How to run a Powershell script from the command line and pass a directory as a parameter

Question

PowerShell -Command .\Foo.ps1

Foo.ps1:

Function Foo($directory)
{
    echo $directory
}

if ($args.Length -eq 0)
{
    echo "Usage: Foo <directory>"
}
else
{
    Foo($args[0])
}

Despite Foo.ps1 being in the directory from where I am calling Powershell, this results in:

The term '.\Foo.ps1' 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.

EDIT: Wasn't working because PowerShell was changing directory due to profile.ps1 containing cd C:\

I then tried to call it specifying the full path to the script file, but no matter what I try, I can't get it to work. I believe I have to quote the path because it contains whitespaces, as does the file name I need to pass in an argument to the script.

Best guess so far:

PowerShell -Command "'C:\Dummy Directory 1\Foo.ps1' 'C:\Dummy Directory 2\File.txt'"

Outputs error:

Unexpected token 'C:\Dummy Directory 2\File.txt' in expression or statement. 
At line:1 char:136.

You can also use -NoProfile when you call powershell from the cmd. — user467384, Nov 05 '13 at 19:51

CB. · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-05T15:10:07.470

63

try this:

powershell "C:\Dummy Directory 1\Foo.ps1 'C:\Dummy Directory 2\File.txt'"

edited Dec 05 '12 at 15:10

answered Dec 05 '12 at 14:19

CB.

58,865
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Loïc MICHEL · Answer 2 · 2012-12-05T14:59:45.487

56

you are calling a script file not a command so you have to use -file eg :

powershell -executionPolicy bypass -noexit -file "c:\temp\test.ps1" "c:\test with space"

for PS V2

powershell.exe -noexit &'c:\my scripts\test.ps1'

(check bottom of this technet page http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee176949.aspx )

edited Dec 05 '12 at 14:59

answered Dec 05 '12 at 14:31

Loïc MICHEL

24,935
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2

The Windows PowerShell 1.0 Owner’s Manual has been retired. For the most up-to-date Windows PowerShell content, go to https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-au/powershell/scripting/core-powershell/console/powershell.exe-command-line-help#-file-filepath-parameters – Dave Anderson May 31 '17 at 01:28

score 29 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 13 '16 at 17:39

Using the flag -Command you can execute your entire powershell line as if it was a command in the PowerShell prompt:

powershell -Command "& '<PATH_TO_PS1_FILE>' '<ARG_1>' '<ARG_2>' ... '<ARG_N>'"

This solved my issue with running PowerShell commands in Visual Studio Post-Build and Pre-Build events.

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 07 '16 at 00:27

Add the param declation at the top of ps1 file

test.ps1

param(
  # Our preferred encoding
  [parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
  [ValidateSet("UTF8","Unicode","UTF7","ASCII","UTF32","BigEndianUnicode")]
  [string]$Encoding = "UTF8"
)

write ("Encoding : {0}" -f $Encoding)

result

C:\temp> .\test.ps1 -Encoding ASCII
Encoding : ASCII

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 05 '12 at 14:54

Change your code to the following :

Function Foo($directory)
    {
        echo $directory
    }

    if ($args.Length -eq 0)
    {
        echo "Usage: Foo <directory>"
    }
    else
    {
        Foo([string[]]$args)
    }

And then invoke it as:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -File "c:\foo.ps1" "c:\Documents and Settings" "c:\test"

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 20 '20 at 13:25

0

you have type and hit enter :

PowerShell -Command

answered Mar 20 '20 at 13:25

Sachin Mishra

1,125
1
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How to run a Powershell script from the command line and pass a directory as a parameter

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