OverloadDefinitions on CSV field? - arrays

Question

I created a question earlier where I asked how to save a specific CSV column into a PowerShell array. I got my question answered and my passwords and my usernames are now saved in two different arrays. However, the Server IP-Adresses doesn't want to be saved into the array I made for them to be saved in. When I try to log in to a server (with PowerShell inputting credentials automatically) I get this error:
Invoke-Command : One or more computer names are not valid. If you are trying to
pass a URI, use the -ConnectionUri parameter, or pass URI objects instead of
strings.
At C:xxx\xxx\xxx\xxx\pornfolder:37 char:15
+ ... $output = Invoke-Command -computername $AddressArray[$row] -credent ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (System.String[]:String[]) [Invoke-Command], ArgumentException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PSSessionInvalidComputerName,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeCommandCommand
So I printed the array where the adresses are meant to be saved in, and I get this:
OverloadDefinitions
-------------------
System.Object&, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089 Address(int )
This is, honest to god, all that is saved in the array. No wonder the computername(s) are invalid.
Here is the code
$PasswordsArray = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$UsernamesArray = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$Importedcsv = Import-csv "C:\my\csv\file\is\located.here" -Delimiter ";"
$PasswordsArray += #($Importedcsv.password)
$AA += [string] #($Importedcsv.address)
$UsernamesArray += #($Importedcsv.username)

Answer 1

Basically your issue is caused by a convenience feature that was introduced in PowerShell v3 combined with awkward field naming. Since PowerShell v3 arrays are automatically unrolled when you use dot-notation on them ($arr.something). That way properties or methods can be called on the array elements via the array object without having to loop over the elements ($arr | ForEach-Object {$_.something}).
Your column title (address) conflicts with the name of a method of the array object (Address()).
PS C:\> $Importedcsv | Get-Member
TypeName: System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject
Name MemberType Definition
---- ---------- ----------
Equals Method bool Equals(System.Object obj)
GetHashCode Method int GetHashCode()
GetType Method type GetType()
ToString Method string ToString()
address NoteProperty System.String address=192.168.0.10
password NoteProperty System.String password=#adfgad
username NoteProperty System.String username=advokathuset\user
PS C:\> Get-Member -InputObject $Importedcsv
TypeName: System.Object[]
Name MemberType Definition
---- ---------- ----------
Count AliasProperty Count = Length
Add Method int IList.Add(System.Object value)
Address Method System.Object&, mscorlib, Versio...
Clear Method void IList.Clear()
...
$Importedcsv | Get-Member unrolls the array (via the pipeline), so Get-Member is called on the array elements, whereas Get-Member -InputObject $Importedcsv operates on the array object itself (PowerShell imports CSVs as an array of objects).
Rename the column to something else, either at the source (where you create the file), or on import:
$filename = "C:\my\csv\file\is\located.here"
$headers = 'IPAddress', 'Username', 'Password'
$Importedcsv = Import-Csv $filename -Delimiter ";" -Header $headers
$AA = #($Importedcsv.IPAddress)
or expand the address property on the individual array items in a loop:
$AA = #($Importedcsv | ForEach-Object { $_.address } )
Note that a construct [string]#(...) will cast your array to a single string, so don't use it unless you actually want all addresses in a single string. To enforce a string array you'd use [string[]]#(...), but usually that's not necessary with PowerShell, so I'd recommend against using it unless you know what you need it for.
Also note that it's unnecessary to create an ArrayList object and append to it. The #() operator will already produce an array, so you should simplify things like this:
$PasswordsArray = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$PasswordsArray += #($Importedcsv.password)
to this:
$PasswordsArray = #($Importedcsv.password)
unless you require specific features of an ArrayList.