How to Fetch Files Using a Custom File Naming Convention in Powershell

Discover how to easily filter today's files based on a specific naming convention in `Powershell` with our step-by-step guide!
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: How to fetch the file with the file naming convention in Powershell

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Fetch Files Using a Custom File Naming Convention in Powershell

Have you ever needed to retrieve files that match a specific naming pattern from a directory, especially when the files are timestamped with dates? If you’re working with Powershell and facing challenges in filtering files based on today’s date and a specified naming convention, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we will guide you through the process of finding files that fit a particular pattern in a specified folder. Let's dive in!

The Problem: Fetching Today’s Files

Imagine you have a directory filled with files that globally follow a naming convention. For instance, you need to find files named like this:

TransferAA_MGH_20211206070920_xlsx.XLSX

TransferBB_MGH_20211206071130_xlsx.XLSX

You want to fetch files that match today’s date in YYYYMMDD format. This can be crucial for daily tasks, such as data transfers or monitoring results.

The Solution: Using Get-ChildItem with Regex

To address this need, you can utilize the Get-ChildItem cmdlet in Powershell. Below is a solution that works perfectly for fetching today's files that match the specified naming convention.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Open Powershell: Make sure you have access to Powershell on your system. You can search for it in your start menu or find it in accessories.

Use the Following Command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Command:

Get-ChildItem: This cmdlet retrieves the list of files in your specified directory (in this case, Testfolder).

-Path: Specifies the path where the command should look for files.

Where-Object: This filters the list based on the conditions you provide.

$_.Name: Refers to the name of the current file being processed.

-cmatch: Performs a case-insensitive regex match.

The regex pattern Transfer[A-Z]{2}_MGH_[0-9]{14}_xlsx.XLSX can be broken down as follows:

Transfer: Matches the literal string "Transfer".

[A-Z]{2}: Matches two uppercase letters.

_MGH_: Matches the literal string "MGH".

[0-9]{14}: Matches exactly 14 digits.

_xlsx.XLSX: Matches the ending part of the filename.

(Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd"): Gets today’s date formatted as YYYYMMDD, which is perfect for matching against the filenames.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you run into problems while executing the script, consider the following:

Ensure that the Testfolder directory exists and is correctly spelled.

Verify that your file names follow the suggested naming convention exactly as planned.

Ensure that Powershell can access the necessary permissions for the folder.

Conclusion

Fetching files with a specific naming convention using Powershell can significantly streamline your workflow, particularly when dealing with time-sensitive data. By following the steps outlined above, you'll be able to filter your files effortlessly based on today's date and your preset pattern.

Feel free to try out this command and let your Powershell skills shine! If you encounter any issues or have further questions, don't hesitate to ask in the comments below.