Powershell Compare-Object Format Output

Question

Here is the script that I wrote:

function Compare {

    $file1 = Read-Host "Please enter the path of the first file you would like to compare"
    $file2 = Read-Host "Please enter the path of the second file you would like to compare"

    $outFile = Read-Host "Please enter the path to where you would like your output file."

    Try{
        $compareOne = Get-Content $file1
        $comparetwo = Get-Content $file2
    } 
    Catch{
        Write-Host "The path you entered is either invalid or the file does not exist. "    
    }

    Write-Host "Beginning comparison"
    Compare-Object $compareOne $compareTwo  | Out-File $outFile
    Write-Host "Complete!"
}

Compare

And this is my output:

InputObject | SideIndicator
------------|--------------
   Value1   |    <=
   Value2   |    <=
   Value3   |    =>
   Value4   |    =>

Is it possible for me to format my output in such a way that I can change the headers of each column?

And instead of => and <= I could give which file the differences are actually found in?

Here is the kind of output I am looking for:

   Value    |     File 
------------|--------------
   Value1   |    $file1
   Value2   |    $file2
   Value3   |    $file2
   Value4   |    $file1

I'm still quite new to PowerShell so if you could explain your answer that would be great, just so I can understand what is actually going on.

I am also trying to make this "dummy proof" so that anyone can just compare two text files, without any further input.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Something like this, maybe?

function compareCSV {

$file1 = Read-Host "Please enter the path of the first file you would like to compare"
$file2 = Read-Host "Please enter the path of the second file you would like to compare"

$outFile1 = Read-Host "Please enter the path to where you would like your output file."

Try{
    $compareOne = Get-Content $file1
    $comparetwo = Get-Content $file2
} 
Catch{
    Write-Host "The path you entered is either invalid or the file does not exist. "    
}

Write-Host "Beginning comparison"
$Compare = 
Compare-Object $compareOne $compareTwo

$compare | foreach  { 
      if ($_.sideindicator -eq '<=')
        {$_.sideindicator = $file1}

      if ($_.sideindicator -eq '=>')
        {$_.sideindicator = $file2}
     }

 $Compare | 
   select @{l='Value';e={$_.InputObject}},@{l='File';e={$_.SideIndicator}} |
   Out-File $outFile1

  Write-Host "Complete!"
}

compareCSV

Answer 2

change this:

Compare-Object $compareOne $compareTwo  | Out-File $outFile

with this:

Compare-Object $compareOne $compareTwo  | 
ft inputobject, @{n="file";e={ if ($_.SideIndicator -eq '=>') { "$file2" }  else { "$file1" } }} | Out-File $outFile