1 script on a remote computer. The script will be passed a single parameter representing a file name. I have tried many, many different combinations and approaches to passing the parameters to the script block, but I am always getting one error or another when trying to support spaces in the script name and/or file name.
Note: The end result will be running a script on a REMOTE computer using the -ComputerName parameter to Invoke-Command, but for simplicity and testing all the examples run locally.
Given the sample “remote” script
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#processFile.ps1 $args[0] # Just outputs the first parameter passed |
The following works when there are no spaces in the name
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$cmd = ".\processFile.ps1" $fn = "someFile.csv" $sb = [ScriptBlock]::Create("$cmd $fn") Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock $sb # Outputs the correct someFile.csv |
However, the following does not work
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$cmd = ".\processFile.ps1" $fn = "some File.csv" $sb = [ScriptBlock]::Create("$cmd $fn") Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock $sb # Outputs the incorrect some |
Obviously, the file name parameter needs to be escaped and passed as “some File.csv”. And this can be done with the following:
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$cmd = ".\processFile.ps1" $fn = "some File.csv" $sb = [ScriptBlock]::Create("$cmd `"$fn`"") # Notice the escape $fn parameter Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock $sb # Outputs the correct some File.csv |
BUT, when I try to extended this space support to the script name, everything falls apart. The following fails
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$cmd = ".\processFile.ps1" $fn = "some File.csv" $sb = [ScriptBlock]::Create("`"$cmd`" `"$fn`"") # Notice the attempt to escape both parameters |
with the following exception
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Exception calling "Create" with "1" argument(s): "Unexpected token 'some File.csv' in expression or statement." |
Everything I have tried, and there have been many, many different approaches, have resulted in something similar. I just cannot seem to get both parameters to be escaped. (Actually, the problem is more than I cannot escape the first parameter. Some of my attempts have included nested quotes, single quotes, [ScriptBlock]::Create, { }, $executionContext, etc.
Answer:
Try this:
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$sb = [ScriptBlock]::Create(@" &'$cmd' '$fn' "@) |