New-Item

Syntax

New-Item
   [-Path] <String[]>
   [-ItemType <String>]
   [-Value <Object>]
   [-Force]
   [-Credential <PSCredential>]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [-UseTransaction]
   [<CommonParameters>]

New-Item
   [[-Path] <String[]>]
   -Name <String>
   [-ItemType <String>]
   [-Value <Object>]
   [-Force]
   [-Credential <PSCredential>]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [-UseTransaction]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The New-Item cmdlet creates a new item and sets its value. The types of items that can be created depend on the location of the item. For example, in the file system, New-Item creates files and folders. In the registry, New-Item creates registry keys and entries.

New-Item can also set the value of the items that it creates. For example, when it creates a new file, New-Item can add initial content to the file.

Examples

Example 1: Create a file in the current directory

PS C:\> New-Item -Path . -Name "testfile1.txt" -ItemType "file" -Value "This is a text string."

This command creates a text file that is named testfile1.txt in the current directory. The dot (.) in the value of the Path parameter indicates the current directory. The quoted text that follows the Value parameter is added to the file as content.

Example 2: Create a directory

PS C:\> New-Item -Path "c:\" -Name "logfiles" -ItemType "directory"

This command creates a directory named Logfiles in the C: drive. The ItemType parameter specifies that the new item is a directory, not a file or other file system object.

Example 3: Create a profile

PS C:\> New-Item -Path $profile -ItemType "file" -Force

This command creates a Windows PowerShell profile in the path that is specified by the $profile variable.

You can use profiles to customize Windows PowerShell. $Profile is an automatic (built-in) variable that stores the path and file name of the CurrentUser/CurrentHost profile. By default, the profile does not exist, even though Windows PowerShell stores a path and file name for it.

In this command, the $profile variable represents the path of the file. ItemType parameter specifies that the command creates a file. The Force parameter lets you create a file in the profile path, even when the directories in the path do not exist. Windows PowerShell creates them.

After you use this command to create a profile, you can enter aliases, functions, and scripts in the profile to customize your shell.

For more information, see about_Automatic_Variables and about_Profiles.

Example 4: Create a directory in a different directory

PS C:\> New-Item -ItemType "directory" -Path "c:\ps-test\scripts"

This command creates a new Scripts directory in the C:\PS-Test directory.

The name of the new directory item, Scripts, is included in the value of Path parameter, instead of being specified in the value of Name . As indicated by the syntax, either command form is valid.

Example 5: Create multiple files

PS C:\> New-Item -ItemType "file" -Path "c:\ps-test\test.txt", "c:\ps-test\Logs\test.log"

This command creates files in two different directories. Because Path takes multiple strings, you can use it to create multiple items.

Required Parameters

Optional Parameters

Inputs

System.Object

You can pipe a value for the new item to this cmdlet.

Outputs

System.Object

This cmdlet returns the item that it creates.

Notes

• New-Item 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.

*

Related Links

• Clear-Item
• Copy-Item
• Get-Item
• Invoke-Item
• Move-Item
• Remove-Item
• Rename-Item
• Set-Item