Format from a Variable

PowerShell Help
1

I am trying to format my data once I have saved it in a variable. But I am unable to figure out a way of doing this. Here is my process:

$strComputers = "Computer1", "Computer2"
$FailOutput = "Location, State `n"
Foreach ($strcomputer in $strComputers)
{
    If (!(Test-Connection -ComputerName $strComputer -Count 1 -Quiet))
    {
        $FailOutput += "$($strComputer), Is not online or exsit. `n"
    }
}
$FailOutput

And here is what I get:
Location, State
Computer1, Is not online or exsit.
Computer2, Is not online or exsit.

But I would like if the computer names are not the same amount of characters, I would like everything tabbed or in a neat table.

How would I go about doing this?

Thank you in advance.
David D.

2

If you want PowerShell to do that for you, then you need to create a custom object instead of just outputting text.

$properties = @{'ComputerName'=$strComputer; 'Status'=$whatever} New-Object -Type PSObject -Prop $properties

You could pipe the new object to a text file, to Export-CSV, or whatever. This is the fundamental unit of work in Windows PowerShell, so mastering object-based output is pretty much key to getting the shell to do anything for you. Check out my “Learn PowerShell Toolmaking in a Month of Lunches” book - it’s based around this entire concept.

3
$strcomputers = "computer1", "computer2" $failoutput = "location, state `n"

foreach ($strcomputer in $strcomputers)
{
$test = “$($strcomputer), is online. n" if (!(test-connection -computername $strcomputer -count 1 -quiet)) { $test = "$($strcomputer), is not online or exsist. n”
}
$failoutput += $test
}
$failoutput

4

Don, Picked up my book. I thought I knew PowerShell pretty good, but now I have been put in my place. ha

Thank you again, I will start my read.
David D.

5

Just FYI, here is my final sample script, and works like a charm. Thanks again Don for the proper push.

$strComputers = "Computer1", "Computer2"
Foreach ($strcomputer in $strComputers)
{
    If (!(Test-Connection -ComputerName $strComputer -Count 1 -Quiet))
    {
        $whatever = "Not Online"
        $properties = @{'ComputerName'=$strComputer; 'Status'=$whatever}
        New-Object -Type PSObject -Prop $properties
    }
}