I have an array that I need to output to a comma separated string but I also need quotes "". Here is what I have.
$myArray = "file1.csv","file2.csv"
$a = ($myArray -join ",")
$a
The output for
$a
ends up
file1.csv,file2.csv
My desired output is
"file1.csv","file2.csv"
How can I accomplish this?
Here you go:
[array]$myArray = '"file1.csv"','"file2.csv"'
[string]$a = $null
$a = $myArray -join ","
$a
Output:
"file1.csv","file2.csv"
You just have to get a way to escape the ". So, you can do it by putting around it '.
I know this thread is old but here are other solutions
$myArray = "file1.csv","file2.csv"
# Solution with single quote
$a = "'$($myArray -join "','")'"
$a
# Result = 'file1.csv','file2.csv'
# Solution with double quotes
$b = '"{0}"' -f ($myArray -join '","')
$b
# Result = "file1.csv","file2.csv"
$myArray -join '","' result is file1.csv","file2.csv. Then the -f operator puts this result between double-quotesIf using PowerShell Core (currently 7.1), you can use Join-String
This is not available in PowerShell 5.1
$myArray | Join-String -DoubleQuote -Separator ','
Output:
"file1.csv","file2.csv"
Supposing there is an array or list inside $myArray.
Defined such as:
$myArray = @("one", "two")
We have two solutions:
Using double-quotes ( " ) as separator:
'"{0}"' -f ($myArray -join '","')
Outputs:
"one","two"
Using single-quotes ( ' ) as separator:
"'{0}'" -f ($myArray -join "','")
Outputs:
'one','two'
$q =@(1,2,3), you can no longer use -in test. Example: $p = @(1,2,3); $q = '{0}' -f ($p -join ','); 2 -in $p; 2 -in $q; with output: True, False.Here's another one, using the builtin foreach method, and escaping doublequotes with backquotes:
$myarray = echo file1.csv file2.csv
$myarray.ForEach{"`"$_`""} -join ','
"file1.csv","file2.csv"
Here's a Join-String method that will work in older methods of PowerShell
function Join-String {
[CmdletBinding()]
Param(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true,ValueFromPipeline=$true)] [string[]]$StringArray,
$Separator=",",
[switch]$DoubleQuote=$false
)
BEGIN{
$joinArray = [System.Collections.ArrayList]@()
}
PROCESS {
foreach ($astring in $StringArray) {
$joinArray.Add($astring) | Out-Null
}
}
END {
$Object = [PSCustomObject]@{}
$count = 0;
foreach ($aString in $joinArray) {
$name = "ieo_$($count)"
$Object | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name $name -Value $aString;
$count = $count + 1;
}
$ObjectCsv = $Object | ConvertTo-Csv -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter $separator
$result = $ObjectCsv[1]
if (-not $DoubleQuote) {
$result = $result.Replace('","',",").TrimStart('"').TrimEnd('"')
}
return $result
}
}
It can be invoked with array parameter or passthrough
Join-String @("file1.txt","file2.txt","file3.txt") -DoubleQuote
Output:
"file1.txt","file2.txt","file3.txt"
or as pass-thru:
@("file1.txt","file2.txt","file3.txt") | Join-String -DoubleQuote
Output:
"file1.txt","file2.txt","file3.txt"
Without -DoubleQuote
@("file1.txt","file2.txt","file3.txt") | Join-String
Output:
file1.txt,file2.txt,file3.txt
or with a custom separator, say a semicolon
@("file1.txt","file2.txt","file3.txt") | Join-String -DoubleQuote -Separator ";"
Output:
"file1.txt";"file2.txt";"file3.txt"
Just a slight addition to @Jason S's answer, adding a carriage return (and line feed - a Windows thing):
$myArray | Join-String -DoubleQuote -Separator `r`n
And with the comma:
$myArray | Join-String -DoubleQuote -Separator ",`r`n"
I had the requirement to double-quote only strings that contain whitespace.
$myArray = 'foo', 'b ar', "ba`tz"
$myArray -replace '.*\s.*', '"$0"' -join ','
Output:
foo,"b ar","ba z"
This takes advantage of the fact that the RegEx-based -replace operator can take an array as the LHS operand. In this case it outputs a new array with any replacements done.
The RegEx pattern .*\s.* matches any string that contains at least one whitespace character. The .* match any surrounding characters, so the whole input string will be matched, if it contains a whitespace. The replacement pattern "$0" then quotes the whole match. If there is no match, the input string will be passed on without quoting.
Finally, -join joins the quoted strings.
$array = @(0,1,2,3,4,5)
"@($('"' + ($array -join '","') + '"'))"
output:
@("0","1","2","3","4","5")
'"' + ($myArray -join '","') + '"'