redirect powershell script output to a file using UFT16 encoding

Question

I need to run a powershell command from C++ application. This powershell command need to redirect powershell script output to a file using UFT16 encoding.

I run the following command, but out.txt is not in UFT16, but seems in UTF8.

powershell.exe -File  myps.ps1 > out.txt

I also tried the following. But the error is "'out-file' is not recognized as an internal or external command operable program or batch file."

powershell.exe -File myps.ps1 | out-file "enctest.txt" -encoding unicode

Maybe should use -Command? How to do this?

Maybe you should include the relevant code so we have a better chance of pointing out the problem. — Captain Obvlious
– Captain Obvlious, Commented Nov 30, 2015 at 23:30
Write-Host “Hello, World!” is the content of my powershell script — JennyS
– JennyS, Commented Dec 1, 2015 at 1:15

Mathias R. Jessen · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-30 23:32:36Z

1

As you already know, Out-File is a PowerShell cmdlet, so it won't make sense in the context of a process argument (if you're trying to launch powershell.exe as a new process directly), nor will it make sense to cmd.exe (default shell when you invoke a system() call).

Maybe should use "-Command"? How to do this?

Absolutely!

Something like this should do:

powershell.exe -Command "& C:\path\to\my.ps1 | Out-File enctest.txt -Encoding unicode"

The > operator would also work with -Command, as output redirection encoding defaults to UTF16LE (inside PowerShell at least):

powershell.exe -Command "& C:\path\to\my.ps1 > enctest.txt"

answered Nov 30, 2015 at 23:32

Mathias R. Jessen

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3 Comments

JennyS Over a year ago

powershell.exe -Command "& C:\path\to\my.ps1 | Out-File enctest.txt -Encoding unicode" didn't redirect the output of the script to enctest.txt, it output to the console instead. C:\temp>powershell.exe -Command "& C:\temp\myps.ps1 | Out-File enctest.txt -Encoding unicode" Hello, World!

Mathias R. Jessen Over a year ago

Does myps.ps1 contain something like Write-Host "Hello World!"? Write-Host writes directly to the host application (ie. the console screen buffer), not to stdout. It won't work. Use Write-Output (echo) instead of Write-Host

JennyS Over a year ago

I tried "Write-Output" and it works. Thanks! But the problem is that in reality, I don't have control of the script. I only write code to redirect the output of the script to file. What if myps.ps1 contains Write-Host instead of Write-Output, is there anyway to do the same thing? "powershell.exe -File myps.ps1 > out.txt" works for Write-Host except it doesn't do unicode.

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