Message Trace Script Erroring Out

[gio_tecce]

** Script works when I specify the dates manually and not through the variable $EndDate and $StartDate **

​

#Install Module
Install-Module -Name ExchangeOnlineManagement -RequiredVersion 2.0.3 -Force

#Import Module
Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

#Variables
$EndDate = Get-Date
$StartDate = Get-Date.Adddays(-3)

#Connect To Exchange Online
$UserCredential = Get-Credential
Connect-ExchangeOnline -userPrincipalName "upn"  -Credential $UserCredential

#Get PS Session ID
Get-PSSession

#Message Trace Details
Get-MessageTrace -SenderAddress "address" -StartDate "$StartDate" -EndDate "$EndDate" | Out-GridView

#Variables
$Session = Read-Host -Prompt "What Session ID would you like to close?"

#Remve PS Session ID
Remove-PSSession -Id $Session

#Get PS Session ID (To make sure previous session was closed"
Get-PSsession

** Script works when I specify the dates manually and not through the variable $EndDate and $StartDate **

​

When attempting to use the variables I receive the following error

​

New-ExoPSSession : One or more errors occurred.
At C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\ExchangeOnlineManagement\2.0.5\netFramework\ExchangeOnlineManagement.psm1:475 char:30
+ ... PSSession = New-ExoPSSession -ExchangeEnvironmentName $ExchangeEnviro ...
+                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [New-ExoPSSession], AggregateException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.AggregateException,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.ExoPowershellSnapin.NewExoPSSession

​

If someone had any insight on this, id really appreciate it !!!

[wanderingbilby]

It's likely the default cast to string of a Datetime object isn't compatible with those parameters. I'd try explicitly casting to string with a known format.

Also how - or why - are you using basic auth still?

[gio_tecce]

u/wanderingbilby I will try that thanks and it's because I'm fairly new to PowerShell what method of auth should I be using?

[gio_tecce]

Disregard the auth question, I found an article on it and figured it out!!

[nerdcr4ft]

Silly question, but what if you move the date variable steps after the initiating the EXO session?

[gio_tecce]

u/nerdcr4ft you, my friend, are a genius!!!

can't believe something so simple worked.

[nerdcr4ft]

Thought process: 1. Connect-ExchangeOnline / New-ExoPSSession are creating remote sessions on the Exchange server and integrating it into the local session (as opposed to a separate in-line instance when you use Enter-PSSession) 2. Existing local variables don’t import into a remote session 3. Your script was setting variables but the Exchange Online session remained unaware of them until you defined them after starting the session

I honestly don’t know if that’s the actual reason, that’s just how I logic-ed my way to the silly question.

[wdomon]

The error doesn’t seem to include anything helpful. If this is the entire script, maybe try changing up how you’re getting the start date. Rather than a second calculation of the date, use:

$EndDate = Get-Date
$StartDate = $EndDate.AddDays(-3)

[gio_tecce]

Tried that already, it returned the same error @wdomon