Windows PowerShell command on Get-command Clear-Content

NAME

Clear-Content

SYNOPSIS

Deletes the contents of an item, but does not delete the item.

SYNTAX

Clear-Content [-Confirm] [-Credential ] [-Exclude ] [-Filter ] [-Force] [-Include

] -LiteralPath [-Stream ] [-UseTransaction] [-WhatIf] []

Clear-Content [-Path] [-Confirm] [-Credential ] [-Exclude ] [-Filter ]

[-Force] [-Include ] [-Stream ] [-UseTransaction] [-WhatIf] []

Clear-Content [-Stream ] []

DESCRIPTION

The Clear-Content cmdlet deletes the contents of an item, such as deleting the text from a file, but it does not

delete the item. As a result, the item exists, but it is empty. The Clear-Content is similar to Clear-Item, but it

works on items with contents, instead of items with values.

In the file system, Clear-Content clears the content in a file, but does not delete the file. It has no effect on

folders.

Note: This custom cmdlet help file explains how the Clear-Content cmdlet works in a file system drive. For

information about the Clear-Content cmdlet in all drives, type "Get-Help Clear-Content -Path $null" or see

Clear-Content at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113282.

PARAMETERS

-Stream

Deletes the content in the specified alternate data stream, but does not delete the alternate data stream. Enter the stream name. Wildcards are not supported.

Stream is a dynamic parameter that the FileSystem provider adds to the Set-Content cmdlet. This parameter

works only in file system drives.

You can use the Clear-Content cmdlet to clear the content of an alternate data stream. However, it is not the

recommended way to eliminate security checks that block files that are downloaded from the Internet. If you

verify that a downloaded file is safe, use the Unblock-File cmdlet.

This parameter is introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0. Required? false Position? named Default value Accept pipeline input? false Accept wildcard characters? false

-Confirm []

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet. Required? false Position? named Default value False Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-Credential

Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current user. Type a user name, such as "User01" or "Domain01\User01", or enter a PSCredential object, such as one generated

by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, you will be prompted for a password.

This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with Windows PowerShell. Required? false Position? named Default value None

Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName)

Accept wildcard characters? false

-Exclude

Specifies, as a string array, strings that this cmdlet omits from the path to the content. The value of this

parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as "*.txt". Wildcards are

permitted. Required? false Position? named Default value None Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-Filter

Specifies a filter in the provider's format or language. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path parameter. The syntax of the filter, including the use of wildcards, depends on the provider. Filters are more efficient than other parameters, because the provider applies them when retrieving the objects, rather than having Windows PowerShell filter the objects after they are retrieved. Required? false Position? named Default value None Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-Force []

Forces the command to run without asking for user confirmation. Required? false Position? named Default value False Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-Include

Specifies, as a string array, content that this cmdlet clears. The value of this parameter qualifies the Path

parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as "*.txt". Wildcards are permitted.

Required? false Position? named Default value None Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-LiteralPath

Specifies the paths to the items from which content is deleted. Unlike the Path parameter, the value of LiteralPath is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcards. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell having Windows PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences. Required? true Position? named Default value None

Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName)

Accept wildcard characters? false

-Path

Specifies the paths to the items from which content is deleted. Wildcards are permitted. The paths must be paths to items, not to containers. For example, you must specify a path to one or more files, not a path to a directory. Wildcards are permitted. This parameter is required, but the parameter name ("Path") is optional. Required? true Position? 0 Default value None

Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName)

Accept wildcard characters? false

-UseTransaction []

Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see Required? false Position? named Default value False Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-WhatIf []

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run. Required? false Position? named Default value False Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false This cmdlet supports the common parameters: Verbose, Debug, ErrorAction, ErrorVariable, WarningAction, WarningVariable, OutBuffer, PipelineVariable, and OutVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters (https:/go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113216).

INPUTS

OUTPUTS

NOTES

You can also refer to Clear-Content * by its built-in alias, "clc". For more information, see about_Aliases.

If you omit the Path parameter name, the value of the Path parameter must be the first parameter in the

command. For instance, `Clear-Content c:\mydir\*.txt`. If you include the parameter name, you can list the

parameters in any order.

You can use Clear-Content with the Windows PowerShell FileSystem provider and with other providers that

manipulate content. To clear items that are not considered to be content, such as items managed by the Windows

PowerShell Certificate or Registry providers, use Clear-Item.

The Clear-Content cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers

available in your session, type `Get-PsProvider`. For more information, see about_Providers.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------

C:\PS>Get-Content C:\Test\Copy-Script.ps1 -Stream Zone.Identifier

[ZoneTransfer] ZoneId=3

C:\PS>Clear-Content C:\Test\Copy-Script.ps1 -Stream Zone.Identifier

C:\PS>Get-Content C:\Test\Copy-Script.ps1 -Stream Zone.Identifier

C:\PS> Description

-----------

This example shows how the Clear-Content cmdlet clears the content from an alternate data stream while leaving the

stream intact.

The first command uses the Get-Content cmdlet to get the content of the Zone.Identifier stream in the

Copy-Script.ps1 file, which was downloaded from the Internet.

The second command uses the Clear-Content cmdlet to clear the content.

The third command repeats the first command. It verifies that the content is cleared, but the stream remains. If the stream were deleted, the command would generate an error. You can use a method like this one to clear the content of an alternate data stream. However, it is not the recommended way to eliminate security checks that block files that are downloaded from the Internet. If you verify

that a downloaded file is safe, use the Unblock-File cmdlet.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------

C:\PS>Clear-Content ..\SmpUsers\*\init.txt

Description

-----------

This command deletes all of the content from the "init.txt" files in all subdirectories of the SmpUsers directory. The files are not deleted, but they are empty.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

C:\PS>Clear-Content -Path * -Filter *.log -Force

Description

-----------

This command deletes the contents of all files in the current directory with the ".log" file name extension,

including files with the read-only attribute. The asterisk (*) in the path represents all items in the current

directory. The Force parameter makes the command effective on read-only files. Using a filter to restrict the

command to files with the ".log" file name extension instead of specifying "*.log" in the path makes the operation

faster.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 4 --------------------------

C:\PS>Clear-Content c:\Temp\* -Include Smp* -Exclude 2 -WhatIf

Description

-----------

This command requests a prediction of what would happen if you submitted the command: "clear-content c:\temp\*

-include smp* -exclude *2*". The result lists the files that would be cleared; in this case, files in the Temp

directory whose names begin with "Smp", unless the file names include a "2". To execute the command, run it again without the Whatif parameter.

Clear-Content

Get-Content

Get-ChildItem

Get-Content

Get-Item

Remove-Item

Set-Content

Test-Path