Use powershell to replace value in all files in directory

Question

This is probably an easy one, but I'm trying to write a script to use when moving a directory for an installed program from one computer to another. In order to make this work, I have to find every instance of the old hostname, old IP address, and old drive letter from the old machine, and replace them with the new hostname, new IP address, and the new drive letter on the new machine. The primary folder contains *.xml and *.config files that need to be edited in the primary folder as well as in sub folders.

This is the code I'm working with:

$oldIP = "192.168.1.2"
$newIP = "192.168.1.3"
$oldhost = "OLDHOSTNAME"
$newhost = "NEWHOSTNAME"
$oldDriveLetter = "C"
$newDriveletter = "E"

$path = "\\$newip\$newdriveletter$\Folder"
$files = get-childitem $path\* -include *.xml, *.config, -recurse 
$files | %{
    (gc $_) -replace $oldhost, $newhost -replace $oldip, $newip -replace "${olddriveletter}:\Folder", "${newDriveLetter}:\Folder" | set-content $_.fullname
}

Currently, it is only replacing the values in the primary folder, but not any of the sub folders. Any idea what I'm missing?

Edit: Per the suggestion below, I removed the comma after *.config, and that seems to get me through the sub folders. But it's still not replacing any instance of C:\Folder with E:\Folder

You have a comma after *.config. It should not be there since your array ends there. — AdminOfThings
– AdminOfThings, Commented May 9, 2019 at 17:02
Thanks. That fixed that... Now it doesn't seem to be replacing any instance of "C:\Folder" with "E:\Folder" (there apparently were none in the primary folder. Any thought on what's wrong there? — Christopher Cass
– Christopher Cass, Commented May 9, 2019 at 17:12
-Replace uses regex to find a match. You need to escape literal backslash characters in a regex expression. So "${olddriveletter}:\Folder" should become "${olddriveletter}:\\Folder" — AdminOfThings
– AdminOfThings, Commented May 9, 2019 at 17:26

js2010 · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-09 20:38:09Z

1

This works fine. Took the comma off the end of *.config, and added another \ in the middle of ${olddriveletter}:\Folder.

$oldIP = "192.168.1.2"
$newIP = "192.168.1.3"
$oldhost = "OLDHOSTNAME"
$newhost = "NEWHOSTNAME"
$oldDriveLetter = "C"
$newDriveletter = "E"

$path = "."
$files = get-childitem $path\* -include *.xml, *.config -recurse 
$files | %{
    (gc $_) -replace $oldhost, $newhost -replace $oldip, 
       $newip -replace "${olddriveletter}:\\Folder","${newDriveLetter}:\Folder" | 
       set-content $_.fullname
}

Tried to streamline it a little. Too bad you can't just do "get-childitem | get-content -replace | set-content".

get-childitem $path\* -include *.xml, *.config -recurse | 
foreach {
  (get-content $_) -replace $oldhost,$newhost -replace $oldip,
  $newip -replace "${olddriveletter}:\\Folder", "${newDriveLetter}:\Folder" |
  set-content $_ 
}

edited May 9, 2019 at 20:38

answered May 9, 2019 at 20:04

js2010

28.3k6 gold badges82 silver badges87 bronze badges

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

3 Comments

Christopher Cass Over a year ago

I had to put this on hold for a bit, but now I'm back... This is working phenomenally well... One question you might be able to answer... Is there a way to only edit the files that contain the old values?

js2010 Over a year ago

I guess you could do if(select-string "$oldip|$oldhost|${olddriveletter}:\\folder" $_ -quiet), but I don't see much advantage in it.

Christopher Cass Over a year ago

That's the ticket! I didn't initially see much advantage in it either, but it messed up a few special characters on a file that didn't really need to be edited. Added that line and everything matches up perfectly now. THANK YOU!

score 0 · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-09 19:22:41Z

0

I suggest to:

use the -f format operator to build the path.
as the -replace operator is RegEx based automatically escape the strings to replace.
use a positive lookahead assertion to replace the driveletter

## Q:\Test\2019\05\09\SO_56064191.ps1

$oldIP = "192.168.1.2"
$newIP = "192.168.1.3"
$oldhost = "OLDHOSTNAME"
$newhost = "NEWHOSTNAME"
$oldDriveLetter = "C"
$newDriveletter = "E"

$path = '\\{0}\{1}$\Folder' -f $newip,$newdriveletter

ForEach($File in (Get-ChildItem $path\* -Include *.xml,*.config -Recurse)){
    (Get-Content $File.FullName -raw) -replace [RegEx]::Escape($oldhost),$newhost `
                                 -replace [RegEx]::Escape($oldip),$newip `
                                 -replace "$olddriveletter(?=:\Folder)",$newDriveLetter | 
     Set-Content $File.FullName -NoNewline
}

edited May 9, 2019 at 19:22

answered May 9, 2019 at 17:59

user6811411

4 Comments

Christopher Cass Over a year ago

This is definitely close to where I want to be, but it appears to be adding a blank line to the end of every file that I'm editing. Any idea how to prevent that?

user6811411 Over a year ago

Try to append the -NoNewline parameter to Set-Content $File.FullName -NoNewline

Christopher Cass Over a year ago

Yeah, I tried that. It actually takes my entire file and puts it all on a single line. That's no good either.

user6811411 Over a year ago

You've to also append the -raw parameter to the Get-Content reference

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Use powershell to replace value in all files in directory

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

3 Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related