Get-ADUser in foreach loop returns nothing if using object

Question

$users = Get-Content "C:\PowerShellScript\CSV\swyxusers.csv"


$test = Foreach ($user in $users){
Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like "*$user*" } | Select-Object SamAccountName, Enabled
} 

$test| export-csv -Force -Append "C:\PowerShellScript\CSV\skit.csv"

Running above it results in nothing exported to the CSV, but if i add Write-Host "$User" it exports the list of users. So I know the exporting feature works.

If I run it like this:

$users = Get-Content "C:\PowerShellScript\CSV\swyxusers.csv"


$test = Foreach ($user in $users){
Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like "*User 1*" } | Select-Object SamAccountName, Enabled
} 

$test| export-csv -Force -Append "C:\PowerShellScript\CSV\skit.csv"

It fills my CSV with the result of "User 1" (The first user in the document and this is the excepted result) for the amount of times there are rows in the $user variable. So I know my search method works.

So my question/issue is how to i get it to loop through my CSV file and actually find anything when searching using a object? Since it works when i use a manually entered string but not when using object.

The CSV is formated the following way:

USER 1
USER 2
USER 3
USER 4

Edit: Issue is not related to the foreach loop, If i run the following:

$test = "TEST USER"
Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -eq "*$test*"}

it still doesn't work, has to be something with how the filtering is done.

What powershell version do you use? – Kirill Pashkov Aug 08 '16 at 10:48 — Kirill Pashkov, Aug 08 '16 at 10:48

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 08 '16 at 17:21

Typically when creating a search filter as a combination of multiple strings I avoid doing so in the input itself. So for example (and as you have found) instead of doing the following

Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like "*$user*"}

I try to create a filter then call the function

$filter = "*" + $user + "*"
Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like $filter}

I've found this to be the only way to successfully build an LDAP filter as a combination of multiple strings. This also enables you to verify your filter prior to running the query.

+1 If you need to combine the variable with wild card, you should update the wild card by what Eric mentioned above. When you embed the variable inside a filter vs write-host is different, and the "$" shouldn't be included in quotes within the filter. — Lex, Aug 08 '16 at 20:16

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 08 '16 at 20:21

Per my comment below Eric Schnabel, you shouldn't put the "$" variable within quote in the filter Your update script should incorporate the wild card with the variable, in order to get the filter to work

$users = Get-Content "C:\PowerShellScript\CSV\swyxusers.csv"

$test = Foreach ($user in $users){
    $user = "*" + $user + "*"
    Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like $user } | Select-Object SamAccountName, Enabled} 

$test| export-csv -Force -Append "C:\PowerShellScript\CSV\skit.csv"

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 08 '16 at 12:12

So as I stated in my Edit, it had to do with the filtering. I actually feel pretty stupid now that i found the solution.

This wont work:

Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like "*$user*" }

This wont work either:

Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like "$user" }

But this works:

Get-ADUser -Filter {Name -like $user}

If you have " or * it will break and just nu function without an error message.

Found the solution here: http://www.powershellish.com/blog/2015-11-17-ad-filter

Get-ADUser in foreach loop returns nothing if using object

3 Answers3