Getting resolved file path in Powershell

Question

I need to find a file that has a folder in its path that has a dynamic name that changes as I publish some app. (it has a version # appended to it).

C:\somefolder\application_1.0.5.0\myxmlfile.xml

$FilePath = "C:\somefolder\application*\myxmlfile.xml"

Which works great, but I'm changing xml and need to save it again. Upon saving it it's complaining about an illegal character in the path "*".

[xml] $xml = Get-Content..
$xml.Save($FilePath)

How can I get the path that powershell actually resolved in $FilePath so that I can pass it to the xml save function?

Zombo · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-28 00:49:28Z

3

PS > $FilePath = 'C:\Window*\win.ini'

PS > Convert-Path $FilePath
C:\Windows\win.ini

answered Jul 28, 2014 at 0:49

Zombo

1

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4 Comments

Interesting. The help for convert-path says that wildcards aren't allowed.

@MikeShepard That is if you use the LiteralPath argument. This is implicily using the Path argument.

So the documentation is wrong in more than one place?

Greg Bray · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-28 01:41:07Z

3

the Resolve-Path cmdlet will convert wildcards to a full path. Alternatively you could use something like:

$filepattern = "C:\somefolder\application*\myxmlfile.xml"
$filepath = gci $filepattern  | select -First 1 -ExpandProperty FullName

answered Jul 28, 2014 at 1:41

Greg Bray

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Alias for Get-ChildItem. It is the PS equivalent of DIR or LS