Launching additional Powershell instance with commands from a text file

Question

I'm writing a Powershell script that takes in a text file as a parameter. The text file looks similar to this:

echo "1"
echo "2"
echo "3"

What I would want is for each line to be executed in a new Powershell instance. So in the example above, 3 additional instances would be created and each of the 3 would execute one line from the text file. I'm able to launch instances, but I cannot get the instances to treat the lines in the file as commands.

$textFile=$args[0] #File with Powershell commands

foreach($cmdd in get-content $textFile){
    cmd /c start powershell -NoExit -command {param($cmdd) iex $cmdd} -ArgumentList $cmdd
}

Running this code opens the instances, prints a lot of information, and then immediately closes. It closes so quickly that I cannot see what the info is. However, since the text file is only composed of printing the numbers 1, 2, and 3, I don't think that it's working correctly. Is there also a way to keep the windows from closing after execution?

UtopiaLtd · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-19 14:40:01Z

1

If you're launching additional instances of PowerShell from PowerShell, you won't need to call cmd. Try using Start-Process:

$textFile=$args[0] #File with Powershell commands

foreach($cmdd in get-content $textFile){
    Start-Process -FilePath powershell -ArgumentList "-NoExit -Command $cmdd"
}

This will leave newly created instances open as you have asked.

answered Sep 19, 2014 at 14:40

UtopiaLtd

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Comments

mjolinor · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-19 14:07:49Z

0

Switch from CMD /C to CMD /K to leave the command session open after the command finishes.

answered Sep 19, 2014 at 14:07

mjolinor

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2 Comments

user2132167 Over a year ago

The newly created instances still close. I want to keep those open too.

mjolinor Over a year ago

If you want to launch instances outside of the current session, you'll need to use Start-Process. But I don't think you can use a scriptblock for your command argument in that context.

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