PowerShell foreach file in folder using a lot of memory -

i'm new powershell , programming, i'm sure code can optimized more.

however, biggest problem code puts it's data foreach loop in memory. best way prevent this?

i started rewriting script script found here: powershell: delete files older x days

edit: oh, there 60 000~ files in each targetfolder way.

## set window title $title = $host.ui.rawui.windowtitle $titdef = $title $host.ui.rawui.windowtitle = "checking files. not close " + "($title)"  ## debug (0=nothing, 1=extended log, 2=extended log+screen) $debug = "2"  ## log file $log = "c:\status\status.txt" add-content $log "nul"  ## clear log before adding new data  remove-item $log  ## folders check $targetfolder1 = “\\server\c$\biztalkprojects\udc\output\ume” $targetfolder2 = “\\server\c$\biztalkprojects\udc\output\upp”  ## required stuff $now = get-date $days = “2” $twodays = $now.adddays(-$days) $folder1 = get-childitem $targetfolder1 -include * $folder2 = get-childitem $targetfolder2 -include *  ## window message "checking files newer $days days in:" "$targetfolder1" "$targetfolder2" "" "this may take 5-15 minutes . . . (will commit 250mb~ ram during period)"  ## reset variable $ok "0" $ok = 0  if ($debug -eq "2") {"check1"} foreach ($file in $folder1) {     $filelastwrite = $file.lastwritetime     if ($file.lastwritetime -le $twodays) {         $ok = $ok + "0"         if ($debug -eq "2") {             "ok + 0 (=$ok) $file ($filelastwrite)"             }     } else {         $ok = $ok + "1"         if ($debug -eq "2") {             "ok + 1 (=$ok) $file ($filelastwrite)"              }     } } if ($debug -eq "2") {"check2"} foreach ($file in $folder2) {     $filelastwrite = $file.lastwritetime     if ($file.lastwritetime -le $twodays) {         $ok = $ok + "0"         if ($debug -eq "2") {             "ok + 0 (=$ok) $file ($filelastwrite)"             }     } else {         $ok = $ok + "1"         if ($debug -eq "2") {             "ok + 1 (=$ok) $file ($filelastwrite)"              }     } } if ($ok -gt "0") {     if ($debug -eq "2") {         ""         "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     add-content $log "ok"     if ($debug -ge "1") {         add-content $log "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     }     else {         if ($debug -eq "2") {         ""         "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     add-content $log "error"     if ($debug -ge "1") {         add-content $log "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     } $host.ui.rawui.windowtitle = $titdef 

this version works. helped!

## set window title $title = $host.ui.rawui.windowtitle $titdef = $title $host.ui.rawui.windowtitle = "checking files. not close " + "($title)"  ## debug (0=nothing, 1=extended log, 2=extended log+screen) $debug = "2"  ## log file $log = "c:\status\status.txt" add-content $log "nul"  ## clear log before adding new data  remove-item $log  ## folders check $targetfolder1 = “\\server\c$\biztalkprojects\udc\output\ume” $targetfolder2 = “\\server\c$\biztalkprojects\udc\output\upp”  ## required stuff $now = get-date $days = “2” $twodays = $now.adddays(-$days)  ## window message "checking files newer $days days in:" "$targetfolder1" "$targetfolder2" "" "this may take 5-15 minutes . . ."  ## reset variable $ok "0" $ok = 0  get-childitem $targetfolder1,$targetfolder2 -filter *.xml |where-object {     $filelastwrite = $_.lastwritetime     if ($filelastwrite -le $twodays) {         $ok = $ok + "0"     } else {         $ok = $ok + "1"     } } if ($ok -gt "0") {     if ($debug -eq "2") {         ""         "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     add-content $log "ok"     if ($debug -ge "1") {         add-content $log "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     }     else {         if ($debug -eq "2") {         ""         "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     add-content $log "error"     if ($debug -ge "1") {         add-content $log "found $ok file(s) newer $days days"         }     } $host.ui.rawui.windowtitle = $titdef 

try:

 $folder1 = get-childitem $targetfolder1 -filter *.xml 

much more performant using include (on large set of files). or better:

 get-childitem $targetfolder1 -filter *.xml | % {} 

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edit

i see now, problems due include! if need use wildcards , nor regular expressions child item, use filter instead. more performant because not use regular expression matching.

try:

 $folder1 = get-childitem $targetfolder1 -filter * 

even if it's not clear filtering there (or want include)...everything? may don't need wildcard @ all.

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in humble opinion, best way prevent foreach loop in memory piping. however, due nature of script (many nested controls inside loop) it's not easy.

try with:

 $folder1 | % {   # ... } 

even if doubt improve performances.

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or:

 get-childitem $targetfolder1 -include * | % {   # ... }