[powershell] Output PowerShell variables to a text file

I'm new to PowerShell and have a script which loops through Active Directory searching for certain computers. I get several variables and then run functions to check things like WMI and registry settings.

In the console, my script runs great and simple Write-Host command prints the data on the screen as I want. I know about Export-Csv when using the pipeline...but I'm not looking to print from the pipeline.

I want to write the variables to a text file, continue the loop, and check the next computer in AD...output the next iteration of the same variables on the next line. Here is my Write-Host:

Write-Host ($computer)","($Speed)","($Regcheck)","($OU)

Output file:

$computer,$Speed,$Regcheck | out-file -filepath C:\temp\scripts\pshell\dump.txt -append -width 200

It gives me the data, but each variable is on its own line. Why? I'd like all the variables on one line with comma separation. Is there a simple way to do this akin to VB writeline? My PowerShell version appears to be 2.0.

I was lead here in my Google searching. In a show of good faith I have included what I pieced together from parts of this code and other code I've gathered along the way.

# This script is useful if you have attributes or properties that span across several commandlets_x000D_
# and you wish to export a certain data set but all of the properties you wish to export are not_x000D_
# included in only one commandlet so you must use more than one to export the data set you want_x000D_
#_x000D_
# Created: Joshua Biddle 08/24/2017_x000D_
# Edited: Joshua Biddle 08/24/2017_x000D_
#_x000D_
_x000D_
$A = Get-ADGroupMember "YourGroupName"_x000D_
_x000D_
# Construct an out-array to use for data export_x000D_
$Results = @()_x000D_
_x000D_
foreach ($B in $A)_x000D_
    {_x000D_
  # Construct an object_x000D_
        $myobj = Get-ADuser $B.samAccountName -Properties ScriptPath,Office_x000D_
  _x000D_
  # Fill the object_x000D_
  $Properties = @{_x000D_
  samAccountName = $myobj.samAccountName_x000D_
  Name = $myobj.Name _x000D_
  Office = $myobj.Office _x000D_
  ScriptPath = $myobj.ScriptPath_x000D_
  }_x000D_
_x000D_
        # Add the object to the out-array_x000D_
        $Results += New-Object psobject -Property $Properties_x000D_
        _x000D_
  # Wipe the object just to be sure_x000D_
        $myobj = $null_x000D_
    }_x000D_
_x000D_
# After the loop, export the array to CSV_x000D_
$Results | Select "samAccountName", "Name", "Office", "ScriptPath" | Export-CSV "C:\Temp\YourData.csv"

Cheers

Use this:

"$computer, $Speed, $Regcheck" | out-file -filepath C:\temp\scripts\pshell\dump.txt -append -width 200

$computer,$Speed,$Regcheck will create an array, and run out-file ones per variable = they get seperate lines. If you construct a single string using the variables first, it will show up a single line. Like this:

"$computer,$Speed,$Regcheck" | out-file -filepath C:\temp\scripts\pshell\dump.txt -append -width 200

You can concatenate an array of values together using PowerShell's `-join' operator. Here is an example:

$FilePath = '{0}\temp\scripts\pshell\dump.txt' -f $env:SystemDrive;

$Computer = 'pc1';
$Speed = 9001;
$RegCheck = $true;

$Computer,$Speed,$RegCheck -join ',' | Out-File -FilePath $FilePath -Append -Width 200;

Output

pc1,9001,True

The simple solution is to avoid creating an array before piping to Out-File. Rule #1 of PowerShell is that the comma is a special delimiter, and the default behavior is to create an array. Concatenation is done like this.

$computer + "," + $Speed + "," + $Regcheck | out-file -filepath C:\temp\scripts\pshell\dump.txt -append -width 200

This creates an array of three items.

$computer,$Speed,$Regcheck
FYKJ
100
YES

vs. concatenation of three items separated by commas.

$computer + "," + $Speed + "," + $Regcheck
FYKJ,100,YES