Cannot copy files to path that "test-Path" can see

Question

Here is what I have so far. I get the message

Copy-Item : Illegal characters in path.

I am trying to create a directory on each workstation (`89), copy an existing file on the workstation(s) to that folder, then copy new file(s) to the path stated. When I comment out everything to do with copying and just verify the path, the path comes back as valid.

I tried deploying these files via a s/w push in SCCM (2007) using a batch file but it failed because of a path not found/invalid path error, because of the · (called a middle dot) between Trns and port.

$file = "\\path\to\files\ITClientBuild\Specs2\specslas5\testcopy.txt"
$outfile = "c:\temp\las6copy.csv"
gc c:\temp\las6.txt | %{
    $computer = $_
    $ping = Test-Connection $computer -Count 2 -Quiet
    if ($ping) {
        $pathTest1 = Test-Path "\\$computer\c$\Program Files\AASHTOWare\Trns·port Client-Server   PES-LAS"
        $pathTest2 = Test-Path "\\$computer\c$\Program Files (x86)\AASHTOWare\Trns·port Client-Server PES-LAS"
        if($pathTest1 -eq $true){
            # md -Force "\\$computer\c$\windows\temp\las5a"
            # cp -force "\\$computer\c$\Program Files\AASHTOWare\Trns·port Client-Server PES-LAS\las6cust.pbd" "\\$computer\c$\windows\temp\las5\*"
            cp -force $file "\\$computer\\c$\\Program Files\\AASHTOWare\\Trns·port Client-Server PES-LAS\\*"

            "$computer  FILE PUSHED to PES-LAS dir" >> $outfile
        } else {
            "$computer  las6 PATH DOES NOT EXIST!!" >> $outfile
        }
        if ($pathTest2 -eq $true){
            # md -Force "\\$computer\c$\windows\temp\las5a"
            # cp -force "\\$computer\c$\Program Files (x86)\AASHTOWare\Trns·port Client-Server PES-LAS\las6cust.pbd" "\\$computer\c$\windows\temp\las5\*"
            cp -force $file "\\$computer\c$\Program Files (x86)\AASHTOWare\Trns·port Client-Server PES-LAS\*"

            "$computer  FILE PUSHED to PES-LAS dir" >> $outfile
        } else {
            "$computer  PES-LAS PATH DOES NOT EXIST!!" >> $outfile
        }
    } else {
        "$computer  OFFLINE" >> $outfile
    }
}

TheMadTechnician TheMadTechnician · Accepted Answer · 2014-03-31T19:11:08

The error is happening because your destination should not have the \* on it. Try it without that and it should complete without issues.

cp -force $file "\\$computer\c$\Program Files (x86)\AASHTOWare\Trns·port Client-Server PES-LAS"

Cannot copy files to path that "test-Path" can see

1 Answers