Putting an array value into a string in powershell [duplicate]

Question

I was having difficulty understanding how String values work with arrays in powershell. I wanted to know the correct syntax for placing an array into a string. Currently, this is what I am trying. The square brackets seem to be registered as part of the string rather than the variable.

$array = @(2,3,5)

$string = " I have $array[2] apples"

This outputs: I have 2 3 5[2] apples

Use $($array[2]) the $() runs whatever is inside as powershell — ArcSet
– ArcSet, Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 15:13
There's also the -f operator; e.g.: "I have {0} apples" -f $array[2] — Bill_Stewart
– Bill_Stewart, Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 16:59

mklement0 · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-25 19:45:52Z

14

The [2] is being read as a string. Use $($array[2]) in order to run that part as powershell.

$array = @(2,3,5)

"I have $($array[2]) apples"

This outputs I have 5 apples.

In the comments you asked how to do a for loop for this.

In powershell you should pipe whenever you can, the pipe command is |

@(2,3,5) | foreach-object{
    "I have $_ apples"
}

edited Jul 25, 2018 at 19:45

mklement0

452k68 gold badges727 silver badges986 bronze badges

answered Jul 25, 2018 at 15:14

ArcSet

6,9401 gold badge24 silver badges36 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

7 Comments

J. Tam Over a year ago

Thanks! I was wondering if this would also apply to $(array[$i]) where $i is the variable declared by a for loop.

ArcSet Over a year ago

I answered your comment in the solution

user6811411 Over a year ago

@J.Tam answer your question from comment yourself $array = @(2,3,5);for($i=0;$i -le 2;$i++){"I have $($array[$i]) apples"}

mklement0 Over a year ago

For in-memory collections I suggest not recommending use of the pipeline, at least not without explaining the performance implications.

MostHated Over a year ago

I know this is pretty old, but what might those performance implications be? I typically use C#, but am doing some PowerShell right now and was about to just do a for loop as I normally would, but came across this answer and was going to use the above "PowerShell way" and pipe it, but then I saw this comment, and now I don't know what I should use.

|

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Putting an array value into a string in powershell [duplicate]

1 Answer 1

7 Comments

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

7 Comments

Linked

Related