How to construct an array of arrays with Powershell?

Question

To group data, every time there's a "new person" as below, I want to add their info to that temporary array and reset that array to null.

Before each "new person" array is set to null, I want to add that array to an array of people. An array of arrays.

How can I add one array into another?

$people = import-csv "./people.csv"

$h = @{}
$h.gettype()

$all_people

ForEach ($person in $people) {
  $new_person
  if ($person -match '[0-9]') {
    Write-host $person
  }
  else { 
    write-host "new person"
    write-host $person
  }
}

output:

thufir@dur:~/flwor/people$ 
thufir@dur:~/flwor/people$ pwsh foo.ps1 

IsPublic IsSerial Name                                     BaseType
-------- -------- ----                                     --------
True     True     Hashtable                                System.Object
new person
@{people=joe}
@{people=phone1}
@{people=phone2}
@{people=phone3}
new person
@{people=sue}
@{people=cell4}
@{people=home5}
new person
@{people=alice}
@{people=atrib6}
@{people=x7}
@{people=y9}
@{people=z10}

thufir@dur:~/flwor/people$

I have something like this:

$people = import-csv "./people.csv"

$all_people
$new_person = "new","person"

$new_person.GetType()

ForEach ($person in $people) {

  if ($person -match '[0-9]') {
    Write-host $person
    $new_person.Add($person)
  }
  else { 
    write-host "new person"
    write-host $person
    #$new_person = null
    $new_person = "new","person"
  }
}

I think the question was so wrong there's no real answer. The solution is to use objects properly. But, yes, valuable :) — Thufir, Feb 15 '20 at 17:22
Yes, it is not impossible but there are several pitfalls going down this rabbit hole as PowerShell tends to unroll embedded arrays and singletons. — iRon, Feb 15 '20 at 17:29
well, hopefully the question will at least benefit someone else as well :) — Thufir, Feb 15 '20 at 17:35

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 15 '20 at 14:31

1

Powershell doesnt provide a good functionality to create an array of array with use of basic arrays.

What you can do use use an array of hashtable or PsCustomObjects to create yourself an array of arrays.

answered Feb 15 '20 at 14:31

Jawad

11,028
3
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yes, I think I'll create an **object** or class called "person". doh. – Thufir Feb 15 '20 at 14:41

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 15 '20 at 14:38

0

Yes you can create array of arrays.

Example we create 3 arrays like

$a = 1..5
$b = 6..10
$c = 11..15

Now we can add them in another array $d

$d = $a,$b,$c

Now we can access them like:

$d[0]
# Output 
# 1
# 2
# 3
# 4
# 5
$d[0][2]
# Output is $a arrays 3rd element

answered Feb 15 '20 at 14:38

Wasif

14,755
3
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Can you provide an example of how you would go about adding a new element to $d after its been created ? – Jawad Feb 15 '20 at 15:11
Using the + operator @Jawad. – Wasif Feb 15 '20 at 16:07
1

Did you try it, my point was it doesnt work. Do try, `$d += $a` then try to access the last item – Jawad Feb 15 '20 at 16:09
I was telling about explicitly adding to it. – Wasif Feb 15 '20 at 17:07

How to construct an array of arrays with Powershell?

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