Dead_Eyes
asked on
Setting variables and using them on a remote PC
If I have an .xlsx file with columns labelled as follows 1 = first, 2 = second, 3 = third and data in say the first 10 rows of these 3 columns, I understand If
I save this file as a .csv I can call on each of these columns in a foreach-object loop like
Import-Csv "New.csv" | ForEach-Object {
Some-Cmdlet
-SomeParameter1 $_."first" `
-SomeParameter2 $_."second" `
-SomeParameter3 $_."third" `
If the .csv is on computer A and I want to execute the command on Computer B using a Invoke-Command is the simplest way to start the script
by copying the .csv to computer B and enclosing the whole Import-Csv and foreach-object part inside -Scriptblock
Thanks for your help in advance
I save this file as a .csv I can call on each of these columns in a foreach-object loop like
Import-Csv "New.csv" | ForEach-Object {
Some-Cmdlet
-SomeParameter1 $_."first" `
-SomeParameter2 $_."second" `
-SomeParameter3 $_."third" `
If the .csv is on computer A and I want to execute the command on Computer B using a Invoke-Command is the simplest way to start the script
by copying the .csv to computer B and enclosing the whole Import-Csv and foreach-object part inside -Scriptblock
Thanks for your help in advance
ASKER
I was thinking if I had a .csv file that in column 1 contained a list of folder names to be created using the new-object cmdlet and column 3 contained usernames to be assigned full control permission on the folder created. I had the idea when I saw the following script someone was using to add AD users and thought the technique could be adapted :
Import-Csv "NewUsers.csv" | ForEach-Object {
$userPrinc = $_."Logon Username" + "@pca.hq"
New-QADUser -Name $_.Name `
-ParentContainer $_."Container" `
-SamAccountName $_."Logon Username" `
-UserPassword "pass123!ForWhat" `
-FirstName $_."First Name" `
-LastName $_."Last Name" `
-LogonScript "students.bat" `
-Description $_."Graduating Year" `
-UserPrincipalName $userPrinc `
-DisplayName $_."Name" ;`
Add-QADGroupMember -identity $_."Graduating Year" -Member $_."Logon Username" ;`
Set-QADUser -identity $_."Logon Username" `
-UserMustChangePassword $true `
attached it the xlsx that the above script was using (converted to a .csv before use). Hope this helps and thanks for all your help so far
New-Users-Returned.xlsx
Import-Csv "NewUsers.csv" | ForEach-Object {
$userPrinc = $_."Logon Username" + "@pca.hq"
New-QADUser -Name $_.Name `
-ParentContainer $_."Container" `
-SamAccountName $_."Logon Username" `
-UserPassword "pass123!ForWhat" `
-FirstName $_."First Name" `
-LastName $_."Last Name" `
-LogonScript "students.bat" `
-Description $_."Graduating Year" `
-UserPrincipalName $userPrinc `
-DisplayName $_."Name" ;`
Add-QADGroupMember -identity $_."Graduating Year" -Member $_."Logon Username" ;`
Set-QADUser -identity $_."Logon Username" `
-UserMustChangePassword $true `
attached it the xlsx that the above script was using (converted to a .csv before use). Hope this helps and thanks for all your help so far
New-Users-Returned.xlsx
I would probably do something a bit more like the below. Sorry, but I'm not doing the permissions bit because it takes a bit too much time to put together and I don't have anything ready to drop in. Setting permissions exclusively through PowerShell is cumbersome, so I shy away from it. Usually I recommend using icacls as it's easy enough to use within PS passing it variables for the path and identity you wish to set. You'd have to play around with the syntax to get what you need.
$scriptblock = {
param ($arg2, $arg3)
new-item -itemtype directory -path $arg2
#set permissions with $arg3
#icacls $arg2 /grant $arg3:F /T #might work
}
$s = New-PsSession -computername server1
Import-Csv "New.csv" | ForEach-Object {
Invoke-Command -session $s -ScriptBlock $scriptblock -ArgumentList $_."second", $_."third"
}
ASKER
I can see the logic in it and will give it a go and see how far I get (I will have to read up on param and -ArgumentList as I have not used those before). I will increase the points if I get it going and if necessary post another question to get icacls working (I know permissions are horrible in powershell). Thanks again for your help and I will try and back to you asap
RE: param and -ArgumentList
Think of the scriptblock like a completely separate script (.PS1 file) or a function. For example you might run
somefunction c:\temp
#or
somefunction $mypath
If you need to pass information into the script or function when calling it, you have to define the variables which will receive that information. You define those variables within param().
Argumentlist is just where you specify what information is to be passed to the scriptblock. You can use variables here or not. If using variables, the variable names specified by ArgumentList don't have to match up with the names of the variables in param(). So for a given scriptblock
Think of the scriptblock like a completely separate script (.PS1 file) or a function. For example you might run
somefunction c:\temp
#or
somefunction $mypath
If you need to pass information into the script or function when calling it, you have to define the variables which will receive that information. You define those variables within param().
Argumentlist is just where you specify what information is to be passed to the scriptblock. You can use variables here or not. If using variables, the variable names specified by ArgumentList don't have to match up with the names of the variables in param(). So for a given scriptblock
$scriptblock = {
param ($someArg)
write-output $someArg
}
the following invoke-commands are all equivalent$someArg = "c:\temp"
invoke-command -computername server1 -scriptblock $scriptblock -argumentlist $someArg
$cheeseburger = "c:\temp"
invoke-command -computername server1 -scriptblock $scriptblock -argumentlist $cheeseburger
invoke-command -computername server1 -scriptblock $scriptblock -argumentlist "c:\temp"
When passing multiple arguments, they are matched to the variables specified in param() in order - first, second, third...
ASKER
Thanks that helped loads, I will have to try a few experiments to make sure I fully understand but great examples. you will be pleased to know your script worked apart from the permissions which threw the following error. I will see if I can figure it out but any suggestions are more than welcome
Directory: D:\users
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name PSComputerName
---- ------------- ------ ---- --------------
d---- 31/12/2013 08:21 testuserfolder1 win2k12r2srv
Invalid parameter "/grant"
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (Invalid parameter "/grant":String) [], RemoteException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandError
+ PSComputerName : win2k12r2srv
d---- 31/12/2013 08:21 testuserfolder2 win2k12r2srv
Invalid parameter "/grant"
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (Invalid parameter "/grant":String) [], RemoteException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandError
+ PSComputerName : win2k12r2srv
Directory: D:\users
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name PSComputerName
---- ------------- ------ ---- --------------
d---- 31/12/2013 08:21 testuserfolder1 win2k12r2srv
Invalid parameter "/grant"
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (Invalid parameter "/grant":String) [], RemoteException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandError
+ PSComputerName : win2k12r2srv
d---- 31/12/2013 08:21 testuserfolder2 win2k12r2srv
Invalid parameter "/grant"
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (Invalid parameter "/grant":String) [], RemoteException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandError
+ PSComputerName : win2k12r2srv
ASKER
Sorry should have included the line:
icacls $arg2 /grant $arg3:F /T
icacls $arg2 /grant $arg3:F /T
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ASKER
Perfect thanks, just got to figure the net share part now but I post a new question if I get stuck. Thanks for all your help I have learned a lot and a lot to learn
ASKER
I've requested that this question be closed as follows:
Accepted answer: 0 points for Dead_Eyes's comment #a39748609
for the following reason:
Great explanations and examples
Accepted answer: 0 points for Dead_Eyes's comment #a39748609
for the following reason:
Great explanations and examples
I think you meant to accept another post as the answer instead of http:#a39748609. :)
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