powershell foreach write data to unique file with unique content

Question

powershell foreach write data to unique file with unique content

Chad 20

I'm no expert, so thanks in advance. also ignore formatting, i'll format properly when it works.

basic requirement: script to parse json data, find unique id, write the json data found for unique id into a file named according to the id

current script, produces the files uniquely named, but only with the last plugin ID

{"plugin": 57582, "plugin_name": "SSL Self-Signed Certificate", "dns_name": "server1.dev.com", "age": 159}]}}

this script has multiple foreach loops, I understand that not all of those are necessarily needed.

$json = Get-Content C:\temp\json_data.json | ConvertFrom-Json
$uniqueids = $json.response.items.plugin | Get-Unique
$uniqueservers = $json.response.items.dns_name | Get-Unique
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
foreach ($id in $uniqueids) {

#adding HTML table row
foreach($id in $json.response.items) {
  $table= "<tr> <td> $($id.plugin) </td> <td> $($id.plugin_name) </td> <td> $($id.dns_name) </td> <td> $($id.age) </td> </tr>"
$line = $table | select -Unique

#HTML Table header
$html="
<Html>
<Body>
<Table border=1 style='border-collapse: collapse;width:50%;text-align:center'>
<th>Plugin ID</th> <th>Description</th> <th>Server</th> <th>Age</th> "
#write html tables
$html+= "$line"
#close HTML tags
$html +="</table></body></html>"

#Write data to HTML file
#$html >c:\temp\$id.plugin.html

foreach ($id in $uniqueids) {
    $html >c:\temp\plugin.$id.html

}
}
}

MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2023-11-22T16:11:41.4166667+00:00

Please attach a simple json file that we can test with.
Chad 20 Reputation points

2023-11-22T16:18:09.1066667+00:00

Huh, I did, not sure why it is not here....probably forgot to click add, here you are mockjson.txt
Chad 20 Reputation points

2023-11-22T16:21:58.5333333+00:00

This could be off base, but my thought was I didn't need to put anything into array, because I should be able to parse the json without doing so. Which it seems I can, just can't get the unique content into unique files

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MotoX80 36,291 Reputation points

2023-11-22T16:11:41.4166667+00:00

Please attach a simple json file that we can test with.
Chad 20 Reputation points

2023-11-22T16:18:09.1066667+00:00

Huh, I did, not sure why it is not here....probably forgot to click add, here you are mockjson.txt
Chad 20 Reputation points

2023-11-22T16:21:58.5333333+00:00

This could be off base, but my thought was I didn't need to put anything into array, because I should be able to parse the json without doing so. Which it seems I can, just can't get the unique content into unique files

Answer 1

i'll format properly when it works.

The proper formatting will help you write the code. The trap that I see somewhat regularly is a user writes code, usually in the format of "cmdlet | cmdlet | cmdlet" and they don't get the results they expect, and they don't know why it doesn't work.

The trick is to write the code in chunks, get it working and then add in additional functionality. Displaying variable contents along the way really helps.

I've never had a need to work with json, so this is how I got it working. (I think this is what you want.)

Start small and build the file names.

$json = Get-Content C:\temp\test.json | ConvertFrom-Json
$uniqueids = $json.response.items.plugin | Get-Unique

foreach ($id in $uniqueids) { 
    "Processig $id"
    $filename = "c:\temp\plugin.{0}.html" -f $id
    "File name to create is {0}" -f $filename
    ""
}

Then gather the data.

$json = Get-Content C:\temp\test.json | ConvertFrom-Json
$uniqueids = $json.response.items.plugin | Get-Unique

foreach ($id in $uniqueids) { 
    "Processig $id"
    $filename = "c:\temp\plugin.{0}.html" -f $id
    "File name to create is {0}" -f $filename
    $LineItems = $json.response.items | where-object -property  plugin -eq $id
    "We found these line items."
    $LineItems
    ""
}

Build your table rows.

$json = Get-Content C:\temp\test.json | ConvertFrom-Json
$uniqueids = $json.response.items.plugin | Get-Unique

foreach ($id in $uniqueids) { 
    "Processig $id"
    $filename = "c:\temp\plugin.{0}.html" -f $id
    "File name to create is {0}" -f $filename
    $LineItems = $json.response.items | where-object -property  plugin -eq $id
    "Table rows for $id."
    foreach ($li in $LineItems) {
        $row = "<tr> <td> $($li.plugin) </td> <td> $($li.plugin_name) </td> <td> $($li.dns_name) </td> <td> $($li.age) </td> </tr>"
        $row
    }
    ""
}

And finally wrap in the html and output the files.

cls
$json = Get-Content C:\temp\test.json | ConvertFrom-Json
$uniqueids = $json.response.items.plugin | Get-Unique
$header = "<Html><Body>
<Table border=1 style='border-collapse: collapse;width:50%;text-align:center'>
<th>Plugin ID</th> <th>Description</th> <th>Server</th> <th>Age</th>`n"
$trailer = "</table></body></html>"   # note `n for newline 
foreach ($id in $uniqueids) { 
    "Processig $id"
    $filename = "c:\temp\plugin.{0}.html" -f $id
    "File name to create is {0}" -f $filename
    $LineItems = $json.response.items | where-object -property  plugin -eq $id
    $html = $header
    foreach ($li in $LineItems) {
        $row = "<tr> <td> $($li.plugin) </td> <td> $($li.plugin_name) </td> <td> $($li.dns_name) </td> <td> $($li.age) </td> </tr>`n"   # note `n for newline 
        $html += $row                                                                                    
    }
    $html += $trailer

    "Here is our html"
    $html
    $html | out-file $filename               # And create our files. 

    ""
}

Chad 20 Reputation points

2023-11-22T19:40:08.06+00:00

I'm more of hack when it comes to legit script writing skills, but I do agree that writing in small chunks and displaying what occurred is highly beneficial.

looks like the key in your solution, was to pipe the $json.response.items to where-object, then use that in the subsequent foreach.

I had started heading down the path of creating the needed files up front, but still landed in not getting the details I needed into those files.

Interesting and working solution! I am extremely grateful!

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powershell foreach write data to unique file with unique content

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