How to use a variable in place of search query in ES cli tool?

[gaberiel__]

I am trying to figure this out but failled badly.
These two examples work:

Code: Select all

ES.exe -n 5 -p user 1 documents spreadsheet
ES.exe -n 5 -p ""user 1 documents spreadsheet""

This returns no results

Code: Select all

ES.exe -n 5 -p "user 1 documents spreadsheet"

Neither do any of these:

Code: Select all

$string = "user 1 documents spreadsheet"

ES.exe -n 5 -p $string
ES.exe -n 5 -p "$string"
ES.exe -n 5 -p ""$string""

I am trying to build a simple powershell module that uses ES command line tool as its backend engine, I am in a desperate need of a way to use a variable in place of a search query. Is this at all possible?

[void]

I think you need to split the string first, please try:

$x="user 1 documents spreadsheet"
$x=$x.split(' ')

ES.exe -instance 1.5a -n 5 -p $x



This way, Everything receives the search:
user 1 documents spreadsheet

Without the split, Everything receives:
"user 1 documents spreadsheet"



If you are using Everything 1.5, please use the 1.5a instance name:

ES.exe -instance 1.5a -n 5 -p user 1 documents spreadsheet



Alternatively, disable the Everything 1.5a instance:

• From the Start menu, search for: Notepad
• Right click Notepad and click Run as administrator.
• In Notepad, open your Everything-1.5a.ini in the same location as your Everything.exe
• Change the following line:
  alpha_instance=1
  to:
  alpha_instance=0
• Save changes and exit Notepad.
• Restart Everything 1.5.

[NotNull]

Calling external programs from PowerShell can be cumbersome, especially if the parameters contain spaces.

There are several more options, like the call operator (&) or Start-Process, but I end up using Invoke-Expression the most as it is simple.
In this case:

Code: Select all

$string = 'user 1 documents spreadsheet'
Invoke-Expression "es.exe /n 5 -p $string"

Invoke-Expression can be abbreviated to iex


$string might contain toxic characters that have special meaning in PowerShell, like "(".
In that case:

Code: Select all

$string = 'user 1 documents spreadsheet'
Invoke-Expression "es.exe /n 5 -p ""$string"""

Note the extra "" around $string.

[therube]

(Related, ES, how to ESCape | passed to a BAT file?)

[gaberiel__]

Calling external programs from PowerShell can be cumbersome, especially if the parameters contain spaces.

There are several more options, like the call operator (&) or Start-Process, but I end up using Invoke-Expression the most as it is simple.
In this case:

Code: Select all

$string = 'user 1 documents spreadsheet'
Invoke-Expression "es.exe /n 5 -p $string"

Invoke-Expression can be abbreviated to iex


$string might contain toxic characters that have special meaning in PowerShell, like "(".
In that case:

Code: Select all

$string = 'user 1 documents spreadsheet'
Invoke-Expression "es.exe /n 5 -p ""$string"""

Note the extra "" around $string.

Just what I needed! Its working now, also thanks for the tip on escaping powershell symbols as well, I am certain I would have arrived at that cross road too.


Thanks to everyone else as well for helping!

[void]

If you are looking to use content: or other search functions, please use octuple " to escape a single "

For example:

$x="abc 123"
Invoke-Expression "es.exe /n 5 *.docx content:""""""""$x"""""""""

This will call:
es.exe /n 5 *.docx content:"abc 123"

[NotNull]

Powershell is somewhat flexible when mixing ' and " quotes and will try to figure out what was meant.
(Variables like $x need to be enclosed in " " to get expanded to their value)

This will work too:

Code: Select all

$x="abc 123"
Invoke-Expression '  es.exe   count:5   *.docx   content:"""$x"""  '

(extra spaces added for clarity)