I'm importing some values from a csv file and using them to create a adb command for an Android intent with the following code.

Write-Host adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW '-d' '"https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=' $($c.number)'"'

This gives me an out put of:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone= 12345678 "

How can I remove the spaces where the variable is concatenated to the string to give the output of:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=12345678"

CodePudding user response：

Use string interpolation by switching to double quotes:

Write-Host adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW '-d' "`"https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=$($c.number)`""

Within double quotes, you have to backtick-escape double quotes to output them literally.

CodePudding user response：

zett42's helpful answer is unquestionably the best solution to your problem.

As for what you tried:

Write-Host ... '"https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=' $($c.number)'"'

• The fact that there is a space before $($c.number) implies that you're passing at least two arguments.

• However, due to PowerShell's argument-mode parsing quirks, you're passing three, because the '"' string that directly follows $($c.number) too becomes its own argument.

  • See this answer for more information.

Therefore, compound string arguments (composed of a mix of quoted and unquoted / differently quoted tokens) are best avoided in PowerShell.

Therefore:

• Either: Use a single, expandable (double-quoted) string ("..."), as in zett42's answer.

• Or: Use an expression enclosed in (...) and use string concatenation with the operator, as shown below.

Write-Host ... ('"https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone='   $c.number   '"')