Update duplicate child node by index

Question

I am trying to use Powershell to update a single XML child node property by index. In the below sample I want to update only the second Import Filename="File_2.txt" property

<!--test.xml -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <node1 test="hello"/>
  <node2>
    <Import Filename="File_1.txt" />
    <Import Filename="File_2.txt" />
    <Import Filename="File_3.txt" />
   </node2>
</configuration>

([xml] ( gc "test.xml" )).configuration.node1.test #displays hello
([xml] ( gc "test.xml" )).configuration.node2.Import.Filename[1] #displays File_2.txt

Ok so it looks like i have the right node references, So now i update the child nodes

$xml = ([xml] ( gc "test.xml" ))
$xml.configuration.node1.test = "something new"
$xml.Save( "test.xml" )
$xml.configuration.node1.test #Displays something new

$xml = ([xml] ( gc "test.xml" ))
$xml.configuration.node2.Import.Filename[1] = "ImaNewFile.txt"
$xml.Save( "test.xml" )
$xml.configuration.node2.Import.Filename[1] #Displays File_2.txt

The configuration.node1.test was updated to something new,
The configuration.node2.Import.Filename[1] is still displaying File_2.txt

Why wasn't the second configuration.node2.Import.Filename updated?

DanL DanL · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-10T16:38:35

Change

$xml.configuration.node2.Import.Filename[1] = "ImaNewFile.txt"

to

$xml.configuration.node2.Import[1].Filename = "ImaNewFile.txt"

I believe $xml.configuration.node2.Import.Filename is just a string array which has no connection to the xml nodes, however I believe $xml.configuration.node2.Import[1] is a reference to the actual xml node.

Update duplicate child node by index

2 Answers