An empty pipe element is not allowed

Question

Hi All, can anyone help me correct the syntax. i am unable to export the output to a text file

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
if (-not (Get-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
    Write-Host "Installing NuGet provider..."
    Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -Force
}
else {
    Write-Host "NuGet provider is already installed."
}
if (-not (Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name PSWindowsUpdate)) {
    Write-Host "Installing PSWindowsUpdate module..."
    Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force
}
else {
    Write-Host "PSWindowsUpdate module is already installed."
}
Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Write-Host "Checking for available Windows Updates..."
Get-WindowsUpdate
Write-Host "Installing available Windows Updates..."
Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot:$false | Out-File -FilePath "C:\output.txt"
At line:29 char:1
+ | Out-File -FilePath "C:\output.txt"
+ ~
An empty pipe element is not allowed.
    + CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : EmptyPipeElement

Answer 1

I didn't have any problem with the brackets on Win10/PS5.1, but -AutoReboot:$false did not work. I get a prompt.

-IgnoreReboot appears to work. I need to verify on another VM.

After a reboot, when I rerun the script I get this.

Here is the script that I used. Updated on 4/3..

$LogFolder = "C:\Temp"                                # Where to put log files 
$ts = $LogFolder + "\PatchInstallTranscript.log"
$op = $LogFolder + "\PatchInstallOutput.log"

Start-Transcript -Path $ts

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
if (-not (Get-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
    Write-Host "NOT Installing NuGet provider..."
    Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -Force -confirm:$false
}
else {
    Write-Host "NuGet provider is already installed."
}
if (-not (Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name PSWindowsUpdate)) {
    Write-Host "Installing PSWindowsUpdate module..."
    Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force -confirm:$false
}
else {
    Write-Host "PSWindowsUpdate module is already installed."
}
Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Write-Host "Checking for available Windows Updates..."
Get-WindowsUpdate -verbose -IgnoreReboot
Write-Host "Installing available Windows Updates..."
$Update = Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -IgnoreReboot -verbose
if (!$Update) {
   $Update = "Install-WindowsUpdate did not return any data."
}
                                            
$Update | format-table -wrap | Out-File -FilePath $op 
get-content $op                     # record in transcript   
Stop-Transcript

I would recommend that you do a reboot in case you have updates installed and waiting to to be implemented and/or other powershell.exe processes waiting for someone to type in y/n.

Answer 2

tried that as well but same error.

• | Out-File -FilePath "C:\output.txt"
• ~

An empty pipe element is not allowed.

+ CategoryInfo          : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException

+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : EmptyPipeElement

Answer 3

When i use the below syntax i am getting output as empty i should get the below output.

NuGet provider is already installed.

PSWindowsUpdate module is already installed.

Checking for available Windows Updates...

Installing available Windows Updates...

[Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12
if (-not (Get-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
    Write-Host "Installing NuGet provider..."
    Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -Force
}
else {
    Write-Host "NuGet provider is already installed."
}
if (-not (Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name PSWindowsUpdate)) {
    Write-Host "Installing PSWindowsUpdate module..."
    Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force
}
else {
    Write-Host "PSWindowsUpdate module is already installed."
}
Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Write-Host "Checking for available Windows Updates..."
Get-WindowsUpdate
Write-Host "Installing available Windows Updates..."
Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot:$false | Out-File -FilePath "C:\output.txt"

Answer 4

Don't use a pipe. Assign the output to a variable and then examine the variable.

I would also suggest writing to some folder other than the root of C:.

Add the "-verbose" switch to the install cmdlet and see if that produces any additional info.

$x = Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot:$false -verbose
"Here is the type."
$x.gettype()
"Here is the x variable."
$x
$x | Out-File -FilePath "C:\windows\temp\output.txt"

Add a transcript if the verbose output is not captured.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.host/start-transcript?view=powershell-5.1

Answer 5

i am getting this error

You cannot call a method on a null-valued expression.