How to Display Array Content in HTML Using PowerShell for Failed Server Connections

Learn how to convert an array of failed server connections into an HTML document in PowerShell, ensuring that the actual server names are displayed instead of their lengths.
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Troubleshooting PowerShell Script: Displaying Failed Server Connections in HTML

If you're a PowerShell user working with server connectivity, you might find yourself in a situation where you want to log the servers that fail a ping test into an HTML report. In this guide, we'll tackle a common problem: instead of displaying the actual server names in the HTML output, you're seeing the length of each server name. Want to fix that? Keep reading to learn how to properly display your array content in HTML.

The Problem: Seeing Length Instead of Names

When you run a script to check server connectivity, you might collect the names of the servers that fail to respond in an array. After performing the necessary operations, you convert this array into an HTML report. However, you notice an issue: rather than showing the names of the failed servers, your report displays the .Length of each string (server name) instead. This issue can be quite frustrating and isn't very informative. So how can we fix it?

Example PowerShell Code

Here’s an example of the PowerShell code you're working with:

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

Expected Output

The intent of this script is to generate an HTML document containing a list of servers that failed the connection tests. However, the output currently shows something unhelpful like this:

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

This happens because the ConvertTo-Html cmdlet only recognizes the Length property of strings.

The Solution: Wrapping Server Names in Custom Objects

To resolve the issue of displaying the server names instead of their lengths, you can wrap each server name in a custom object. By doing this, you create a new property that holds the server name and is recognizable by the ConvertTo-Html cmdlet. Here's how you can do it:

Revised Script

Replace the line that converts the array of failed connections with the following code:

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

Explanation

Custom Object Creation: The use of [pscustomobject] allows you to create a structured object with a property named "Failed Servers" that holds the actual server name.

Iterating Through the Array: By using ForEach-Object, you iterate over each item in the $failedConn array and wrap it in the custom object format.

Generate HTML: The ConvertTo-Html cmdlet can now access your structured object and output the actual server names into the HTML document.

Important Note

Take heed that I removed the $CombinedBody + = from the line since Out-File does not return output that can be added to a variable.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined above, you can convert a PowerShell array of failed server connections into a well-structured HTML output displaying the actual server names. This adjustment makes your reporting clearer and more informative.

Feel free to implement this adjustment in your PowerShell script, and enjoy enhanced visibility of your server connectivity tests! If you have any questions or further issues, don't hesitate to reach out or leave a comment.