How to Use PowerShell to Extract Basename and Dirname Like in Linux

Learn how to efficiently retrieve the `basename` and `dirname` of files and directories in PowerShell, mimicking Linux behavior with easy commands.
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Extracting Basename and Dirname in PowerShell: A Linux Approach

If you're transitioning from Linux to PowerShell or simply looking to expand your scripting capabilities, you may find it essential to retrieve the basename and dirname of files and directories. In Linux, commands like basename and dirname are commonly used, but how can one achieve similar results in PowerShell? In this guide, we'll explore how to effectively extract these values, especially when dealing with files that have special characters, such as periods (.) in their names.

Understanding the Concepts

Before diving into the commands, let’s clarify what basename and dirname mean:

basename: This command is used to strip the directory path and suffix from a filename, leaving only the final component.

dirname: This works oppositely, extracting the directory path without the filename.

In Linux, the outputs of these commands would look something like this for a file named file.txt located at /users/js/file.txt:

basename /users/js/file.txt returns file.txt

basename file.txt .txt returns file

Now, let’s find out how to replicate this behavior in PowerShell.

Extracting Filename in PowerShell

Using Get-Item with Foreach-Object

To replicate the functionality of basename in PowerShell, you can use the Get-Item cmdlet along with Foreach-Object (% for short). Here’s how you can retrieve the base name of your file, even when it contains a period in its name.

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Example Walkthrough

Let's say you have a file named test.txt and you would like to get the following outputs:

Filename: From test.txt, you want test.

Directory: From a directory like /test01.test/, you want just test01.

To formulate commands for these specific examples, you can use:

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Conclusion

Using PowerShell is a powerful way to manipulate files and directories, and while it may be different from Linux commands like basename and dirname, you can achieve similar results with a bit of creativity. By employing Get-Item and Foreach-Object, you can easily extract the basename of any file, regardless of its complexity.
Harness these PowerShell commands, and you'll streamline your file handling tasks efficiently while enjoying the syntax and features that PowerShell offers. Happy scripting!

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