Global Variables with dynamic names

PowerShell Help
1

I’m creating dynamic variable names from input values.

I’m able to create a global variable using:

$global:MyVar = “Do Something”

$MyVar results in
Do Something

But when I build the ‘MyVar’ name
$var01 = ‘My’
$var02 = ‘Var’
$DynamicMyVar = “{0}Custom{1}” -f $var01,$var02

$global:$DynmaicMyVar = “Do something Else” fails

Is it possible to create global variables using this approach?

I’ve tried
${global:$DynmaicMyVar} = “Do something Else”
$global:$DynmaicMyVar.toString() = “Do something Else”
$global:$($DynmaicMyVar) = “Do something Else”

I’d like $MyCustomVar now to be global and be
Do Something Else

2

Use the New-Variable cmdlet

$var01 = 'My'
$var02 = 'Var'
$DynamicMyVar = "{0}Custom{1}" -f $var01,$var02

New-Variable -Name $DynamicMyVar -Scope "Global" -Value "Do something Else"

$MyCustomVar

Results:

Do something Else
3

As a suggestion, having dynamic variables can be a little hard to keep track of sometimes. I typically will use a hash table for this purpose.

For Example:

$var01 = 'My'
$var02 = 'Var'
$DynamicMyVar = "{0}Custom{1}" -f $var01,$var02
$DynamicMyVar2 = "{0}Custom2{1}" -f $var01,$var02

$global:dynamicContent = @{}
$dynamicContent += @{$DynamicMyVar = "Do somthing Else"}
$dynamicContent += @{$DynamicMyVar2 = "Do somthing Else again"}

# Output entire hash table
$dynamicContent

# Output just the MyCustomVar value
$dynamicContent.MyCustomVar

# Output just the MyCustom2Var value
$dynamicContent.MyCustom2Var

Results:

Name                           Value                                                                                                                                     
----                           -----                                                                                                                                     
MyCustomVar                    Do somthing Else                                                                                                                          
MyCustom2Var                   Do somthing Else again                                                                                                                    
Do somthing Else
Do somthing Else again
4

That’s getting me closer.

Everything runs fine, but the Dynamic Global variable doesn’t “load” data from the ADUC query.

$Code = '1234'
$Area = 'West'

$SearchBaseVariableName = "{0}{1}" -f $Area,$Code
$SearchBaseVariable = New-Variable -Name $VariableName

if ($Code -and $Area) 
    {$SearchBaseVariable = "OU={0},OU={1},OU=REGION,DC=domain,DC=local" -f $ModeCode,$Area}
    elseif ($Area)
    {$SearchBaseVariable = "OU={0},OU=REGION,DC=domain,DC=local" -f $Area}	
    else
	{$SearchBaseVariable = "OU=REGION,DC=domain,DC=local"}

# Manually entering a Variable Name and running line works (adds ADUC data to variable West1234 for further processing)
# Ie. $West1234.sAMAccountName | sort sAMAccountName
$global:West1234 = Get-ADComputer -SearchBase $SearchBaseVariable -Filter * -Properties *

$GlobalVariableName = "{0}{1}" -f $Area,$Code

New-Variable -Name $GlobalVariableName -Scope "Global" -Value "Get-ADComputer -SearchBase $SearchBaseVariable -Filter * -Properties *"
5

Hi Grant,
That’s because you are not actually executing any code when you set your value in this line, rather you are just passing in a string of text.

New-Variable -Name $GlobalVariableName -Scope "Global" -Value "Get-ADComputer -SearchBase $SearchBaseVariable -Filter * -Properties *"

To have it execute that code, rather than just pass that as a string of text, take away the double quotes surrounding it. These indicate to PowerShell that it is a text string. Instead use Parenthesis. These indicate to PowerShell that the code inside the parenthesis needs to be executed and provide the resulting output to the -Value Parameter.

IE.
Using Double-quotes:

$Code = '1234'
$Area = 'West'

$GlobalVariableName = "{0}{1}" -f $Area,$Code
$SearchBaseVariable = "dc=domain,dc=local"

New-Variable -Name $GlobalVariableName -Scope "Global" -Value "Get-ADComputer -SearchBase $SearchBaseVariable -Filter * -Properties *"

$West1234

Results in the string value provided with the $SearchBaseVariable resolved being stored in the variable:

Get-ADComputer -SearchBase dc=ca,dc=lab -Filter * -Properties *

Using Parenthesis:

$Code = '1234'
$Area = 'West'

$GlobalVariableName = "{0}{1}" -f $Area,$Code
$SearchBaseVariable = "dc=domain,dc=local"

New-Variable -Name $GlobalVariableName -Scope "Global" -Value (Get-ADComputer -SearchBase $SearchBaseVariable -Filter * -Properties *)

$West1234

Results in the code being executed and the results stored in the variable:

AccountExpirationDate                : 
accountExpires                       : 9223372036854775807
AccountLockoutTime                   : 
AccountNotDelegated                  : False
AllowReversiblePasswordEncryption    : False
AuthenticationPolicy                 : {}
AuthenticationPolicySilo             : {}
BadLogonCount                        : 0
badPasswordTime                      : 0
badPwdCount                          : 0
CannotChangePassword                 : False
CanonicalName                        : 
Certificates                         : {}
CN                                   : linux
codePage                             : 0
CompoundIdentitySupported            : {False}
countryCode                          : 0
Created                              : 2/20/2016 2:08:39 AM
createTimeStamp                      : 2/20/2016 2:08:39 AM
Deleted                              : 
Description                          : 
DisplayName                          : 
DistinguishedName                    : 
DNSHostName                          : linux.domain.local
DoesNotRequirePreAuth                : False
dSCorePropagationData                : {6/23/2016 5:25:46 PM, 6/23/2016 4:12:09 PM, 6/23/2016 4:06:18 PM, 6/23/2016 4:02:40 PM...}
Enabled                              : True
HomedirRequired                      : False
HomePage                             : 
instanceType                         : 4
IPv4Address                          : 
IPv6Address                          : 
isCriticalSystemObject               : False
isDeleted                            : 
KerberosEncryptionType               : {DES, RC4, AES128, AES256}
LastBadPasswordAttempt               : 
LastKnownParent                      : 
lastLogoff                           : 0
lastLogon                            : 131154305112537821
LastLogonDate                        : 8/11/2016 11:29:33 AM
lastLogonTimestamp                   : 131154065738370991
localPolicyFlags                     : 0
Location                             : 
LockedOut                            : False
logonCount                           : 235
ManagedBy                            : 
MemberOf                             : {}
MNSLogonAccount                      : False
Modified                             : 8/11/2016 11:29:33 AM
modifyTimeStamp                      : 8/11/2016 11:29:33 AM
msDS-SupportedEncryptionTypes        : 31
msDS-User-Account-Control-Computed   : 0
Name                                 : linux
nTSecurityDescriptor                 : System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurity
ObjectCategory                       : CN=Computer,CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local
ObjectClass                          : computer
ObjectGUID                           : 
objectSid                            : 
OperatingSystem                      : 
OperatingSystemHotfix                : 
OperatingSystemServicePack           : 
OperatingSystemVersion               : 
PasswordExpired                      : False
PasswordLastSet                      : 2/20/2016 2:08:39 AM
PasswordNeverExpires                 : True
PasswordNotRequired                  : False
PrimaryGroup                         : CN=Domain Computers,CN=Users,DC=domain,DC=local
primaryGroupID                       : 515
PrincipalsAllowedToDelegateToAccount : {}
ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion      : False
pwdLastSet                           : 131004293196070069
SamAccountName                       : linux$
sAMAccountType                       : 805306369
sDRightsEffective                    : 15
ServiceAccount                       : {}
servicePrincipalName                 : {HOST/linux.domain.local, HOST/LINUX}
ServicePrincipalNames                : {HOST/linux.domain.llocal, HOST/LINUX}
SID                                  : 
SIDHistory                           : {}
TrustedForDelegation                 : False
TrustedToAuthForDelegation           : False
UseDESKeyOnly                        : False
userAccountControl                   : 69632
userCertificate                      : {}
UserPrincipalName                    : 
uSNChanged                           : 2450065
uSNCreated                           : 332255
whenChanged                          : 8/11/2016 11:29:33 AM
whenCreated                          : 2/20/2016 2:08:39 AM

AccountExpirationDate                : 
accountExpires                       : 9223372036854775807
AccountLockoutTime                   : 
AccountNotDelegated                  : False
AllowReversiblePasswordEncryption    : False
AuthenticationPolicy                 : {}
AuthenticationPolicySilo             : {}
BadLogonCount                        : 0
badPasswordTime                      : 0
badPwdCount                          : 0
CannotChangePassword                 : False
CanonicalName                        : domain.local/Computers/MEMBERSERVER
Certificates                         : {}
CN                                   : MEMBERSERVER
codePage                             : 0
CompoundIdentitySupported            : {False}
countryCode                          : 0
Created                              : 2/23/2016 11:32:32 AM
createTimeStamp                      : 2/23/2016 11:32:32 AM
Deleted                              : 
Description                          : 
DisplayName                          : 
DistinguishedName                    : CN=MEMBERSERVER,CN=Computers,DC=domain,DC=local
DNSHostName                          : MemberServer.domain.local
DoesNotRequirePreAuth                : False
dSCorePropagationData                : {6/23/2016 5:25:46 PM, 6/23/2016 4:12:09 PM, 6/23/2016 4:06:18 PM, 6/23/2016 4:02:40 PM...}
Enabled                              : True
HomedirRequired                      : False
HomePage                             : 
instanceType                         : 4
IPv4Address                          : 
IPv6Address                          : 
isCriticalSystemObject               : False
isDeleted                            : 
KerberosEncryptionType               : {RC4, AES128, AES256}
LastBadPasswordAttempt               : 
LastKnownParent                      : 
lastLogoff                           : 0
lastLogon                            : 131146318092427921
LastLogonDate                        : 8/2/2016 11:09:53 AM
lastLogonTimestamp                   : 131146277938824146
localPolicyFlags                     : 0
Location                             : 
LockedOut                            : False
logonCount                           : 159
ManagedBy                            : 
MemberOf                             : {}
MNSLogonAccount                      : False
Modified                             : 8/2/2016 11:09:53 AM
modifyTimeStamp                      : 8/2/2016 11:09:53 AM
msDS-SupportedEncryptionTypes        : 28
msDS-User-Account-Control-Computed   : 0
Name                                 : MEMBERSERVER
nTSecurityDescriptor                 : System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectorySecurity
ObjectCategory                       : CN=Computer,CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local
ObjectClass                          : computer
ObjectGUID                           : 
objectSid                            : 
OperatingSystem                      : Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Evaluation
OperatingSystemHotfix                : 
OperatingSystemServicePack           : 
OperatingSystemVersion               : 6.3 (9600)
PasswordExpired                      : False
PasswordLastSet                      : 7/15/2016 9:08:55 AM
PasswordNeverExpires                 : False
PasswordNotRequired                  : False
PrimaryGroup                         : CN=Domain Computers,CN=Users,DC=domain,DC=local
primaryGroupID                       : 515
PrincipalsAllowedToDelegateToAccount : {}
ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion      : False
pwdLastSet                           : 131130653358644547
SamAccountName                       : MEMBERSERVER$
sAMAccountType                       : 805306369
sDRightsEffective                    : 15
ServiceAccount                       : {}
servicePrincipalName                 : {TERMSRV/MEMBERSERVER, TERMSRV/MemberServer.domain.local, WSMAN/MemberServer, WSMAN/MemberServer.ca.lab...}
ServicePrincipalNames                : {TERMSRV/MEMBERSERVER, TERMSRV/MemberServer.domain.local, WSMAN/MemberServer, WSMAN/MemberServer.ca.lab...}
SID                                  : 
SIDHistory                           : {}
TrustedForDelegation                 : False
TrustedToAuthForDelegation           : False
UseDESKeyOnly                        : False
userAccountControl                   : 4096
userCertificate                      : {}
UserPrincipalName                    : 
uSNChanged                           : 2355836
uSNCreated                           : 364695
whenChanged                          : 8/2/2016 11:09:53 AM
whenCreated                          : 2/23/2016 11:32:32 AM