Removing duplicate values from a PowerShell array

Question

Use Select-Object (whose alias is select) with the -Unique switch; e.g.:

$a = @(1,2,3,4,5,5,6,7,8,9,0,0)
$a = $a | select -Unique

Another option is to use Sort-Object (whose alias is sort, but only on Windows) with the
-Unique switch, which combines sorting with removal of duplicates:

$a | sort -unique

In case you want to be fully bomb proofed, this is what I would advise:

@('Apples', 'Apples ', 'APPLES', 'Banana') | 
    Sort-Object -Property @{Expression={$_.Trim()}} -Unique

Output:

Apples
Banana

This uses the Property parameter to first Trim() the strings, so extra spaces are removed and then selects only the -Unique values.

More info on Sort-Object:

Get-Help Sort-Object -ShowWindow

$a | sort -unique

This works with case-insensitive, therefore removing duplicates strings with differing cases. Solved my problem.

$ServerList = @(
    "FS3",
    "HQ2",
    "hq2"
) | sort -Unique

$ServerList

The above outputs:

FS3
HQ2

This is how you get unique from an array with two or more properties. The sort is vital and the key to getting it to work correctly. Otherwise you just get one item returned.

PowerShell Script:

$objects = @(
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "1"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "2"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "3"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "4"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "5"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "1"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "2"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "3"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "4"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "5"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "1"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "2"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "3"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "4"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "5"; MachineName = "1" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "1"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "2"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "3"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "4"; MachineName = "2" }
    [PSCustomObject] @{ Message = "5"; MachineName = "2" }
)

Write-Host "Sorted on both properties with -Unique" -ForegroundColor Yellow
$objects | Sort-Object -Property Message,MachineName -Unique | Out-Host

Write-Host "Sorted on just Message with -Unique" -ForegroundColor Yellow
$objects | Sort-Object -Property Message -Unique | Out-Host

Write-Host "Sorted on just MachineName with -Unique" -ForegroundColor Yellow
$objects | Sort-Object -Property MachineName -Unique | Out-Host

Output:

Sorted on both properties with -Unique

Message MachineName
------- -----------
1       1          
1       2          
2       1          
2       2          
3       1          
3       2          
4       1          
4       2          
5       1          
5       2          


Sorted on just Message with -Unique

Message MachineName
------- -----------
1       1          
2       1          
3       1          
4       1          
5       2          


Sorted on just MachineName with -Unique

Message MachineName
------- -----------
1       1          
3       2  

Source: https://powershell.org/forums/topic/need-to-unique-based-on-multiple-properties/

If the list is sorted, you can use the Get-Unique cmdlet:

 $a | Get-Unique

With my method you can completely remove duplicate values, leaving you with values from the array that only had a count of 1. It was not clear if this is what the OP actually wanted however I was unable to find an example of this solution online so here it is.

$array=@'
Bananna
Apple
Carrot
Pear
Apricot
Pear
Bananna
'@ -split '\r\n'

($array | Group-Object -NoElement | ?{$_.count -eq 1}).Name