Start-Job -ScriptBlock: Retrieving an array that is compiled inside the ScriptBlock - arrays

Question

I have a Foreach loop inside a ScriptBlock that builds an array.
I cannot figure out how to retrieve the array from the Job once it's finished.
Here is my current code.
$HSMissingEmail = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$HSDataObjects = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$HSMissingEmail = Start-Job -Name HSMissingEmailStatus -ScriptBlock {
param($HSDataObjects, $HSMissingEmail);
foreach ($HSDO in $HSDataObjects) {
$HSDO = $HSDO | Select-Object Name, Location, Telephone, EmailAddress, Comments;
if ($HSDO | Where-Object {$_.EmailAddress -like ""}) {
$HSMissingEmail.Add($HSDO)
}
}
} -HSDataObjects $HSDataObjects -HSMissingEmail $HSMissingEmail | Receive-Job -Name HSMissingEmailStatus
I've also tried the following but it didn't do anything either.
$HSMissingEmail = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$HSDataObjects = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$ScriptBlock =
{
param($HSDataObjects,$HSMissingEmail)
foreach ($HSDO in $HSDataObjects)
{
$HSDO = $HSDO | Select-Object Name, Location, Telephone, EmailAddress, Comments
if ($HSDO | Where-Object {$_.emailaddress -like ""})
{
$HSMissingEmail.Add($HSDO)
}
}
}
Start-Job -Name HSMissingEmailStatus -ScriptBlock $ScriptBlock -HSDataObjects $HSDataObjects -HSMissingEmail $HSMissingEmail
ProgressBar ([REF]$HSMissingEmailStatus)
$HSMissingEmail = Receive-Job -Name HSMissingEmailStatus
Get-job -Name HSMissingEmailStatus | Remove-Job
I have tried many different ways to form the ScriptBlock but none are returning anything to $HSMissingEmail.
Also the second block of code doesn't get the passed data until I make the ScriptBlock all one line, which I'm unsure if this is a default behavior.
How can I retrieve the array?

Answer 1

You need to write the array out to standard out.
$HSMissingEmail = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$HSDataObjects = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList
$HSMissingEmail = Start-Job -Name HSMissingEmailStatus -ScriptBlock {
param($HSDataObjects, $HSMissingEmail);
foreach ($HSDO in $HSDataObjects) {
$HSDO = $HSDO | Select-Object Name, Location, Telephone, EmailAddress, Comments;
if ($HSDO | Where-Object {$_.EmailAddress -like ""}) {
$HSMissingEmail.Add($HSDO)
}
}
$HSMissingEmail # Drops it out as a result of the script block
} -HSDataObjects $HSDataObjects -HSMissingEmail $HSMissingEmail
Receive-Job -Name HSMissingEmailStatus -Wait # At the appropriate time, or keep cycling until you get it all
As far as the single-line/multiline bit, it might be a problem with not explicitly typing the variable as [ScriptBlock], but I'd have to check.