Powershell Read-host after Write-host

Question

I'm stuck in a probably dumb problem :( Basically I have a function that write some output, and I would wait before exiting the script with a Read-Host command after the output of the function.

Here you are the code:

Function Get-FileMetaData { 

 <# modified script from:
 NAME:  Get-FileMetaData 
 AUTHOR: ed wilson, msft 
 LASTEDIT: 01/24/2014 14:08:24 
 Http://www.ScriptingGuys.com 
 Requires -Version 2.0 
 #> 

 Param($folders)
 $tagList = @()
 $tagListUnique = @()

 foreach($folder in $folders) {
    $i = 18     # attribute for Tags
    $objShell = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application 
    $objFolder = $objShell.namespace($folder.FullName) 

    foreach ($file in $objFolder.items()) {
        if($objFolder.getDetailsOf($File, $i)) {
            $objEntry = New-Object System.Object
            $objEntry | Add-Member -type NoteProperty -name File -value $file.Path
            $objEntry | Add-Member -type NoteProperty -name Tags -value $objFolder.getDetailsOf($File, $i)
            $tagList += $objEntry
            $tagListUnique += ($objFolder.getDetailsOf($File, $i) -split ";").trim()
        }
    }
 }
 Write-Output $tagList
 Write-Output ""
 Write-Output "unique tags"
 Write-Output "-----------"
 $tagListUnique | Sort-Object -unique

 Read-Host "Press ENTER to exit"
}

$baseFolder = "C:\MyPictures"
Write-Host ""
Write-Host "Base folder: " $baseFolder
Get-FileMetaData -folder (Get-ChildItem $baseFolder -Recurse -Directory)

Basically it prints out the final statement "Press ENTER to exit" before the $tagList array.

I would like exactly the opposite, as in the order written in the code. With my limited ps skills, I understood there is something related in the different management of output "stream" and the input, but I cannot figure out how to "flush" all the output before it writes in the host.

Thanks in advance

If you're trying to simply 'view' the result.. force it by using Write-Host, instead of Write-Output. The Output is returned as part of the Get-FileMetaData, not to the Host itself. You'll also want to do: Write-Host ($tagList | Out-String) — Marc Kellerman, Feb 22 '16 at 22:26
If you are using PowerShell v5, then it is possible duplicate to [this question](http://stackoverflow.com/q/34835327). — user4003407, Feb 23 '16 at 03:20
@MarcKellerman thanks for your advice, actually with Write-Host everything is smooth, I had already tried that. But, as you mentioned, I cannot redirect output — doraz, Feb 25 '16 at 23:30
@PetSerAl do you work at MS Powershell team?! :) Yes, I'm using Win10 w/ PS v5... your explanation in the mentioned post worked like a charm, thank you! — doraz, Feb 25 '16 at 23:37
Or you can take the Read-Host out of your function, and place it at the end of your script (after the execution of Get-FileMetaData) — Marc Kellerman, Feb 26 '16 at 00:06
@MarcKellerman, of course I can, but when I will "print" out the result of the function, I will be in the same situation, with Write-Host that is executed before Write-Output finishes (already tried with any possible combination outside / inside the function :) — doraz, Feb 27 '16 at 14:57

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 07 '16 at 23:09

Not sure what the technical difference is between Write-Host and Out-Host, but I got around it by piping the customobject ($oOptions) to Out-Host. For example:

Write-Output "Set subscription:"
$oSubscriptions = Get-AzureRmSubscription
If($Subscriptions.count -gt 1)
{
    Write-Verbose "Multiple subscriptions found. "
    $i=1
    $oOptions = @()
    $oSubscriptions | ForEach-Object{
        $oOptions += [pscustomobject]@{
            Item = $i
            SubscriptionName = $_.SubscriptionName
        }
        $i++
    }
    $oOptions | Out-Host
    $selection = Read-Host -Prompt "Please make a selection"
    $Selected = $oOptions | Where-Object{$_.Item -eq $selection}
    $ActiveSubscription = Select-AzureRmSubscription -SubscriptionName $Selected.SubscriptionName
    $ActiveSubscription
    Write-Output "Subscription '$($ActiveSubscription.Subscription.SubscriptionName)' active."
}
else
{
    $Subscriptions | Select-AzureRmSubscription | Out-Null
}

Hope that helps.

Marc Kellerman · Answer 2 · 2016-02-28T04:09:33.110

0

Try this:

Function Get-FileMetaData {

    Write-Output ([PSCustomObject]@{Value="this function is executed"}) | Out-String

}

Write-Output "Before function execution"
Get-FileMetaData
Read-Host "Press ENTER to continue"

Putting the Read-Host AFTER the execution of your function, will make it output everything to the console, THEN wait for the Read-Host to be done.

Result:

I've updated the code above to include the [PSCustomObject] to the Write-Output, and by adding a Out-String at the end, everything works fine for me. Please let me know if this works!

edited Feb 28 '16 at 04:09

answered Feb 27 '16 at 22:26

Marc Kellerman

466
3
10

Try to change `Get-FileMetaData` to `Write-Output ([PSCustomObject]@{Value="this function is executed"})` and see what happens. – user4003407 Feb 28 '16 at 03:58
Now try: Write-Output ([PSCustomObject]@{Value="this function is executed"}) | Out-String – Marc Kellerman Feb 28 '16 at 04:08
You answer is: *Putting the Read-Host AFTER the execution of your function*. But does it work if you not convert objects to string before output? Does it necessary to put `Read-Host` after function, if you convert objects to string? Does placement of `Read-Host` (after or at the end of function) change something? – user4003407 Feb 28 '16 at 04:18

Powershell Read-host after Write-host

2 Answers2