# change from write-host to csv file

**URL:** <https://forums.powershell.org/t/change-from-write-host-to-csv-file/7234>\
**Category:** PowerShell Help\
**Created:** [September 21, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/change-from-write-host-to-csv-file/7234 "2016-09-21T15:48:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jzjredsox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@jzjredsox](https://forums.powershell.org/u/jzjredsox)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/change-from-write-host-to-csv-file/7234/1 "2016-09-21T15:48:44Z")

</div>

I’d like to change this exchange script to export-csv with column headings, etc. Everything I try just creates a blank file.

Ideas?

# Initialize some variables used for counting and for output

$From = Get-Date “20/11/2011”  
$To = $From.AddDays(1)

[Int64] $intSent = $intRec = 0  
[Int64] $intSentSize = $intRecSize = 0  
[String] $strEmails = $null

Write-Host “DayOfWeek,Date,Sent,Sent Size,Received,Received Size” -ForegroundColor Yellow

Do  
{  
# Start building the variable that will hold the information for the day  
$strEmails = “$($From.DayOfWeek),$($From.ToShortDateString()),”

```
$intSent = $intRec = 0  
(Get-TransportServer) | Get-MessageTrackingLog -ResultSize Unlimited -Start $From -End $To | ForEach {  
    # Sent E-mails  
    If ($_.EventId -eq "RECEIVE" -and $_.Source -eq "STOREDRIVER") 
    { 
        $intSent++ 
        $intSentSize += $_.TotalBytes 
    } 
      
    # Received E-mails  
    If ($_.EventId -eq "DELIVER") 
    { 
        $intRec++ 
        $intRecSize += $_.TotalBytes 
    } 
}  

$intSentSize = [Math]::Round($intSentSize/1MB, 0) 
$intRecSize = [Math]::Round($intRecSize/1MB, 0) 

# Add the numbers to the $strEmails variable and print the result for the day  
$strEmails += "$intSent,$intSentSize,$intRec,$intRecSize"  
$strEmails  

# Increment the From and To by one day  
$From = $From.AddDays(1)  
$To = $From.AddDays(1)  

```

}  
While ($To -lt (Get-Date))  
#While ($To -lt (Get-Date “01/12/2011”))

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![donj](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forums.powershell.org/donj/32/137_2.png) [@donj](https://forums.powershell.org/u/donj)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/change-from-write-host-to-csv-file/7234/2 "2016-09-21T15:53:02Z")

</div>

Oh, goodness. Yes. Hang on a sec. Be right back.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![donj](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forums.powershell.org/donj/32/137_2.png) [@donj](https://forums.powershell.org/u/donj)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/change-from-write-host-to-csv-file/7234/3 "2016-09-21T15:57:39Z")

</div>

So, here’s what you’re doing wrong: You’re not letting PowerShell do it for you. You’re also using Write-Host. Stop that. You can’t redirect Write-Host, ever.

Suppose I have my data in a bunch of variables - $one, $two, $three.

```
function Get-MyData {
  $one = "Something"
  $two = "Something Else"
  $three = "Something third"
  $columns = @{ 'ColumnA' = $one
                'ColumnB' = $two
                'Gollum' = $three }
  New-Object -Type PSObject -Prop $columns
}

Get-MyData | Export-CSV filename.csv
```

I’d strongly suggest going through “Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches” and “Learn PowerShell Toolmaking in a Month of Lunches;” you’re missing out on some fantastic functionality to make PowerShell do the heavy work for you. In this very brief example, I’ve made a function which outputs an object. It could output more than one, too! All of that output goes to Export-Csv, and I will get a 3-column CSV file as a result.

What you’re doing - manually constructing and outputting text - is a very VBScript-ish approach, and it means a lot more work for you. Those books will also help you understand why Write-Host isn’t doing what you think it is - you’re just not up to speed on some of PowerShell’s under-the-hood truths, and once you get those, a lot of stuff will suddenly become a lot clearer.

Good luck!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dotnVo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@dotnVo](https://forums.powershell.org/u/dotnVo)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2024, 8:40pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/change-from-write-host-to-csv-file/7234/4 "2024-05-16T20:40:33Z")

</div>

Closed on May 16, 2024, 8:40pm UTC