Problem with Get-Childitem -include

Hello. I’m trying to write a PowerShell script that will allow a user to pass in a parameter with multiple types of files they want to process (i.e. *.txt and *.docx). When I run the Get-Childitem command with the -include option and manually type in the file types, it works file. But when I try to supply a variable for the -include mask, it does not work (returns nothing).

The problem only occurs when I’m using multiple file types
$incFiles = “”“.txt""`, “”.docx”“”

If I use a single file type, it works just fine.
$incFiles = “.txt"
<pre>$incFiles = “”
$incFiles = “”"
.txt”"`, “”.docx"“”
Write-Host "Manual Method:" '"
.txt", "*.docx"'
Write-Host "Calcul Method:" $incFiles

Write-Host "nManual method works"`
Get-ChildItem -path "C:\users\paul\Downloads" -Recurse -Include ".txt", ".docx"

Write-Host "This does not work"
Get-ChildItem -path "C:\users\paul\Downloads" -Recurse -Include $incFiles

Write-Host "End"

Results

Manual Method: ".txt", ".docx"
Calcul Method: ".txt", ".docx"

Manual method works

Directory: C:\users\paul\Downloads\Test2

Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 3/28/2020 9:54 AM 0 File1.txt
-a---- 3/28/2020 9:55 AM 0 File2.docx
This does not work
End

Could you please format your code correctly as code using the code tags “PRE”? Thanks.

The parameter -Include takes an array of file types or patterns. Read-Host creates a single string variable. If you want to use that input for multiple file types you want to process with the -Include parameter of Get-ChildItem you will have to use a loop to “collect” more than on file type or you have to ask the user to use a kind of delimiter and split the input in pieces to be able to provide it for the -Iclude parameter.

To limit the possible errors you’ll get when you allow user input you could create an advanced function where you use the input validation for example with a validate set and try to use a predefined list of file types the user can choose from.