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Get-Item

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

Gets the item at the specified location.

Syntax

Get-Item
   [-Path] <String[]>
   [-Filter <String>]
   [-Include <String[]>]
   [-Exclude <String[]>]
   [-Force]
   [-Credential <PSCredential>]
   [-UseTransaction]
   [-Stream <String[]>]
   [<CommonParameters>]
Get-Item
   -LiteralPath <String[]>
   [-Filter <String>]
   [-Include <String[]>]
   [-Exclude <String[]>]
   [-Force]
   [-Credential <PSCredential>]
   [-UseTransaction]
   [-Stream <String[]>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Get-Item cmdlet gets the item at the specified location. It does not get the contents of the item at the location unless you use a wildcard character ('*') to request all the contents of the item.

This cmdlet is used by PowerShell providers to navigate through different types of data stores.

Examples

Example 1: Get the current directory

This command gets the current directory. The dot ('.') represents the item at the current location (not its contents).

Get-Item .

Directory: C:\

Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
d----         7/26/2006  10:01 AM            ps-test

Example 2: Get all the items in the current directory

This command gets all the items in the current directory. The wildcard character ('*') represents all the contents of the current item.

Get-Item *

Directory: C:\ps-test

Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
d----         7/26/2006   9:29 AM            Logs
d----         7/26/2006   9:26 AM            Recs
-a---         7/26/2006   9:28 AM         80 date.csv
-a---         7/26/2006  10:01 AM         30 filenoext
-a---         7/26/2006   9:30 AM      11472 process.doc
-a---         7/14/2006  10:47 AM         30 test.txt

Example 3: Get the current directory of a drive

This command gets the current directory of the C: drive. The object that is retrieved represents only the directory, not its contents.

Get-Item C:\

Example 4: Get items in the specified drive

This command gets the items in the C: drive. The wildcard character ('*') represents all the items in the container, not just the container.

In PowerShell, use a single asterisk ('') to get contents, instead of the traditional ".". The format is interpreted literally, so ".*" would not retrieve directories or file names without a dot.

Get-Item C:\*

Example 5: Get a property in the specified directory

This command gets the LastAccessTime property of the "C:\Windows" directory. LastAccessTime is just one property of file system directories. To see all of the properties of a directory, type (Get-Item \<directory-name\>) | Get-Member.

(Get-Item C:\Windows).LastAccessTime

Example 6: Show the contents of a registry key

This command shows the contents of the Microsoft.PowerShell registry key. You can use this cmdlet with the PowerShell Registry provider to get registry keys and subkeys, but you must use the Get-ItemProperty cmdlet to get the registry values and data.

Get-Item HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Powershell\1\Shellids\Microsoft.Powershell\

Example 7: Get items in a directory that have an exclusion

This command gets items in the Windows directory with names that include a dot ('.'), but do not begin with "w*". This command works only when the path includes a wildcard character ('*') to specify the contents of the item.

Get-Item c:\Windows\*.* -Exclude "w*"

Parameters

-Credential

Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current user.

Type a user name, such as "User01" or "Domain01\User01", or enter a PSCredential object, such as one generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, you are prompted for a password.

Warning

This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with Windows PowerShell.

Type:PSCredential
Position:Named
Default value:Current user
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Exclude

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet excludes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as "*.txt". Wildcard characters are permitted.

The Exclude parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as "C:\Windows*", where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the "C:\Windows" directory.

Type:String[]
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:True

-Filter

Specifies a filter in the format or language of the provider. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter.

The syntax of the filter, including the use of wildcard characters, depends on the provider. Filters are more efficient than other parameters, because the provider applies them when the cmdlet gets the objects rather than having PowerShell filter the objects after they are retrieved.

Type:String
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:True

-Force

Indicates that this cmdlet gets items that cannot otherwise be accessed, such as hidden items. Implementation varies from provider to provider. For more information, see about_Providers. Even using the Force parameter, the cmdlet cannot override security restrictions.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Include

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet includes in the operation. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as "*.txt". Wildcard characters are permitted.

The Include parameter is effective only when the command includes the contents of an item, such as "C:\Windows*", where the wildcard character specifies the contents of the "C:\Windows" directory.

Type:String[]
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:True

-LiteralPath

Specifies a path to the item. Unlike the Path parameter, the value of LiteralPath is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.

Type:String[]
Aliases:PSPath
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Path

Specifies the path to an item. This cmdlet gets the item at the specified location. Wildcards are permitted. This parameter is required, but the parameter name ("Path") is optional.

Use a dot ('.') to specify the current location. Use the wildcard character ('*') to specify all the items in the current location.

Type:String[]
Position:0
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:True

-Stream

Gets the specified alternate NTFS file stream from the file. Enter the stream name. Wildcards are supported. To get all streams, use an asterisk (*). This parameter is not valid on folders.

Stream is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Get-Item cmdlet. This parameter works only in file system drives.

Type:String[]
Position:Named
Default value:No alternate file streams
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:True

-UseTransaction

Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see about_Transactions.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:usetx
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

String

You can pipe a string that contains a path to this cmdlet.

Outputs

Object

This cmdlet returns the objects that it gets. The type is determined by the type of objects in the path.

Notes

This cmdlet does not have a Recurse parameter, because it gets only an item, not its contents. To get the contents of an item recursively, use Get-ChildItem.

To navigate through the registry, use this cmdlet to get registry keys and the Get-ItemProperty to get registry values and data. The registry values are considered to be properties of the registry key.

This cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers available in your session, type Get-PsProvider. For more information, see about_Providers.