This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Thomas Kanabay
This is a PowerShell / PowerCLI script I wrote to find all folder paths in a vCenter Server Inventory. A recursive function walks through the entire folder tree, pushing and popping each encountered folder to a stack to generate each full path. The paths are stored in an ArrayList, which is finally output to a text file.
Code
function build_folder_paths {
Param($folders)
foreach($folder in $folders) {
$stack.Push($folder.Name)
$sub_folders = $folder | Get-Folder -type VM -norecursion
$stack_array = $stack.ToArray()
[array]::Reverse($stack_array)
$folder_path = $stack_array -join "/"
$folder_paths.Add($folder_path)
Write-Host("Folder Path: " + $folder_path)
if(!$sub_folders) {
try {
$stack.Pop() | Out-Null
} catch {
Write-Host("Stack Empty.")
}
} else {
build_folder_paths($sub_folders)
}
}
try {
$stack.Pop() | Out-Null
} catch {
Write-Host("Stack Empty.")
}
}
$folder_paths = New-Object -TypeName "System.Collections.ArrayList"
$stack = New-Object -TypeName "System.Collections.Stack"
$start_folders = Get-Folder VM -type VM | Get-Folder -type VM -norecursion
build_folder_paths($start_folders)
$folder_paths | Out-File ./folder_paths.txt
Code Explanation
-
Function
- A function
build_folder_pathsis defined that accepts a$foldersparameter.- On first-call, the
$foldersparameter holds the list of folders at the root of the vCenter inventory. - For each
$folderin$folders:- We push
$folderto the stack. - We fetch the immediate
$sub_foldersof that$folder. - We convert the stack to an array and reverse it so the top of the stack has the highest index.
- We join the array with
/to build the folder path. - We add the
$folder_pathto the$folder_pathsArrayList. - If there are not
$sub_foldersin this$folder, we pop the stack.- Then, the
foreachloop iterates to the next$folderin$folders.
- Then, the
- If there are
$sub_foldersin this$folder, then we make a recursive call to the function and pass$sub_foldersit.- After all
$sub_foldersare processed on the recursive call, we pop the parent$folderfrom the stack, and the recursive call returns.
- After all
- We push
- When a recursive call returns, its caller continues.
- On first-call, the
- A function
-
Start
- We create a
$folder_pathsArrayList to store all the folder paths. - We create a
$stackto build each folder path. - We fetch the
$start_foldersby getting all the immediate sub-folders at the root of the vCenter inventory folder tree. - We call the
build_folder_pathsfunction and pass$start_foldersas the$foldersparameter.- This function recursively calls itself until every folder is visited, and every path is generated.
- We create a
-
End
- Finally, the content of the
$folder_pathsArrayList is written to a text file.
- Finally, the content of the
Simple Example
Let's say we have the following folder structure:
├── folder1
│ ├── folder1a
│ └── folder1b
└── folder2
1. The function looks at folder1, pushes it to the stack, fetches its sub-folders, builds its folder path, and adds its path to the ArrayList.
stack:
folder1 <-- top
sub-folders:
['folder1a','folder1b']
path:
folder1
ArrayList:
['folder1']
- Since there are sub-folders in
folder1, we make a recursive call to the functionbuild_folder_pathsand pass$sub_foldersit.
2. The function looks at folder1a, pushes it to the stack, fetches its sub-folders, builds its folder path, and adds its path to the ArrayList.
stack:
folder1a <-- top
folder1
sub-folders:
none
path:
folder1/folder1a
ArrayList:
['folder1','folder1/folder1a']
-
Since there are no sub-folders in
folder1a, it is popped from the stack, and theforeachloop proceeds tofolder1b.stack: folder1 <-- top
3. The function looks at folder1b, pushes it to the stack, fetches its sub-folders, builds its folder path, and adds its path to the ArrayList.
stack:
folder1b <-- top
folder1
sub-folders:
none
path:
folder1/folder1b
ArrayList:
['folder1','folder1/folder1a', 'folder1/folder1b']
-
Since there are no sub-folders in
folder1b, it is popped from the stack.stack: folder1 <-- top -
Since there are no more folders for the
foreachloop to process (remember, we are processing the sub-folders offolder1), theforeachloop exits andfolder1is popped from the stack.stack: empty The recursive function call returns, and the initial function call continues.
4. The function looks at folder2, pushes it to the stack, fetches its sub-folders, builds its folder path, and adds its path to the ArrayList.
stack:
folder2 <-- top
sub-folders:
none
path:
folder2
ArrayList:
['folder1','folder1/folder1a', 'folder1/folder1b', 'folder2']
-
Since there are no sub-folders in
folder2, it is popped from the stack.stack: empty Since there are no more folders for the
foreachloop to process (remember, we are processing the folders from the initial function call), theforeachloop exits.An attempt is made to pop the parent folder from the stack, but the stack is empty, and the exception is caught.
At this point, all folders have been visited and all folder paths have been generated.
Resources
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Thomas Kanabay
Thomas Kanabay | Sciencx (2022-04-14T06:49:48+00:00) Recursive Function to Find All Folder Paths in vCenter Server Inventory using PowerCLI. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2022/04/14/recursive-function-to-find-all-folder-paths-in-vcenter-server-inventory-using-powercli/
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