Powershell Exchange - help using invoke-command

I am trying make a remote session to Exchange server and then archiving to PST. I am having some trouble figuring how to pass variables to the invoke-command line.

function Show-Menu
{
param ([string]$Title = 'Menu')
cls
Write-Host "================ $Title ================"

Write-Host ""
Write-Host "1: Archive .PST"
Write-Host "Q: Quit."
}

$ExchangeServer = "server"
$Credential = Get-Credential -Message "Enter Domain\username"
$SessionParams =
@{
ConfigurationName = 'Microsoft.Exchange'
ConnectionURI = "http://$ExchangeServer/powershell/"
Authentication = 'Kerberos'
Credential = $Credential
}

$Session = New-PSSession @SessionParams

do
{
Show-Menu
$input = Read-Host "Chose one"
switch ($input)
{
'1' {
cls

$PstPath = "\\server\c$\temp"

$user = Read-Host "Enter mailbox"
$date = Read-Host "Enter month/year (m-yyyy)"
$arrDate = $date.Split('-')
$firstDayOfMonth = Get-Date -Date "$($arrDate[1])-$($arrDate[0])-1 00:00:00"
$lastDayOfMonth = $firstDayOfMonth.AddMonths(1).AddDays(-1)

New-Item $PstPath\$user -type directory -Force

Invoke-command -ScriptBlock { New-MailboxExportRequest -ContentFilter {(Received -ge $firstDayOfMonth) -and (Received -lt $lastDayOfMonth)} -Mailbox $user -FilePath $PstPath\$user\$date.pst} -Session $Session
}

'q' {
Remove-PSSession $exchange10
return
}
}
pause

}
until ($input -eq 'q')

Mike NielsenAsked: 2017-04-08

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jack jonesCommented: 2017-04-08

Enable PSRemoting Transport Exception

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-08

Hi Nitz, I am able to remote, but the variable in the scriptBlock is all empty/null, because i don't know how to pass it.

LVL 67

sirbountyCommented: 2017-04-08

Are you getting any specific error? What sort of environment is available on the remote machine? I.e. does it have the exchange modules loaded?

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-08

The remote machine does not have exchange modules installed. I want to run the command on the Exchange server (exchange 2010) if possible. Also the remote user running the script, does not have admin rights, so I want to run the command using remote session, with the entered credentials with full privileges.

I am getting this error:
Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Mailbox'. The argument is null. Supply a non-null argument and try the command again.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (:) [New-MailboxExportRequest], ParameterBindingValidationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,New-MailboxExportRequest
+ PSComputerName : server

LVL 88

oBdACommented: 2017-04-08

A script block knows nothing about the rest of the script. You have to pass it the arguments you want to use, similar to a function.
Difference to a function: the argument list for script blocks is always positional, never "by name" (I've used the same name for the arguments as for the main script, but that isn't a requirement).

Function Show-Menu {
	Param ([string]$Title = 'Menu')
	cls
	Write-Host "================ $Title ================"
	
	Write-Host ""     
	Write-Host "1: Archive .PST"
	Write-Host "Q: Quit."
}

$ExchangeServer = "server"
$Credential = Get-Credential -Message "Enter Domain\username"
$SessionParams = @{
	ConfigurationName	= 'Microsoft.Exchange'
	ConnectionURI		= "http://$ExchangeServer/powershell/"
	Authentication		= 'Kerberos'
	Credential			= $Credential
}
$Session = New-PSSession @SessionParams

Do {
	Show-Menu
	$Input = Read-Host "Choose one"
	Switch ($Input) {
		'1' {
			cls
			$PstPath = "\\server\c$\temp"
			$Mailbox = Read-Host "Enter mailbox"
			New-Item $PstPath\$Mailbox -Type Directory -Force
			$ArchiveDate = Read-Host "Enter month/year (m-yyyy)"
			Invoke-Command -Session $Session -ArgumentList $PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate -ScriptBlock {
				Param($PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate)
				$Month, $Year = $ArchiveDate.Split('-')
				$FirstDayOfMonth = Get-Date -Date "$($Year)-$($Month)-1 00:00:00"
				$LastDayOfMonth = $FirstDayOfMonth.AddMonths(1).AddDays(-1)
				New-MailboxExportRequest -ContentFilter {(Received -ge $FirstDayOfMonth) -and (Received -le $LastDayOfMonth)} -Mailbox $Mailbox -FilePath $PstPath\$Mailbox\$ArchiveDate.pst
			}
		}
		'q' {
			Remove-PSSession $Session
		}
		default {
			Write-Warning "Unknown choice '$_' - try again."
		}
	}
	pause
} Until ($Input -eq 'q')

Open in new window

Note: when posting code, please put it into [code][]/code] tags (see toolbar above the input field).

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-08

Oh ye btw.. If I run the Invoke-command without variables, (so i enter mailboxname, date and path myself).. Then it works fine.

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-08

@oBdA Oh thank you very much! Just what I was looking for :).. I also made it work somehow using "Import-PSSession" without the invoke-command, but then it seems like it creates 2 PSSession. I guess the Invoke-Command would be the correct way to go. Thanks again. I will test it later

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-09

@oBdA

It seems to work. The PST is archived, but I still get an error message. Seems to be something wrong with the date?

The term 'Get-Date' 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.

+ CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (Get-Date:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException
+ PSComputerName : server

You cannot call a method on a null-valued expression.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (AddMonths:String) [], RuntimeException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvokeMethodOnNull
+ PSComputerName : server

I am doing the same code as you posted:

		'1' {
			cls
			$PstPath = "\\server\c$\temp"
			$Mailbox = Read-Host "Enter mailbox"
			New-Item $PstPath\$Mailbox -Type Directory -Force
			$ArchiveDate = Read-Host "Enter month/year (m-yyyy)"
			Invoke-Command -Session $Session -ArgumentList $PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate -ScriptBlock {
				Param($PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate)
				$Month, $Year = $ArchiveDate.Split('-')
				$FirstDayOfMonth = Get-Date -Date "$($Year)-$($Month)-1 00:00:00"
				$LastDayOfMonth = $FirstDayOfMonth.AddMonths(1).AddDays(-1)
				New-MailboxExportRequest -ContentFilter {(Received -ge $FirstDayOfMonth) -and (Received -le $LastDayOfMonth)} -Mailbox $Mailbox -FilePath $PstPath\$Mailbox\$ArchiveDate.pst
			}

Open in new window

LVL 88

oBdACommented: 2017-04-09

That's rather strange, should not happen, and has nothing to do with the script itself. Get-Date is part of the Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility module and should be loaded automatically.
You can try to explicitly load the module at the beginning of the ScriptBlock:

...
Param($PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate)
Import-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility
...

Open in new window

Or you can work your way around it by calculating the date locally and then passing it on to the remote machine:

Function Show-Menu {
	Param ([string]$Title = 'Menu')
	cls
	Write-Host "================ $Title ================"
	
	Write-Host ""     
	Write-Host "1: Archive .PST"
	Write-Host "Q: Quit."
}

$ExchangeServer = "server"
$Credential = Get-Credential -Message "Enter Domain\username"
$SessionParams = @{
	ConfigurationName	= 'Microsoft.Exchange'
	ConnectionURI		= "http://$ExchangeServer/powershell/"
	Authentication		= 'Kerberos'
	Credential			= $Credential
}
$Session = New-PSSession @SessionParams

Do {
	Show-Menu
	$Input = Read-Host "Choose one"
	Switch ($Input) {
		'1' {
			cls
			$PstPath = "\\server\c$\temp"
			$Mailbox = Read-Host "Enter mailbox"
			New-Item $PstPath\$Mailbox -Type Directory -Force
			$ArchiveDate = Read-Host "Enter month/year (m-yyyy)"
			$Month, $Year = $ArchiveDate.Split('-')
			$FirstDayOfMonth = Get-Date -Date "$($Year)-$($Month)-1 00:00:00"
			Invoke-Command -Session $Session -ArgumentList $PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate, $FirstDayOfMonth -ScriptBlock {
				Param($PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate, $FirstDayOfMonth)
				$LastDayOfMonth = $FirstDayOfMonth.AddMonths(1).AddDays(-1)
				New-MailboxExportRequest -ContentFilter {(Received -ge $FirstDayOfMonth) -and (Received -le $LastDayOfMonth)} -Mailbox $Mailbox -FilePath $PstPath\$Mailbox\$ArchiveDate.pst
			}
		}
		'q' {
			Remove-PSSession $Session
		}
		default {
			Write-Warning "Unknown choice '$_' - try again."
		}
	}
	pause
} Until ($Input -eq 'q')

Open in new window

Actually, you seem not to be the only one with that issue:

intermittent : The term 'get-date' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/ie/en-US/edc4ae2d-b804-4361-94de-7482533a8084/intermittent-the-term-getdate-is-not-recognized-as-the-name-of-a-cmdlet-function-script-file?forum=winserverpowershell

Powershell commands not working in Build Events in Visual Studio
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/28810631/powershell-commands-not-working-in-build-events-in-visual-studio

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-09

Strange. Now I get this error when going date calculation before scriptblock. So I should convert it to a string or something?:

The provided ContentFilter value is invalid. ContentFilter is invalid. Unable to cast object of type 'System.Management.Automation.PSObject' to type 'System.String'. -->
Unable to cast object of type 'System.Management.Automation.PSObject' to type 'System.String'.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ((Received -ge $...LastDayOfMonth):String) [], ContentFilterInvalidPermanentException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : FBF5F982
+ PSComputerName : server

And when doing import-module I get this error:

The term 'Import-Module' 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.
+ CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (Import-Module:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException
+ PSComputerName : server

The term 'Get-Date' 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.
+ CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (Get-Date:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException
+ PSComputerName : server

You cannot call a method on a null-valued expression.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (AddMonths:String) [], RuntimeException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvokeMethodOnNull
+ PSComputerName : server

LVL 88

oBdACommented: 2017-04-09

Sorry, can't test this at the moment.
Try it like this:

Function Show-Menu {
	Param ([string]$Title = 'Menu')
	cls
	Write-Host "================ $Title ================"
	
	Write-Host ""     
	Write-Host "1: Archive .PST"
	Write-Host "Q: Quit."
}

$ExchangeServer = "server"
$Credential = Get-Credential -Message "Enter Domain\username"
$SessionParams = @{
	ConfigurationName	= 'Microsoft.Exchange'
	ConnectionURI		= "http://$ExchangeServer/powershell/"
	Authentication		= 'Kerberos'
	Credential			= $Credential
}
$Session = New-PSSession @SessionParams

Do {
	Show-Menu
	$Input = Read-Host "Choose one"
	Switch ($Input) {
		'1' {
			cls
			$PstPath = "\\server\c$\temp"
			$Mailbox = Read-Host "Enter mailbox"
			New-Item $PstPath\$Mailbox -Type Directory -Force
			$ArchiveDate = Read-Host "Enter month/year (m-yyyy)"
			$Month, $Year = $ArchiveDate.Split('-')
			$FirstDayOfMonth = Get-Date -Date "$($Year)-$($Month)-1 00:00:00"
			$LastDayOfMonth = $FirstDayOfMonth.AddMonths(1).AddDays(-1)
			Invoke-Command -Session $Session -ArgumentList $PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate, $FirstDayOfMonth, $LastDayOfMonth -ScriptBlock {
				Param($PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate, $FirstDayOfMonth, $LastDayOfMonth)
				New-MailboxExportRequest -ContentFilter {(Received -ge $FirstDayOfMonth) -and (Received -le $LastDayOfMonth)} -Mailbox $Mailbox -FilePath $PstPath\$Mailbox\$ArchiveDate.pst
			}
		}
		'q' {
			Remove-PSSession $Session
		}
		default {
			Write-Warning "Unknown choice '$_' - try again."
		}
	}
	pause
} Until ($Input -eq 'q')

Open in new window

And Import-Module is part of Microsoft.PowerShell.Core and really should be there. What's the Windows and Powershell version ($PSVersionTable) on the Exchange server?

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-09

Getting this :/

The provided ContentFilter value is invalid. ContentFilter is invalid. Unable to cast object of type 'System.Management.Automation.PSObject' to type 'System.String'. -->
Unable to cast object of type 'System.Management.Automation.PSObject' to type 'System.String'.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ((Received -ge $...LastDayOfMonth):String) [], ContentFilterInvalidPermanentException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : FBF5F982
+ PSComputerName : server

Not sure if I should check on the EMS or powershell, so i did both (running Exchange 2010 on Windows Server 2012):

Exchange EMS
Name Value
---- -----
CLRVersion 2.0.50727.6421
BuildVersion 6.1.7600.16385
PSVersion 2.0
WSManStackVersion 2.0
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0}
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.1

Windows Powershell at server:
Name Value
---- -----
PSVersion 3.0
WSManStackVersion 3.0
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1
CLRVersion 4.0.30319.18449
BuildVersion 6.2.9200.17065
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.2

LVL 88

oBdACommented: 2017-04-10

This should work now as far as processing the date on the local machine is concerned:

Function Show-Menu {
	Param ([string]$Title = 'Menu')
	cls
	Write-Host "================ $Title ================"
	
	Write-Host ""     
	Write-Host "1: Archive .PST"
	Write-Host "Q: Quit."
}

$ExchangeServer = "server"
$Credential = Get-Credential -Message "Enter Domain\username"
$SessionParams = @{
	ConfigurationName	= 'Microsoft.Exchange'
	ConnectionURI		= "http://$ExchangeServer/powershell/"
	Authentication		= 'Kerberos'
	Credential			= $Credential
}
$Session = New-PSSession @SessionParams

Do {
	Show-Menu
	$Input = Read-Host "Choose one"
	Switch ($Input) {
		'1' {
			cls
			$PstPath = "\\server\c$\temp"
			$Mailbox = Read-Host "Enter mailbox"
			New-Item $PstPath\$Mailbox -Type Directory -Force
			$ArchiveDate = Read-Host "Enter month/year (m-yyyy)"
			$Month, $Year = $ArchiveDate.Split('-')
			$FirstDayOfMonth = Get-Date -Date "$($Year)-$($Month)-1 00:00:00"
			$LastDayOfMonth = $FirstDayOfMonth.AddMonths(1).AddDays(-1)
			Invoke-Command -Session $Session -ArgumentList $PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate, $FirstDayOfMonth.ToShortDateString(), $LastDayOfMonth.ToShortDateString() -ScriptBlock {
				Param($PstPath, $Mailbox, $ArchiveDate, $FirstDayOfMonth, $LastDayOfMonth)
				New-MailboxExportRequest -ContentFilter {(Received -ge $FirstDayOfMonth) -and (Received -le $LastDayOfMonth)} -Mailbox $Mailbox -FilePath $PstPath\$Mailbox\$ArchiveDate.pst
			}
		}
		'q' {
			Remove-PSSession $Session
		}
		default {
			Write-Warning "Unknown choice '$_' - try again."
		}
	}
	pause
} Until ($Input -eq 'q')

Open in new window

When in the EMS directly, can you successfully run the "Get-Date" command?

Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-10

"Get-Date" command works fine directly from the EMS. Not sure if it got something to do with language problems. Now I am getting this error when doing 3-2017 (31-03-2017 is danish timeformat):

The provided ContentFilter value is invalid. ContentFilter is invalid. The value "31-03-2017" could not be converted to type System.DateTime. --> The value "31-03-2017" could not be converted to type System.DateTime.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: ((Received -ge $...LastDayOfMonth):String) [], ContentFilterInvalidPermanentException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : D23A681B
+ PSComputerName : server

LVL 88

oBdACommented: 2017-04-10

The DateTime conversion seems to expect a yyyy-MM-dd format when a string with '-' as field separator is encountered.
In line 34, replace the date arguments in -ArgumentList $FirstDayOfMonth.ToShortDateString(), $LastDayOfMonth.ToShortDateString() with this:

$FirstDayOfMonth.ToString('yyyy-MM-dd'), $FirstDayOfMonth.ToString('yyyy-MM-dd')

Open in new window

If this doesn't work, try the American format:

$FirstDayOfMonth.ToString("MM'/'dd'/'yyyy"), $FirstDayOfMonth.ToString("MM'/'dd'/'yyyy")

Open in new window

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Mike NielsenAuthor Commented: 2017-04-10

Working now! Thank you for all the help - really appreciate it.

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