Get-Item

SYNOPSIS

Gets the item at the specified location.

SYNTAX

Path (Default)

Get-Item [-Path] <String[]> [-Filter <String>] [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Force]
 [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-UseTransaction] [-Stream <String[]>] [<CommonParameters>]

LiteralPath

Get-Item -LiteralPath <String[]> [-Filter <String>] [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Force]
 [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-UseTransaction] [-Stream <String[]>] [<CommonParameters>]

DESCRIPTION

The Get-Item cmdlet gets the item at the specified location. It doesn't get the contents of the
item at the location unless you use a wildcard character (*) to request all the contents of the
item.

This cmdlet is used by PowerShell providers to navigate through different types of data stores.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Get the current directory

This example gets the current directory. The dot ('.') represents the item at the current location
(not its contents).

Get-Item .

Directory: C:\

Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
d----         7/26/2006  10:01 AM            ps-test

Example 2: Get all the items in the current directory

This example gets all the items in the current directory. The wildcard character (*) represents
all the contents of the current item.

Get-Item *

Directory: C:\ps-test

Mode                LastWriteTime     Length Name
----                -------------     ------ ----
d----         7/26/2006   9:29 AM            Logs
d----         7/26/2006   9:26 AM            Recs
-a---         7/26/2006   9:28 AM         80 date.csv
-a---         7/26/2006  10:01 AM         30 filenoext
-a---         7/26/2006   9:30 AM      11472 process.doc
-a---         7/14/2006  10:47 AM         30 test.txt

Example 3: Get the current directory of a drive

This example gets the current directory of the C: drive. The object that is retrieved represents
only the directory, not its contents.

Get-Item C:

Example 4: Get items in the specified drive

This example gets the items in the C: drive. The wildcard character (*) represents all the items
in the container, not just the container.

Get-Item C:\*

In PowerShell, use a single asterisk (*) to get contents, instead of the traditional *.*. The
format is interpreted literally, so *.* wouldn't retrieve directories or filenames without a dot.

Example 5: Get a property in the specified directory

This example gets the LastAccessTime property of the C:\Windows directory. LastAccessTime
is just one property of file system directories. To see all the properties of a directory, type
(Get-Item <directory-name>) | Get-Member.

(Get-Item C:\Windows).LastAccessTime

Example 6: Show the contents of a registry key

This example shows the contents of the Microsoft.PowerShell registry key. You can use this
cmdlet with the PowerShell Registry provider to get registry keys and subkeys, but you must use the
Get-ItemProperty cmdlet to get the registry values and data.

Get-Item HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Powershell\1\Shellids\Microsoft.Powershell\

Example 7: Get items in a directory that have an exclusion

This example gets items in the Windows directory with names that include a dot (.), but don't
begin with w*.This example works only when the path includes a wildcard character (*) to specify
the contents of the item.

Get-Item C:\Windows\*.* -Exclude "w*"

PARAMETERS

-Stream

Gets the specified alternate NTFS file stream from the file. Enter the stream name. Wildcards are
supported. To get all streams, use an asterisk (*). This parameter isn't valid on folders.

Stream is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Get-Item cmdlet.
This parameter works only in file system drives.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: No alternate file streams
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: True

-Credential

[!NOTE]
This parameter isn't supported by any providers installed with PowerShell.
To impersonate another user, or elevate your credentials when running this cmdlet,
use Invoke-Command.

Type: System.Management.Automation.PSCredential
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Current user
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Exclude

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet excludes in the operation. The value
of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as
*.txt. Wildcard characters are permitted. The Exclude parameter is effective only when the
command includes the contents of an item, such as C:\Windows\*, where the wildcard character
specifies the contents of the C:\Windows directory.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: True

-Filter

Specifies a filter to qualify the Path parameter. The FileSystem provider is the only
installed PowerShell provider that supports filters. Filters are more efficient than other
parameters. The provider applies filter when the cmdlet gets the objects rather than having
PowerShell filter the objects after they're retrieved. The filter string is passed to the .NET API
to enumerate files. The API only supports * and ? wildcards.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: True

-Force

Indicates that this cmdlet gets items that can't otherwise be accessed, such as hidden items.
Implementation varies from provider to provider. For more information, see about_Providers. Even using the Force
parameter, the cmdlet can't override security restrictions.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Include

Specifies, as a string array, an item or items that this cmdlet includes in the operation. The value
of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as
*.txt. Wildcard characters are permitted. The Include parameter is effective only when the
command includes the contents of an item, such as C:\Windows\*, where the wildcard character
specifies the contents of the C:\Windows directory.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: True

-LiteralPath

Specifies a path to one or more locations. The value of LiteralPath is used exactly as it's
typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose
it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell PowerShell not to interpret any characters
as escape sequences.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: LiteralPath
Aliases: PSPath

Required: True
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Path

Specifies the path to an item. This cmdlet gets the item at the specified location. Wildcard
characters are permitted. This parameter is required, but the parameter name Path is optional.

Use a dot (.) to specify the current location. Use the wildcard character (*) to specify all the
items in the current location.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: Path
Aliases:

Required: True
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: True

-UseTransaction

Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is
in progress.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: usetx

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

CommonParameters

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable,
-InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose,
-WarningAction, and -WarningVariable.

INPUTS

System.String

You can pipe a string that contains a path to this cmdlet.

OUTPUTS

System.Object

This cmdlet returns the objects that it gets. The type is determined by the type of objects in the
path.

NOTES

This cmdlet does not have a Recurse parameter, because it gets only an item, not its contents.
To get the contents of an item recursively, use Get-ChildItem.

To navigate through the registry, use this cmdlet to get registry keys and the Get-ItemProperty
to get registry values and data. The registry values are considered to be properties of the
registry key.

This cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers
available in your session, type Get-PsProvider.