# Powershell Basic , Beginner needs help
**URL:** https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153
**Category:** PowerShell Help
**Created:** [March 1, 2017, 3:54am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153 "2017-03-01T03:54:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@randompowershelluser](https://forums.powershell.org/u/randompowershelluser)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 3:54am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/1 "2017-03-01T03:54:42Z")
Hey,
i would like to change a txt File .
can you help me find the right Commands for my actions
First of all i check if the txt file is in the path he should be
if its not there he should copy my file from a shared source.
If it is there he should search in the txt file, if there is a string called “xxx”
if there is a string called “xxx” i want him to change the string to “yyy”
if there is a string called “zzz” i want him to change the string to “yyy”
so 2 different scenarios he need to check if there is a txt file already.
if there is no such string “xxx” or “zzz” i want him to add the string “yyy”
after that he should save the changes to the txt file.
I would be very happy if you can help me 😃
---
### Author:  [@Olaf](https://forums.powershell.org/u/Olaf)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 5:08am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/2 "2017-03-01T05:08:32Z")
Would you like us to do it for you or do you like to do it by yourself? 😉
> First of all i check if the txt file is in the path he should be
[Test-Path](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/5.1/microsoft.powershell.management/test-path?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396)
> if its not there he should copy my file from a shared source.
[Copy-Item](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/4.0/microsoft.powershell.management/copy-item)
> If it is there he should search in the txt file, if there is a string called "xxx"
[Get-Content](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/5.0/microsoft.powershell.management/get-content)[Select-String](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/5.0/microsoft.powershell.utility/select-string) or [-match a reguklar expression](https://technet.microsoft.com/de-de/library/2007.11.powershell.aspx)
---
### Author:  [@Olaf](https://forums.powershell.org/u/Olaf)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/3 "2017-03-01T05:09:22Z")
… unfortunately I had to devide my post in two parts …
> if there is a string called "xxx" i want him to change the string to "yyy" if there is a string called "zzz" i want him to change the string to "yyy" so 2 different scenarios he need to check if there is a txt file already.
[-replace](https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/heyscriptingguy/2011/03/21/use-powershell-to-replace-text-in-strings/)
> if there is no such string "xxx" or "zzz" i want him to add the string "yyy"
[Add-Content](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/3.0/microsoft.powershell.management/add-content?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396)
> after that he should save the changes to the txt file.
[Out-File](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/5.0/microsoft.powershell.utility/out-file) Here you can find information about how to run code conditionally [about\_comparison\_operators](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/5.1/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_comparison_operators) In general you should read about [get-help](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/5.1/microsoft.powershell.core/get-help?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396) and [get-command](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/reference/5.1/microsoft.powershell.core/get-command)
Have a lot of fun!
---
### Author:  [@randompowershelluser](https://forums.powershell.org/u/randompowershelluser)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 7:24am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/4 "2017-03-01T07:24:33Z")
hey , thx vor the quick respond, i managed to do it by myself.
I thought off placing a wildcard instead of using different scenarios to replace.
I want the file to be checked so i can insert a string.
the original content of the file is
“defaultTheme=xminddefaultthemeid
eclipse.preferences.version=1”
i want to change the first row so the original string should be “defaulttheme=\*” i want a \* since the themecode can vary, and every themecode that is not “xxx” i want powershell to change for me.
replacestring is defaultheme=xxx
so if the string isnt already defaultheme=xxx i want him to change every other themecode after defaultheme= to mine…
he wont do that unfortanetly
Here is the full code to check on
Set-StrictMode -Version “2.0”
Clear-Host
# PowerShell Checks If a File Exists
$WantFile = “D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref”
$FileExists = Test-Path $WantFile
If ($FileExists -eq $True)
{
$Path=“D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref”
#Professionell, Default
$OriginalString=“defaultTheme=\*”
#Klassisch 3
$ReplaceString=“defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f”
#Auslesen
$AllText = [IO.File]::ReadAllText($Path)
#Ersetzen
$AllTextNew=$AllText.Replace($OriginalString,$ReplaceString)
#Ausgangsdatei ersetzen
$AllTextNew | Out-File -FilePath “D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref”
}
If ($FileExists -eq $False)
{New-Item D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref -ItemType file -value “defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f `neclipse.preferences.version=1”
}
any tipps or suggestions
---
### Author:  [@curtis-smith](https://forums.powershell.org/u/curtis-smith)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 9:01am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/5 "2017-03-01T09:01:39Z")
See below. Comments made on changes to explain why.
```
Set-StrictMode -Version "2.0"
Clear-Host
# PowerShell Checks If a File Exists
$WantFile = "D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref"
$FileExists = Test-Path $WantFile
If ($FileExists -eq $True)
{
# Removed this because you already have your file path defined in $WantFile.
# This is also the path you validated so it should be the one you use.
#$Path="D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref"
#Professionell, Default
# Changed this to a RegEx search pattern to be used with -replace
$OriginalString="defaultTheme=.*"
#Klassisch 3
$ReplaceString="defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f"
#Auslesen
# Changed to use $WantFile since this path was validated
# Changed to use Get-Content so that output file maintains its original formating
#$AllText = [IO.File]::ReadAllText($Path)
$AllText = Get-Content $WantFile
#Ersetzen
# Changed to use -replace which uses RegEx pattern matching to find the data to replace
#$AllTextNew=$AllText.Replace($OriginalString,$ReplaceString)
$AllTextNew=$AllText -Replace $OriginalString, $ReplaceString
#Ausgangsdatei ersetzen
$AllTextNew | Out-File -FilePath "D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref"
}
If ($FileExists -eq $False)
{# Added the carriage return character to the value, `r, so that is shows up normally in notepad
# with the values on different lines
#New-Item D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref -ItemType file -value "defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f `neclipse.preferences.version=1"
New-Item D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref -ItemType file -value "defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f `r`neclipse.preferences.version=1"
}
```
---
### Author:  [@Olaf](https://forums.powershell.org/u/Olaf)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 9:13am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/6 "2017-03-01T09:13:02Z")
So even a little bit more “streamliined” it could be like this:
```
$WantFile = “D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref”
If (Test-Path $WantFile){
$OriginalString=“defaultTheme=.*”
$ReplaceString=“defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f”
$AllText = Get-Content $WantFile
$AllTextNew=$AllText -Replace $OriginalString, $ReplaceString
$AllTextNew | Out-File -FilePath “D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref”
}
Else{
New-Item D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref -ItemType file -value “defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f `neclipse.preferences.version=1”
}
```
---
### Author:  [@randompowershelluser](https://forums.powershell.org/u/randompowershelluser)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 9:14am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/7 "2017-03-01T09:14:43Z")
Thanks very much!
In my Script it would have copied the replace string over and over again and it didnt accept the wildcard \*
So i would have 1 more scenario to solve
for example the txt file is already in the folder but it doesnt have the string “defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f”
there is only other information.
i would like to add the string into the first row of the document.
how can i easily manage that?
The Problem with the different Defaulttheme entrys we solved by replacing but what can I do to check if there is any entry like that to then create on.
Thanks in advance!
---
### Author:  [@Olaf](https://forums.powershell.org/u/Olaf)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 9:33am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/8 "2017-03-01T09:33:04Z")
If I got you right …
```
$DefaultConfig = @"
defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f
eclipse.preferences.version=1
"@
$WantFile = “D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref”
If (Test-Path $WantFile){
$CurrentContent = Get-Content $WantFile
If($CurrentContent -match ‘defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f’){
$newContent = $CurrentContent | Foreach-Object {$\_ -replace '(?\<=defaultTheme=).\*(?=$}','23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f'}
$newContent | Out-File -FilePath $WantFile
}
Else{
$newContent = $DefaultConfig + $CurrentContent
$newContent | Out-File -FilePath $WantFile
}
}
Else{
New-Item $WantFile -ItemType file -value $DefaultConfig
}
```
---
### Author:  [@curtis-smith](https://forums.powershell.org/u/curtis-smith)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 1:35pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/9 "2017-03-01T13:35:53Z")
Olaf, you are also adding eclipse.preferences.version=1 which is not the desired results.
```
$File = "D:\Xmind\org.xmind.ui.mindmap.pref"
If (Test-Path $File)
{
$RegExPatt="defaultTheme=.*"
$ReplaceString="defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f"
$FileContent = Get-Content $File
If ($FileContent -match $RegExPatt) {
$FileContent -Replace $RegExPatt, $ReplaceString | Set-Content -Path $File
} Else {
"defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f",$FileContent | Set-Content -Path $File
}
} Else {
"defaultTheme=23bcqg7bfvg262t8lg70ta186f","eclipse.preferences.version=1" | Set-Content -Path $File
}
```
---
### Author:  [@Olaf](https://forums.powershell.org/u/Olaf)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/10 "2017-03-01T16:44:23Z")
You’re right. I wanted to avoid the backtick and ended up beyond the target. Thanks for correcting me. 😉
---
### Author:  [@randompowershelluser](https://forums.powershell.org/u/randompowershelluser)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2017, 4:51am UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/11 "2017-03-02T04:51:47Z")
Thanks a lot for your help guys.
I would have 1 more Task to solve,
i want to copy a file in specific folders
the folder name can change due to different versions of the software.
org.xmind.ui.resources\__VERSION_
org.xmind.ui.resources\_3.7.0.201612151837
in every of this Folders org.xmind.ui.resources\_\*
i want my file to be copied.
Is there an easy way to make this possible
Thanks in advance.
Basically i want him to check all Folders that start like that, and copy a file into a subfolder
org.xmind.ui.resources\_\*\templates\myfile
so powershell should check for folders with that name to then copy my file into the template subfolder of those he found.
i tried with get child item and includ templates.xml that way i can find all templates but thats the wrong way to go
---
### Author:  [@dotnVo](https://forums.powershell.org/u/dotnVo)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://forums.powershell.org/t/powershell-basic-beginner-needs-help/8153/12 "2024-05-16T20:39:11Z")