PowerShell: Write to File

Write to File

Set-Content

Write to file, with value parameter or piped input. If the file doesn't exit, it is created.

Set-Content "test.txt" -value "something"

dir | Set-Content "test.txt"

• -NoNewline → do not add a CRLF at end of file.
• -Encoding → default to utf8.

Here's a alternative, using dotnet method:

[IO.File]::WriteAllText(filepath, content)

write content string to file at filepath.

Append to file

Add-Content (alias ac)

append content to file.

Output to File

Out-File

write output to file, from a piped input.

dir | Out-File "test.txt" -width 111222333 -NoNewLine

• -width → max number of characters per line, any beyond is DELETED.
• -NoNewline → do not add a CRLF at end of file.
• -Encoding → default to utf8.
• -Append → append to end.
• -NoClobber → warn before overwrite.

To String

Out-String

convert input objects into one single string, or use Stream parameter to return array of strings.

This command is useful when you need to manipulate the string before sending to file.