Searching all files in current DIR

by WinstonTheCat at 2012-11-22 05:21:31

I’ve been trying to search log files in Malwarebytes for specific text e.g. "chrome.exe" or "skype.exe" and then return the filename and result.

This is my current script which for some reason will not work
$searchFor = read-host "String to search for "
$0 = $myInvocation.MyCommand.Definition
$dp0 = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($0)
$parseInfo = "$dp0_logInfo.txt"
if($parseInfo.Exist){del $pasteInfo}
Get-ChildItem -recurse | Get-Content | Select-String -pattern "$searchFor" | select -unique path |out-file -Encoding ascii "$parseInfo" -append


This is the path name:
C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware\Logs<br>
No output is given when running it.
by MattG at 2012-11-22 05:52:01
A few suggestions:

* What’s the intent of using $myInvocation.MyCommand.Definition? I assume you’re trying to get the path of your running script which is running in the same directory as your log file. If you want to get the path from which your script was executed, use $PSScriptRoot. $myInvocation.MyCommand.Definition returns the contents of your script.
* Use Split-Path instead of [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName.
* Consider using Join-Path $dp0 ‘_logInfo.txt’. It’s a little cleaner in my opinion.
* I assume you meant to delete $parseInfo rather than $pasteInfo
* When calling Get-ChildItem -Recurse, I would filter on the type of file you’re interested in (e.g. ‘-Include ‘*.txt’’). Otherwise, you may be searching files that don’t need to be searched. Also, you may be calling Get-Content on directories.

Overall, I think you should make this script a little more generic. Have it take at least two parameters - path to log file directory and search string (or an array of search strings). Lastly, try to stick with the PowerShell cmdlets when you can.

That should get you going.

Happy Thanksgiving!
by WinstonTheCat at 2012-11-22 06:22:56
Thanks, although when attempting to use $PSScriptRoot it turns up Null/Empty. Any idea why?
by MattG at 2012-11-22 06:36:07
Are you pasting the contents of your script into the console? If so, it will return an empty string because it’s not executing from a file. It will only return the path if you dot-source your script (. C:\Search-MalwareBytesLogs.ps1).
by WinstonTheCat at 2012-11-22 07:42:17
It is executing from a file. I’m running it from a .ps1 , empty/null variable
by MattG at 2012-11-22 08:16:33
I saved the following code to C:\test.ps1:
Write-Host "Executing from the following directory: $PSScriptRoot"It returned the following:
PS C:\Users\test\Desktop> . .\test.ps1
Executing from the following directory: C:\Users\test\Desktop
by WinstonTheCat at 2012-11-22 10:44:02
Attempting that code I get:
PS C:\Users\test> C:\Users\test\Documents\test.ps1
Executing from the following directory:


The variable is in my Powershell help, but it doesnt work
by DexterPOSH at 2012-11-23 15:30:03
Hi WinstonTheCat ,

I think MattG here is using the $PSSCriptRoot in Powershell v3 (where it works fine) .
If you are using Powershell v2 the $PSSCriptRoot variable only works for the module or psm1 file.
Below is the link to the feeback at Connect addressing this issue
http://connect.microsoft.com/PowerShell/feedback/details/522951/psscriptroot-only-works-with-modules
by WinstonTheCat at 2012-11-25 13:39:12
Thanks Dexter,

That is the reason as to why. I am using Powershell v2 which doesn’t work with scripts then.
by DexterPOSH at 2012-11-26 01:53:05
Thanks to you and MattG,

Learned that this works on PowerShell v3, otherwise had the thought it worked with modules only.

~Cheers~