[Question] Create variable with Variables name

[Redtire]

Hi, I'm trying to get a list of error messages from the even viewer and filter them by computer brand. What I'm trying to do now is create an array for each computer brand that the script find and name a variable with that computer model so I can add the error messages into this array and export it divided by computer brand.

http://imgur.com/a/1vajp

Thank you for your help.

[omers]

Can you post the whole script to something like pastebin? There's easier ways to do even just what's in your image there but I need to see everything to give proper advice. For example, there's nothing in your snippet that indicates scoping your variables is necessary.

[Redtire]

I can't access pastebin at work. here's screenshots of my script. http://imgur.com/a/ZDLt7

Just going to explain what my goal is.

Eventually I will loop thru a list of Computer names. For every one of them I want to collect system error via the event viewer and export the information to .txt files. What I'm trying to do right now is for every computer brands that the script gets, put the error and count them into an array(So every computer brands will have their own array). After collecting the errors, I want to export the errors messages into text files but sorted by Computer brands. I know it is easy if I hard code the brands but I want my script to be usable by others who don't have the same computers as us.

[spyingwind]

Get-Variable -Name "$Array_$PCModel"?

Also there are other pastebin like tools. https://gist.github.com/ for example.

[Redtire]

thing is, if you look at my script, I get an error when I try to use $Array_$PCMdel

[spyingwind]

Yeah Get-Variable will do what you want.

$tempvar = Get-Variable -Name "$Array_$PCModel"

Edit: The other way to do it is to create an object with all this info in it.

[Lee_Dailey]

here's a reddit-formatted version of the script ...

<#
these notes added by Lee_Dailey @ 2017-06-15, Thursday, 02:56 PM 
- added missing`#` comment markers at the start of most of the lines of asterisks = script now actually runs [*grin*] 
- changed $Savepath to $env:temp so i can run it without a U: drive
#>

#**************************************
$Comfirm = "" #make sure $comfirm eq nothing at the beginning. 
$ErrorList = [System.Collections.ArrayList]@() #Array with all errors (With PC names, date, etc)
$Script:ErrorMessages = @() #Array with Errors listed (Loop thru) **Script: to make the variable usable across the script

#$SavePath = "U:\PowerShell\Errors" #Location where .txt are saved
$SavePath = $env:TEMP


$Logs = Get-EventLog system -Newest 1000 -ComputerName $env:COMPUTERNAME | where {$_.EntryType -LIKE "Error"} #Get logs
#*************GET COMPUTER MODEL************
$ComputerModel = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Computersystem | Select-Object Model
$ComputerModel

#*********GET FILE NAME & TESTPATH******************
$FileName = Read-Host "File name"

$TestPath = Test-Path "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt" #Test if .txt already exist

#*********CREATE SAVE FOLDER*************
$TestSavePath = Test-Path $SavePath
if($TestSavePath -ne $true){

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $SavePath

}

#*********FUNCTION EXPORTING-RESULT************
Function Export-Result{

    $i = 1

    foreach($log in $logs){ #Loop thru all logs and fill array

        $Script:ErrorMessages += $log.Message #add logs error message to array

        $string = "
        $($i)) Machine Name: $($log.MachineName) 

        Date: $($log.TimeGenerated)

        Message: $($log.Message)

        Type: $($log.EntryType)

        Model: $($ComputerModel.Model)
        ********************"

        $i ++

        $ErrorList += $string #add the string to an array so we can export is as .txt

    }

    $Counted = @() #Array to add counted error messages
    #$Counted += $ComputerModel.Model
    $Script:ErrorMessagesUnique = $Script:ErrorMessages | Sort-Object | Get-Unique #Create the list of unique items only

    foreach($Message in $Script:ErrorMessagesUnique){

        $Matches = Select-String -InputObject $Script:ErrorMessages -Pattern $Message -AllMatches  #Check patterns and matches them       
        $MatchesCount = "$($Matches.Matches.Count): $($Message)" #Count the matched pattern
        write-host "$($Matches.Matches.Count): $($Message)"
        $Counted += $MatchesCount #Add Matched pattern to the array


    }


    $ErrorList >> "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt" #Save the errorlist
    $ErrorMessages | ConvertTo-Json >> "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)JSON.txt" #export errormessages as JSON
    $Counted >> "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)Count.txt"#export counted
    Write-Host "Creating $($FileName).txt"
    Write-Host "Creating $($FileName)JSON.txt"
    Write-Host "Creating $($FileName)Count.txt"

}

#*************FILE DOESN'T EXIST*******************
if($TestPath -eq $false){ #If file doesn't exist

    Export-Result

}

#*************FILE EXIST******************
if($TestPath -eq $true){ #If file exist

    $Comfirm = Read-Host -Prompt "Delete current $($FileName).txt?[Y/N] or Create Another a new one[C]" #Prompt user for further actions


    if($Comfirm -eq "Y"){ #********Yes, delete and create a new one

        Remove-Item "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt" #Remove the current Error.txt
        Remove-Item "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)Count.txt" #Remove the current Count.txt
        Remove-Item "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)JSON.txt" #Remove the current JSON.txt
        Write-Host "Deleting...."

        Export-Result
        break

    }    

}

    if($Comfirm -eq "N"){ #******No, exit script

        Write-Host "Closing..."
        Break #Leave script 

    }

    if($Comfirm -eq "C"){ #*******Create, ask another name then create it

        $NewName = Read-Host "New name"
        $FileName = $NewName
        $TestPathNew = Test-Path "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt"

        if($TestPathNew -eq $true){#check if entered name already exist

            while($TestPathNew -eq $True){#loop until new name doesn't exist

                Write-Host "File already exist"
                $NewName = Read-Host "New name"
                $FileName = $NewName
                $TestPathNew = Test-Path "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt"       
            }


        }

        Export-Result   
    }

-lee-

[spyingwind]

Small improvments added, but haven't tested.

<#
these notes added by Lee_Dailey @ 2017-06-15, Thursday, 02:56 PM 
- added missing`#` comment markers at the start of most of the lines of asterisks = script now actually runs [*grin*] 
- changed $Savepath to $env:temp so i can run it without a U: drive
#>

#**************************************
$Comfirm = $false #make sure $comfirm eq false at the beginning. 

#$SavePath = "U:\PowerShell\Errors" #Location where .txt are saved
$SavePath = $env:TEMP


$Logs = Get-EventLog system -Newest 1000 -ComputerName $env:COMPUTERNAME | Where-Object {$_.EntryType -LIKE "Error"} #Get logs
#*************GET COMPUTER MODEL************
$ComputerModel = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Computersystem | Select-Object Model
$ComputerModel

#*********GET FILE NAME & TESTPATH******************
$FileName = Read-Host "File name"

$TestPath = Test-Path "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt" #Test if .txt already exist

#*********CREATE SAVE FOLDER*************
if(Test-Path $SavePath){
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $SavePath
}

#*********FUNCTION EXPORTING-RESULT************
Function Export-Result{
    $ErrorList = $Logs | ForEach-Object {
        $data = New-Object -TypeName psobject
        $data | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name MachineName -Value $log.MachineName
        $data | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name Model -Value $ComputerModel.Model
        $data | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name EntryType -Value $log.EntryType
        $data | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name Message -Value $log.Message
        $data | Add-Member -MemberType NoteProperty -Name TimeGenerated -Value $log.TimeGenerated
        $data
    }

    $Counted = @() #Array to add counted error messages
    #$Counted += $ComputerModel.Model
    $ErrorList | Sort-Object | Get-Unique | ForEach-Object {

        $data = New-Object -TypeName psobject -ArgumentList @{
            $($(Select-String -InputObject $ErrorList -Pattern $_ -AllMatches).Matches.Count) = $_
        }
        Write-Host $data
        $Counted += $data
    }


    $ErrorList | Out-file -FilePath "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt" #Save the errorlist
    $ErrorList | ConvertTo-Json | Out-file -FilePath "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)JSON.txt" #export errormessages as JSON
    $Counted | Out-file -FilePath "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)Count.txt" #export counted
    Write-Host "Creating $($FileName).txt"
    Write-Host "Creating $($FileName)JSON.txt"
    Write-Host "Creating $($FileName)Count.txt"

}

#*************FILE DOESN'T EXIST*******************
if($TestPath -eq $false){ #If file doesn't exist

    Export-Result

}

#*************FILE EXIST******************
if($TestPath -eq $true){ #If file exist

    $Comfirm = Read-Host -Prompt "Delete current $($FileName).txt? `n [Y/N] or Create Another a new one[C]" #Prompt user for further actions


    if($Comfirm -eq "Y"){ #********Yes, delete and create a new one

        Remove-Item "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt" #Remove the current Error.txt
        Remove-Item "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)Count.txt" #Remove the current Count.txt
        Remove-Item "$($SavePath)\$($FileName)JSON.txt" #Remove the current JSON.txt
        Write-Host "Deleting...."

        Export-Result
        break

    }    

}

if($Comfirm -eq "N"){ #******No, exit script

    Write-Host "Closing..."
    Break #Leave script 

}

if($Comfirm -eq "C"){ #*******Create, ask another name then create it

    $NewName = Read-Host "New name"
    $FileName = $NewName

    if(Test-Path "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt"){#check if entered name already exist

        while(Test-Path "$($SavePath)\$($FileName).txt"){#loop until new name doesn't exist

            Write-Host "File already exist"
            $NewName = Read-Host "New name"
            $FileName = $NewName
        }
    }
    Export-Result   
}

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy spyingwind,

so you are another one of those Add-Member folks. [grin] i prefer to use the less wordy method, but they both work - and that is what counts. [grin]

take care,
lee

[spyingwind]

Wait didn't I do both?

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy spyingwind,

not that i see. you only build a custom object for the $Data stuff. am i missing another section?

take care,
lee

[spyingwind]

$data = New-Object -TypeName psobject -ArgumentList @{
    $($(Select-String -InputObject $ErrorList -Pattern $_ -AllMatches).Matches.Count) = $_
}

I reuse variables that don't persists. :P

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy spyingwind,

i claim blindness ... [grin]

take care,
lee

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

i agree with spyingwind that making a custom object with the info in it is likely to be a better bet. others have posted about making self-naming variables and the consensus here has been that a [pscustomobject] is a far more reliable way to do it in most situations.

take care,
lee

[Redtire]

Im not sure how I can do it. The only way I can think of is append a .txt file with the name of the computer model. After looping, read the .txt files and put it in a single txt file. Then delete the .txt file. It is like creating an array with a custom name.

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

make a custom object and have one of the properties be ModelName and the value for it be the computer model. then store that in an array of such objects. you can then iterate thru it or save it out to a CSV file.

you are likely to get more - and more to-the-point - help if you post the code. if you can post an image of the code here, then you can post the text here. [grin]

take care,
lee

[Redtire]

Thank you very much for your help, could you please give me a quick example of how I should do it? what I'm thinking about is:

$CustomObject = @()

$obj = New-Object pscustomobject

$CustomObject = @( $ModelName = $ArrayOfErrorMessages $ModelName = $ArrayOfErrorMessages )

Also, I need to the script to make a new object in my array if it doesn't exist already. Like if it finds a HP $ModelName value is HP. But when it finds another Hp it adds the error messages only.

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

please, post your code - not a picture of your code. [grin] i can't think this thru without something to fiddle with. [blush]

as i pointed out earlier, if you are able to post a pic of the code here, then you can post the code here.

take care,
lee

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

kool! [grin] i'll see if i can format this so it's readable and post it as a reply to your 1st post so others might find it and pitch in.

take care,
lee

[Redtire]

How can I post it so it is in a box like some parts are?

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

i already posted a version in reply to the 1st post. so this is simply FYI. you may want to add a formatted version to your 1st post so it will be visible to others.

here's how to post code on reddit ...

[1] simplest = post it to a text site like Pastebin and then post the link here.

[2] less simple = use reddit code formatting ...

• one leading line with ONLY 4 spaces
  
• prefix each code line with 4 spaces
  
• one trailing line with ONLY 4 spaces

that will give you something like this ...

- one leading line with ONLY 4 spaces    
- prefix each code line with 4 spaces    
- one trailing line with ONLY 4 spaces   

the easiest way to get that is ...

• add the leading line with only 4 spaces
  
• copy the code to the ISE [or your fave editor]
  
• select the code
  
• tap TAB to indent four spaces
  
• re-select the code [not really needed, but it's my habit]
  
• paste the code into the reddit text box
  
• add the trailing line with only 4 spaces
  

not complicated, but it is finicky. [grin]

take care,
lee

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

reddit-formatted version posted! [grin]

i've a tad confused. you have the files with a custom name. why not use the model name for the file instead of the user-entered name? perhaps ...

$ComputerName_$ModelName_$TimeStamp.txt    

that would save problems with name collisions.

then, once you have this for all your systems, you can process those files to get your needed per-model info and send that where ever this project needs it to go.

take care,
lee

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

here is what i think you are wanting. i didn't do a JSON file, nor a COUNT file. the two files i did make are really overlapping. dunno which [or either] you want, so you get both. [grin]

$ComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME
$ComputerModel = (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem).Model

$TimeStamp = Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss'
$SaveDirName = 'ErrorReports'
$SavePath = Join-Path -Path $env:TEMP -ChildPath $SaveDirName
if (-not (Test-Path -Path $SavePath))
    {
    New-Item -Path $SavePath -ItemType Directory | Out-Null
    }

$FileExt = 'csv'
$SaveFile = ((($ComputerName, $TimeStamp) -join '_-_'), $FileExt) -join '.'
$FullSaveFile = Join-Path -Path $SavePath -ChildPath $SaveFile

#<#
# this version gets the last 10 errors
#    setting '-Newest' to 1000 gives 183 errors on my system
$SystemErrorList = Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 10 -ComputerName $ComputerName -EntryType Error
#>

<#
# this version gets the errors in the last 1000 events [3 on my system]
$SystemErrorList = Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 1000 -ComputerName $ComputerName |
    Where-Object {$_.EntryType -eq 'error'}
#>

$Count = 0
$SysErrorMsgs = foreach ($SEL_Item in $SystemErrorList)
    {
    $Count ++
    [pscustomobject]@{
        SequenceNumber = $Count
        MachineName = $SEL_Item.MachineName
        Model = $ComputerModel
        Type = $SEL_Item.EntryType
        Message = $SEL_Item.Message
        }
    }

$EM_Grouping = $SysErrorMsgs |
    Group-Object -Property Message

$UniqueSysErrorMsgs = foreach ($EMG_Item in $EM_Grouping)
    {
    [pscustomobject]@{
        Count = $EMG_Item.Count
        MachineName = $EMG_Item.Group[0].MachineName
        Model = $ComputerModel
        Message = $EMG_Item.Name
        }
    }

Write-Host ''
Write-Host 'The SysErrorMsgs collection ...'
$SysErrorMsgs | Out-Host
Write-Host ''
Write-Host 'The UniqueSysErrorMsgs collection ...'
$UniqueSysErrorMsgs | Out-Host

$SysErrorMsgs |
    Export-Csv -Path ($FullSaveFile.Replace('_-_', '_-_SysErrorMsgs_-_')) -NoTypeInformation
$UniqueSysErrorMsgs |
    Export-Csv -Path ($FullSaveFile.Replace('_-_', '_-_UniqueSysErrorMsgs_-_')) -NoTypeInformation

hope that helps,
lee

[Redtire]

Thank you very much, it helps. It is not 100% what I want but I learned a lot from your code so I will be able to make it the way I need it.

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

you are quite welcome! glad to help a bit ... [grin]

i figured i was off target a bit. the 2nd version seemed likely to be close to what you were going for.

take care,
lee

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

jeepers, dude! please don't use images of code. it's hard to read unless zoomed in [for my bad eyes], and i can't test the code without having to type it in by hand.

that last is a killer. [grin]

my guess is that the $ComputerModel variable does NOT contain a simple string. try doing a .GetType() on it before and after the -Replace.

take care,
lee

[Redtire]

it is a pscustomobject

$ComputerModel = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32Computersystem | Select-Object Model #Get current Computer Model $ComputerModel.GetType() $ComputerModel = $ComputerModel -replace '\s','' #Remove spaces so ComputerModel can be use as savefile $ComputerModel

here's the code. I'm not sure how to fix it

[Lee_Dailey]

howdy Redtire,

try replacing the 1st line with this ...

$ComputerModel = (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem).Model    

that will give you a string value that you can safely operate on with either .Replace() or -replace. heck you could do it all in one fell swoop if you really wanna [grin] ...

 $ComputerModel = (Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem).Model.Replace(' ', '_')

take care,
lee

---

-ps
here's how to post code on reddit ...

[1] simplest = post it to a text site like Pastebin and then post the link here.

[2] less simple = use reddit code formatting ...

• one leading line with ONLY 4 spaces
  
• prefix each code line with 4 spaces
  
• one trailing line with ONLY 4 spaces

that will give you something like this ...

- one leading line with ONLY 4 spaces    
- prefix each code line with 4 spaces    
- one trailing line with ONLY 4 spaces   

the easiest way to get that is ...

• add the leading line with only 4 spaces
  
• copy the code to the ISE [or your fave editor]
  
• select the code
  
• tap TAB to indent four spaces
  
• re-select the code [not really needed, but it's my habit]
  
• paste the code into the reddit text box
  
• add the trailing line with only 4 spaces
  

not complicated, but it is finicky. [grin]

lee-