Solely One Be part of-Path Is Wanted – No Column Title

Time to learn: ~ 3 minutes

Phrases: 571

Replace: Studying from my errors aka Failing Up

Replace: Reliably knowledgeable that `-AdditionalChildPath` was added after 5.1

Be part of Me For a Second

There’s a large number of scripts out within the wild with a series of Be part of-Path instructions. Initially, after I wished to create a path safely, a Be part of-Path cmdlets chain was additionally my go-to. Nevertheless, after studying up on the documentation, I realised one other means: I solely want a singular occasion of the Be part of-Path command.

Goal Location

My PowerShell console is open in my dwelling folder, and I’ve a take a look at file: /dwelling/soneill/PowerShell/pester-5-groupings/00-run-tests.ps1.

If I wished to create a variable that goes to the situation of that file, one of many protected methods of doing that’s to make use of Be part of-Path.

Lengthy Type

I imply, I might create the variable myself by concatenating strings, however then I’d must take the trail separator into consideration relying if I’m on Home windows or not.

Apparently not…

$var = ".PowerShellpester-5-groupings0-run-tests.ps1"

[PSCustomObject] @{
  Kind="Lengthy Type"
  Separator="Guide entry: "
  Variable  = $var
  Path      = attempt {Get-ChildItem -Path $var -ErrorAction Cease} catch {'Error!'}
}

I assumed this wouldn’t work however, when operating the code samples, it seems that PowerShell doesn’t thoughts me utilizing a forward-slash (/) or a back-slash (); it’ll care for the correct separator for me.

UPDATE: This manner works superb from a file however run the script from a PowerShell terminal and it’s a no-go.

UPDATED UPDATE: Thanks for Cory Knox (twitter) and Steven Judd (twitter) for declaring that this fails as a result of it’s utilizing /bin/ls as an alternative of the Get-ChildItem alias:

Guide Creation

A extra specific, cross-platform technique could be to make use of the [IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar.

$sep = [IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar
$var = ".${sep}PowerShell${sep}pester-5-groupings${sep}00-run-tests.ps1"

[PSCustomObject] @{
  Kind="Guide Creation"
  Separator = "[IO.Path]::DirectorySepartorChar: $sep"
  Variable  = $var
  Path      = attempt {Get-ChildItem -Path $var -ErrorAction Cease} catch {'Error!'}
}

This technique works superb however creating the trail can get very lengthy if I don’t use a variable. Even utilizing a variable, I’ve to wrap the identify in curly braces due to the string growth technique I used. That’s not one thing that I’d count on somebody selecting up PowerShell for the primary time to know.

-f Strings

In case you’re questioning, one other string growth technique right here could be to make use of -f strings.

$sep = [IO.Path]::DirectorySeparatorChar
$varf=".{0}PowerShell{0}pester-5-groupings{0}00-run-tests.ps1" -f $sep

[PSCustomObject] @{
  Kind="F String"
  Separator = "[IO.Path]::DirectorySepartorChar: $sep"
  Variable  = $varf
  Path      = attempt {Get-ChildItem -Path $varf -ErrorAction Cease} catch {'Error!'}
}

Many Be part of-Path Instructions

Higher but could be if I didn’t must account for the separator in any respect. Right here’s the place the a number of Be part of-Path cmdlets come into play.

$var2 = Be part of-Path -Path . -ChildPath PowerShell | Be part of-Path -ChildPath pester-5-groupings | Be part of-Path -ChildPath 00-run-tests.ps1
 
[PSCustomObject] @{
  Kind="Many be part of paths"
  Separator="Taken care of: Be part of-Path"
  Variable  = $var2
  Path      = attempt {Get-ChildItem -Path $var2 -ErrorAction Cease} catch {'Error!'}
}

A number of Be part of-Path instructions work superb. No actual subject with folks utilizing this manner, however there may be one other!

Solely One Be part of-Path Wanted

Be part of-Path has a parameter known as -AdditionalChildPath that takes the remaining arguments from the command line and makes use of them in a lot the identical means as a Be part of-Path command chain would.

$var3 = Be part of-Path -Path . -ChildPath PowerShell -AdditionalChildPath 'pester-5-groupings', '00-run-tests.ps1'

[PSCustomObject] @{
  Kind="AdditionalChildPaths"
  Separator="Taken care of: Be part of-Path"
  Variable = $var3
  Path = attempt {Get-ChildItem -Path $var3 -ErrorAction Cease} catch {'Error!'}
}

Extra Output than Put Out

So there you go—multiple option to be part of a path. Use whichever ones give you the results you want. It’s good to know your choices, although.