PowerShell: Unable to write data to a UNC path that contains square brackets

Question

This is the problem I'm having:

# The following line works
Add-Content -LiteralPath "$Env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\[Test].txt" -Value "This is a test"

# The following line does not work and does not output an error message
Add-Content -LiteralPath "\\Server\Share\[Test].txt" -Value "This is a test"

I have already checked my permissions and I definitely have permission to write to the network share. The problem only happens when I use the "LiteralPath" parameter, which, unfortunately, is required for what I'm doing.

How can I write data to a UNC path that contains square brackets?

That is bizarre, it should work but I can duplicate your issue as well — ProfessionalAmateur, Jun 24 '11 at 20:32
I am curious - why is using the -LiteralPath switch required? — Goyuix, Jun 25 '11 at 04:16
@zdan Which OS are you running for both the computer running the script and the computer hosting the network share? — Rick, Jun 27 '11 at 15:31
@Goyuix "LiteralPath" is required because the files I am working with have square brackets in their filenames and I cannot change that. — Rick, Jun 27 '11 at 15:32

JPBlanc · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-25T04:33:28.280

you will find on Microsoft web site an explanation about strange behaviours of 'sqare brackets' in PowerShell expressions.

BUT

When I just write the following (without brackets) it just does't work for me :

Set-Content -LiteralPath "\\server\share\temp\test.txt" -Value "coucou"

but (according to Microsoft article) the following works

Set-Content -Path "\\server\share\temp\test.txt" -Value "coucou"
set-content -path '\\server\share\temp\`[test`].txt' -Value "coucou"

I tried to solve this trouble with PowerShell Drive

New-PSDrive -Name u -PSProvider filesystem -Root "\\server\share"

And it was even worst

Set-Content : Impossible de trouver une partie du chemin d'accès '\\server\share\server\share\server\share\temp\test.txt'.
Au niveau de ligne : 1 Caractère : 12
+ set-content <<<<  -literalpath "u:\temp\test.txt" -Value "coucou"
    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (\\server\shar...e\temp\test.txt:String) [Set-Content], DirectoryNotFo
   undException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : GetContentWriterDirectoryNotFoundError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetContentCommand

Turn arround solution 1 : I solve it using :

net use u: \\server\share
set-content -literalpath "u:\temp\test.txt" -Value "coucou"

And then the followwing works

set-content -literalpath "u:\temp\[test].txt" -Value "coucou"

Turn arround solution 2 : using FileInfo

# Create the file
set-content -path '\\server\share\temp\`[test`].txt' -Value "coucou"
# Get a FileInfo
$fic = Get-Item '\\server\share\temp\`[test`].txt'
# Get a stream Writer
$sw = $fic.AppendText()
# Append what I need
$sw.WriteLine("test")
# Don't forget to close the stream writter
$sw.Close()

I think that the explanation is that in -literalpath UNC are poorly supported

Thank you very much. I'm sure that with your code I can get my script working. Thanks again! — Rick, Jun 27 '11 at 15:35

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 25 '11 at 08:33

0

The wildcarding of the square brackets seems to only be implemented in the -path parameter of the cmdlets. The default method of the fileinfo object still considers them literals:

 $fic = [io.directoryinfo]"\\server\share\temp\[test].txt"

answered Jun 25 '11 at 08:33

mjolinor

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in my test even without a file with square brackets the UNC name is not supported in -literalPath parameter, can you have a look please ? – JPBlanc Jun 25 '11 at 14:29
PS C:\testfiles> get-item -literalpath "\\localhost\c$\testfiles\test[4].txt" Directory: \\localhost\c$\testfiles Mode LastWriteTime Length Name ---- ------------- ------ ---- -a--- 5/8/2011 10:35 AM 12 test[4].txt PS C:\testfiles> – mjolinor Jun 25 '11 at 19:26
try set-content to create a new file with an UNC name – JPBlanc Jun 25 '11 at 20:02

PowerShell: Unable to write data to a UNC path that contains square brackets

2 Answers2