calling a variable in select -expandproperty

Question

I'm trying to make a report that lists a server name, vm name, and notes section from the vm but I cannot seem to get this code to run, it always gives me this error:

Select-Object : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'System.String' required by parameter 'ExpandProperty'. not supported. At C:\Cooper\Jobs\Get-VmNotes - Copy.ps1:32 char:48 + get-vm -server FA0150 | Select -expandproperty $server, Name, Notes +
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (:) [Select-Object], ParameterBindingException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SelectObjectCommand

I can get the vmname and notes to output together but I just want to have a column that lists the vcenter server it is associated with.

-Expandproperty supports single property technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh849895.aspx — Deptor

Shawn Esterman Shawn Esterman · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-15T14:01:51

Expand property is like the same as saying (Get-VM -Server FA0150).Name. It expands the property name you are selecting. You were trying to expand 3 properties (System.Object[]), but it is looking for just a string name of the property you want to expand. Use -Property instead.

get-vm -server FA0150 | Select-Object -Property Name,Notes

get-vm -server FA0150 | Select-Object -Property Name,Notes | Format-Table -Autosize

To also include the server name I made it into a script form since it can no longer be a one-liner:

[CmdletBinding()]
Param ( $Server )
$VMs = Get-VM -Server $Server
$VMs | Select-Object -Properties @(
    @{ Label = 'Server';Expression = { $Server } }
    'Name'
    'Notes'
)

calling a variable in select -expandproperty

2 Answers