Represent values from different arrays in an excel table using powershell - excel

Question

I have couple arrays with values in them. Corresponding to each other.I will use dummy data to represent my problem. I have four different arrays.
Name = #("John","Mary","Sarah") Age = #("23","44","31") Hobby = #("Flying, Fishing","Dancing","Singing") Kids = #("Lucas","Simon, Lisa","Anna")
Each entry from each array corresponds to another. Entry 1 from array one belongs to entry 1 from array 2,3 and 4. I would like to list them as a table with the arraynames as headers. The values from each array should be displayed in a single cell along the column. If a value contains a comma, it should seperate it and put each entry into a single cell below each other.
I'm currently creating a script in powershell to create this excel file. The array data is given I only need to create the excel sheet.
My desired outcome would be this(top part of picture) but instead I get this (bottom part of picture)(https://i.stack.imgur.com/sUq2J.png)
I tried several pieces of code and solutions found on the internet but nothing satisfies my needs. Can someone help me?

Answer 1

Here is an example step-thru of what I mean to guide you.
Initializing multidimensional array
Clear-Host
$MDArrayData = #(
#('John','Mary','Sarah'),
#('23','44','31'),
#('Flying, Fishing','Dancing','Singing'),
#('Lucas','Simon, Lisa','Anna')
)
Cherry-picking your target sample data by index from each array for successful validation. Note: I am using PowerShell variable squeezing to assign results to the variable and output to the screen simultaneously.
(
$MyDataObject = [PSCustomObject]#{
Name = $MDArrayData[0][0]
Age = $MDArrayData[1][0]
Hobby = $MDArrayData[2][0]
Kids = $MDArrayData[3][0]
}
)
# Results
<#
Name Age Hobby Kids
---- --- ----- ----
John 23 Flying, Fishing Lucas
#>
Enumerate the primary array, array 0 to formulate the report
Clear-Host
$MDArrayData = #(
#('John','Mary','Sarah'),
#('23','44','31'),
#('Flying, Fishing','Dancing','Singing'),
#('Lucas','Simon, Lisa','Anna')
)
0..(($MDArrayData[0]).Count -1) |
ForEach-Object {
(
$MyDataObject = [PSCustomObject]#{
Name = $MDArrayData[0][$PSItem]
Age = $MDArrayData[1][$PSItem]
Hobby = $MDArrayData[2][$PSItem]
Kids = $MDArrayData[3][$PSItem]
}
)
}
# Results
<#
Name Age Hobby Kids
---- --- ----- ----
John 23 Flying, Fishing Lucas
Mary 44 Dancing Simon, Lisa
Sarah 31 Singing Anna
#>
You can choose to skip the multidimensional array and just use your single arrays this way, and the results are the same, then move on to the MS Excel part of your use case.
Clear-Host
$Name = #("John","Mary","Sarah")
$Age = #("23","44","31")
$Hobby = #("Flying, Fishing","Dancing","Singing")
$Kids = #("Lucas","Simon, Lisa","Anna")
Using the PowerShell ForEach method and a custom object.
$DataIndex = 0
$Name.ForEach(
{
(
$MyDataObject = [PSCustomObject]#{
Name = $PSItem
Age = $Age[$DataIndex]
Hobby = $Hobby[$DataIndex]
Kids = $Kids[$DataIndex]
}
)
$DataIndex++
}
)
# Results
<#
Name Age Hobby Kids
---- --- ----- ----
John 23 Flying, Fishing Lucas
Mary 44 Dancing Simon, Lisa
Sarah 31 Singing Anna
#>
Final Csv output required for MSExcel conversion
Clear-Host
$MDArrayData = #(
#('John','Mary','Sarah'),
#('23','44','31'),
#('Flying, Fishing','Dancing','Singing'),
#('Lucas','Simon, Lisa','Anna')
)
0..(($MDArrayData[0]).Count -1) |
ForEach-Object {
(
$MyDataObject = [PSCustomObject]#{
Name = $MDArrayData[0][$PSItem]
Age = $MDArrayData[1][$PSItem]
Hobby = $MDArrayData[2][$PSItem]
Kids = $MDArrayData[3][$PSItem]
}
)
} |
# Create or overwrite and existing report
Export-Csv -Path 'D:\Temp\FamilyReport.csv' -NoTypeInformation -Force
Create MSExcel COM object to open the file
Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel
$Excel = New-Object -ComObject excel.application
$Excel.Visible = $True
Open your report for formatting
$Workbook = $Excel.workbooks.open('D:\Temp\FamilyReport.csv')
$Range = $Excel.Range("A:D")
$Range.VerticalAlignment = -4160
$Range.WrapText = $True
$Range.EntireColumn.AutoFit()
1..4 |
ForEach-Object {$Workbook.ActiveSheet.Cells.Item(1, $PSItem).Interior.ColorIndex = 15}
$Workbook.ActiveSheet.Cells.Item(1, 1).EntireRow.Font.Bold = $True
Other formatting
$Workbook.ActiveSheet.ListObjects.Add(1, $range, $true)
You still must remember to clean-up behind yourself all the stuff instantiated. aka GarbageCollection.