New-Item on remote system

Question

I am trying to test if a directory exists on a remote system and if not create it and then copy a file from a server to the remote system.

When I run the following code it does not create the folder on the remote system, and thus not copying the file. If I change $SourcePath to "\Server*", everything from this path is copied as expected. Any Ideas?

$Session = New-PSSession -ComputerName "TestComputer"
$SourcePath = "\Server\testapp.exe"
$DestinationPath = "C:\Software\TestAPP\"
If(!(Test-Path $DestinationPath)) {New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $DestinationPath}
Copy-Item -Path $SourcePath -ToSession $Session -Destination $DestinationPath -Force

Answer 1

You create a PowerShell session at the beginning of your script. But you never ENTER the session. Your Test-Path is checking the LOCAL machine and your New-Item will create the directory on the LOCAL machine.

The Copy-Item uses the UNC name in the $SourcePath and copies the item to the location found in the $DestinationPath on the machine in your $Session variable ("TestComputer") -- but you're running the Copy-Item on YOUR LOCAL machine, not the remote machine.

Answer 2

Hello @Mark Verhunce

You cant use a filename reference as a path variable. That is why a wildcard for the folder will work.
For copying independent file objects you can use either $Files = "file.name" or in a more complex way combine the usage of Get-ChildItem from $Sourcepath and then Select what you need.

Hope this helps with your query,

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