Get-Content/OutVariable-and-ReadCount, #19

Author: nightroman

Cmdlets/Get-Content/OutVariable-and-ReadCount/.test.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+
+Exit-Build {remove z.txt}
+
+task Test-1.ps1 {
+	($1, $2, $3, $4 = .\Test-1.ps1)
+	equals $1 'System.Collections.ArrayList 2 string'
+	equals $2 'hello,world'
+	equals $3 'System.Collections.ArrayList 1 System.Object[]'
+	equals $4 'System.Object[]'
+}
+
+task Test-2-Raw.ps1 {
+	($1, $2, $3, $4 = .\Test-2-Raw.ps1)
+	equals $1 'System.Collections.ArrayList 1 string'
+	equals $2 "hello`nworld"
+	equals $3 'System.Collections.ArrayList 1 System.Object[]'
+	equals $4 'System.Object[]'
+}

Cmdlets/Get-Content/OutVariable-and-ReadCount/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# `Get-Content` with `OutVariable` and `ReadCount`
+
+Using `Get-Content` with `OutVariable` and `ReadCount` may produce an
+unexpected nested array in the result variable. Using or not using the
+switch `Raw` makes no difference.
+
+The workaround is not using `ReadCount` together with `OutVariable`.
+
+**Scripts**
+
+- [Test-1.ps1](Test-1.ps1) shows the issue without `Raw`
+- [Test-2-Raw.ps1](Test-2-Raw.ps1) shows the same issue with `Raw`
+
+---
+
+- [PowerShellTraps/issues/19](https://github.com/nightroman/PowerShellTraps/issues/19)

Cmdlets/Get-Content/OutVariable-and-ReadCount/Test-1.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+
+# Make a text file with 2 lines
+$null = New-Item z.txt -Value "hello`nworld" -Force
+
+### Test 1 (expected result)
+
+# without -ReadCount
+$null = Get-Content z.txt -OutVariable var1
+
+# we get a list with 2 string items
+"$($var1.GetType()) $($var1.Count) $($var1[0].GetType())"
+
+# and this gets expected `hello,world`
+$var1 -join ','
+
+### Test 2 ("unexpected" result)
+
+# with -ReadCount
+$null = Get-Content z.txt -OutVariable var2 -ReadCount 0
+
+# we get a list with 1 item, a nested array
+"$($var2.GetType()) $($var2.Count) $($var2[0].GetType())"
+
+# and this gets "unexpected" `System.Object[]`
+$var2 -join ','

Cmdlets/Get-Content/OutVariable-and-ReadCount/Test-2-Raw.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+
+# Make a text file with 2 lines
+$null = New-Item z.txt -Value "hello`nworld" -Force
+
+### Test 1 (expected result)
+
+# with -Raw without -ReadCount
+$null = Get-Content z.txt -OutVariable var1 -Raw
+
+# we get a list with 1 string item
+"$($var1.GetType()) $($var1.Count) $($var1[0].GetType())"
+
+# and this gets expected text "hello`nworld"
+$var1 -join ','
+
+### Test 2 ("unexpected" result)
+
+# with -Raw and -ReadCount
+$null = Get-Content z.txt -OutVariable var2 -Raw -ReadCount 0
+
+# we get a list with 1 item, a nested array
+"$($var2.GetType()) $($var2.Count) $($var2[0].GetType())"
+
+# and this gets "unexpected" `System.Object[]`
+$var2 -join ','

README.md

@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ to their directory. See also [TESTS]. Some scripts require
     - [`Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath -Recurse` gets nothing for a directory with brackets](Cmdlets/Get-ChildItem/Directory-with-brackets)
     - [`Get-ChildItem -Recurse` and missing `-Path` unexpected search](Cmdlets/Get-ChildItem/Missing-path-and-Recurse)
     - [`Get-ChildItem -LiteralPath -Recurse` ignores `-Include`](Cmdlets/Get-ChildItem/v5-LiteralPath-Recurse-ignores-Include)
+- Get-Content
+    - [`Get-Content` with `OutVariable` and `ReadCount`](Cmdlets/Get-Content/OutVariable-and-ReadCount)
 - Get-Event
     - [`Get-Event` erratic failures in v2-4](Cmdlets/Get-Event/v2-4-Erratic-failure)
 - Get-Item