Help decipher a snippet of code

chrisciolli · 2017-03-22T18:22:38.000Z

$psProcess = Get-Process -id $PID
$psInstances = (Get-Process -Name $psProcess.name).count
if ($psInstances -gt 1) {
$psName = “{0}#{1}” -f $psProcess.name,$($psInstances – 1)
}
else {
$psName = $psProcess.name
}

This is the beginning of a script from Windows - BeatUp-Windows - stress memory and cpu's | Microsoft Learn

Can anyone explain what line 4 is doing? Especially the “{0}#{1}” part?

::Edit:: Added code in-line

craigduff · 2017-03-22T18:34:36.000Z

Its a format string, here is the documentation: Standard numeric format strings - .NET | Microsoft Learn

Its general to .Net, so some of the examples are in other languages.

But the {0} and {1} are placeholders that get replaced with the values following -f in order.

Here is a simple example:

PS C:\Users\cduff> $firstname = 'john'
PS C:\Users\cduff> $lastname = 'doe'
PS C:\Users\cduff> "{1}, {0}" -f $firstname,$lastname
doe, john
PS C:\Users\cduff> "{0} {1}" -f $firstname,$lastname
john doe

However its real power comes in number manipulation:

PS C:\Users\cduff> "{0:N2}" -f 12345.678912345
12,345.68
PS C:\Users\cduff> "{0:C}" -f 1234.56
$1,234.56

Neally · 2017-03-22T18:39:27.000Z

^ that

I’d write it like so:

$psname = "$($psProcess.name)#$($psInstances - 1)"

chrisciolli · 2017-03-22T18:46:57.000Z

Thanks.

Neally · 2017-03-22T18:47:50.000Z

If you post code, please use the ‘Insert Code’ button. Please and thank you!

@chrisciolli

chrisciolli · 2017-03-22T18:49:57.000Z

I tried to insert the code but it came up blank.

Neally · 2017-03-22T18:53:15.000Z

ChrisC:

I tried to insert the code but it came up blank.

IDK then. You tried ¯_(ツ)_/¯ lol

chrisciolli · 2017-03-22T18:57:37.000Z

I actually read PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING! Read if you're new to the PowerShell forum! before posting.

kylewisdom2 · 2017-03-22T20:56:00.000Z

I should’ve read this earlier, I love looking at scripts.