Output a range of variables with foreach-object

• Following example creates a range of values 1 - 254 then pipes them to a foreach-object command (using the alias %) that creates an IP address with the final part of the address using each of the values, i.e. an entire class C subnet

$nodes = 1..254 |
  % { "192.168.1.$_" }
  $nodes

• To output a range of characters you need to prefix with [char[]] to indicate that the output will be multiple characters (hence the nested [] for multiple) and also put [char] before the start and the end values e.g.

[char[]]([char]'a'..[char]'z')

• E.g. to create folders gbedxwebws44a - h

$range = [char[]]([char]'a'..[char]'h')
foreach ( $char in $range )
{ write-host gbedxwebws44$char }

• In the following example, there are sixteen files in the current directory named 1 - 16.pdf and this moves them all into a folder: first by enumerating values 1..16, then appending .pdf to each, and saving this into a variable; then finally moves each value in the variable (i.e. each PDF) into the folder called pdf-folder

$pdfs = 1..16 | foreach { "$_.pdf" } ; foreach ( $pdf in $pdfs ) { mv $pdf pdf-folder }

• Note that write-host "Type, name, number", echo "Type, name, number" and $("Type, name, number") all return the same Type, name, number
• more info: http://www.itprotoday.com/management-mobility/windows-powershell-range-operator-tricks