PowerShell output into text file (File Formating Issue)

~OSD~ 2,196

Hi,

I am using PowerShell to get the information about the Disk Volumes and saving the output into text file.
The saved text file is not well formatted and I am wondering if there is a way to improve the file formatting of the saved file?

Question1 : Possible to improve file formatting of the saved text file?

Question 2: Instead of text file, is it possible to generate a well formatted HTML or PDF file?

Here is what I am doing currently:

And the saved output is as follows:

Rich Matheisen 46,811 Reputation points

2023-01-01T15:54:54.72+00:00

Just a "FYI": the Format-Table and Format-List cmdlets aren't intended to produce output suitable for use anywhere except the console.

Accepted answer

Rich Matheisen 46,811 Reputation points

2023-01-01T15:52:43.42+00:00
If you want HTML, it takes a bit more work:

$props = "DriveLetter", "FriendlyName", "FileSystemType", "DriveType", "HealthStatus", "OperationalStatus", "SizeRemaining", "Size" get-volume | Select-Object $props | ConvertTo-Html | Out-File c:\junk\gv.htm # optional -- if you want to see the web page right away c:\junk\gv.htm
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~OSD~ 2,196 Reputation points

2023-01-02T21:34:17.383+00:00

Thanks. it shows properly formatted in HTML file.

Rich Matheisen 46,811 Reputation points

2023-01-02T22:13:30.383+00:00

If you looked at the HTML you'd see that the information is placed in a table with columns and rows. The HTML doesn't depend on the width of the individual characters to produce the alignment.
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Rich Matheisen 46,811 Reputation points

2022-12-30T19:46:41.073+00:00

It looks to me as if the problem lies with choice of fonts used to display the text. Try using a font that uses a fixed pitch (i.e., all characters are of the same width).
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~OSD~ 2,196 Reputation points

2022-12-30T20:07:20.297+00:00

I have not specified any (special) fonts.

Rich Matheisen 46,811 Reputation points

2022-12-30T22:13:06.757+00:00

If you haven't then perhaps you should?

Here's what i get when I open the file in Notepad:

DriveLetter FriendlyName FileSystemType DriveType HealthS tatus ----------- ------------ -------------- --------- ------- C Local Disk NTFS Fixed Healthy Windows RE tools NTFS Fixed Healthy D My Book NTFS Fixed Healthy

The font was Consolas Regular.

TechLife 246 Reputation points

2023-01-01T15:26:59.493+00:00

You would specify them in the text editor you use to view it

Also, review the link below regarding generating html

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/convertto-html?view=powershell-7.3

~OSD~ 2,196 Reputation points

2023-01-02T21:29:18.993+00:00

Notepad (windows default)
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PowerShell output into text file (File Formating Issue)

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