Using RegEx to get an exact match

01-28-2008

I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that has a
list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion list.
This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved (for one
reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA and search
through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and then save
the results as a "clean" file.

The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , it's
not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it to). For
example:

fileA:
userA
userAA
userB
userBB

fileB:
userA
userB

My script looks like this:

#####################
# Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in lower
case
$moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object {
$_.ToLower() }
# Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower case,
and if they put in the domain portion of the account
# I strip that out.
$exclude = get-content fileB.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object {
$_.ToLower() } | foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"}

# Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object in
$moveList
$exclude | foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ }

# Clean up whitespace left by replace operation
$moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+"

# Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for mailbox
moves.
$moveList | out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt
#####################

The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not
hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, it
is matching:

userA
userAA

What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" part.
How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or better yet, does
anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing?

Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it.

01-28-2008

Not sure I'm following you. Based on FileA and FileB, What would be the content
of CleanUserList.txt?

-----
Shay Levi
$cript Fanatic
http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

	Quote:
	> I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that has > a list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion > list. This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved > (for one reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA and > search through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and > then save the results as a "clean" file. > > The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , it's > not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it to). For > example: > > fileA: > userA > userAA > userB > userBB > fileB: > userA > userB > My script looks like this: > > ##################### > # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in lower > case > $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object > { > $_.ToLower() } > # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower > case, > and if they put in the domain portion of the account > # I strip that out. > $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object > { > $_.ToLower() } \| foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"} > # Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object in > $moveList > $exclude \| foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ } > # Clean up whitespace left by replace operation > $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+" > # Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for mailbox > moves. > $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt > ##################### > The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not > hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, it > is matching: > > userA > userAA > What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" > part. How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or better > yet, does anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing? > > Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it. >

01-28-2008

a
b

So the problem that I'm having is that in $_ is "userA" and it's
matching both "userA" and "userAA". I only want it to match "userA".

-----Original Message-----
From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx]
Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:37 PM
Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell
Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match
Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match

Not sure I'm following you. Based on FileA and FileB, What would be the
content
of CleanUserList.txt?

-----
Shay Levi
$cript Fanatic
http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

	Quote:
	> I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that has > a list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion > list. This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved > (for one reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA and > search through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and > then save the results as a "clean" file. > > The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , it's > not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it to). For > example: > > fileA: > userA > userAA > userB > userBB > fileB: > userA > userB > My script looks like this: > > ##################### > # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in lower > case > $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object > { > $_.ToLower() } > # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower > case, > and if they put in the domain portion of the account > # I strip that out. > $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object > { > $_.ToLower() } \| foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"} > # Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object in > $moveList > $exclude \| foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ } > # Clean up whitespace left by replace operation > $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+" > # Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for mailbox > moves. > $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt > ##################### > The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not > hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, it > is matching: > > userA > userAA > What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" > part. How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or better > yet, does anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing? > > Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it. >

01-28-2008

I'm sure there's a shorter way

, until then:

$moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object {
$_.trim() }
$exclude = get-content fileB.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object {
$_.trim() ; $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ }
$moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+"
$moveList | out-file -encoding ASCII .\CleanUserList.txt

-----
Shay Levi
$cript Fanatic
http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

Quote:

> a
> b
> So the problem that I'm having is that in $_ is "userA" and it's
> matching both "userA" and "userAA". I only want it to match "userA".
>
> -----Original Message-----

	Quote:
	>> From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx] >> Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:37 PM >> Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell >> Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match >> Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match >> Not sure I'm following you. Based on FileA and FileB, What would be >> the >> content >> of CleanUserList.txt? >> ----- >> Shay Levi >> $cript Fanatic >> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com >> I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that has >> a list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion >> list. This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved >> (for one reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA and >> search through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and >> then save the results as a "clean" file. >> >> The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , >> it's not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it to). >> For example: >> >> fileA: >> userA >> userAA >> userB >> userBB >> fileB: >> userA >> userB >> My script looks like this: >> ##################### >> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in >> lower >> case >> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| >> foreach-object >> { >> $_.ToLower() } >> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower >> case, >> and if they put in the domain portion of the account >> # I strip that out. >> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object >> { >> $_.ToLower() } \| foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"} >> # Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object >> in >> $moveList >> $exclude \| foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ } >> # Clean up whitespace left by replace operation >> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+" >> # Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for mailbox >> moves. >> $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt >> ##################### >> The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not >> hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, >> it >> is matching: >> userA >> userAA >> What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" >> part. How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or better >> yet, does anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing? >> Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it. >>

01-28-2008

Modified version:

$moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort -unique
get-content fileB.txt | sort -unique | foreach { $moveList = $moveList -replace
$_ }
$moveList | where {$_ -ne ""} | out-file -encoding ASCII .\CleanUserList.txt

A
B

-----
Shay Levi
$cript Fanatic
http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

Quote:

> I'm sure there's a shorter way

, until then:
>
> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object
> {
> $_.trim() }
> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object
> {
> $_.trim() ; $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ }
> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+"
> $moveList | out-file -encoding ASCII .\CleanUserList.txt
> -----
> Shay Levi
> $cript Fanatic
> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

Quote:

>> a
>> b
>> So the problem that I'm having is that in $_ is "userA" and it's
>> matching both "userA" and "userAA". I only want it to match "userA".
>> -----Original Message-----
>>

	Quote:
	>>> From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx] >>> Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:37 PM >>> Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell >>> Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match >>> Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match >>> Not sure I'm following you. Based on FileA and FileB, What would be >>> the >>> content >>> of CleanUserList.txt? >>> ----- >>> Shay Levi >>> $cript Fanatic >>> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com >>> I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that >>> has >>> a list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion >>> list. This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved >>> (for one reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA and >>> search through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and >>> then save the results as a "clean" file. >>> The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , >>> it's not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it >>> to). For example: >>> >>> fileA: >>> userA >>> userAA >>> userB >>> userBB >>> fileB: >>> userA >>> userB >>> My script looks like this: >>> ##################### >>> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in >>> lower >>> case >>> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| >>> foreach-object >>> { >>> $_.ToLower() } >>> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower >>> case, >>> and if they put in the domain portion of the account >>> # I strip that out. >>> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| >>> foreach-object >>> { >>> $_.ToLower() } \| foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"} >>> # Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object >>> in >>> $moveList >>> $exclude \| foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ } >>> # Clean up whitespace left by replace operation >>> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+" >>> # Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for mailbox >>> moves. >>> $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt >>> ##################### >>> The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not >>> hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, >>> it >>> is matching: >>> userA >>> userAA >>> What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" >>> part. How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or better >>> yet, does anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing? >>> Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it.

01-29-2008

I think there's some confusion :-). Let me change to include more
realistic names.

fileA.txt:
blee
c_tlee
ulee
lee

fileB.txt:
c_smith
lee
radams

In fileB one of the entries is "lee". This will match all 3 entries in
fileA.txt and with the -replace operator is results in:
b
c_t
u

Remember that what I'm trying to do is take a file that has a list of
user names and remove the ones that are in fileB from fileA. The above
ends up corrupting the user name.which isn't what I'm trying to do :-).
What the results should look like (if I can get this to work) is:
blee
c_tlee
ulee

Where it just removes "lee".
_____________________________________________
From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx]
Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 6:48 PM
Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell
Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match
Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match

Modified version:

$moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort -unique
get-content fileB.txt | sort -unique | foreach { $moveList = $moveList
-replace
$_ }
$moveList | where {$_ -ne ""} | out-file -encoding ASCII
..\CleanUserList.txt

A
B

-----
Shay Levi
$cript Fanatic
http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

Quote:

> I'm sure there's a shorter way

, until then:
>
> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object
> {
> $_.trim() }
> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt | sort-object -uniq | foreach-object
> {
> $_.trim() ; $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ }
> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+"
> $moveList | out-file -encoding ASCII .\CleanUserList.txt
> -----
> Shay Levi
> $cript Fanatic
> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

Quote:

>> a
>> b
>> So the problem that I'm having is that in $_ is "userA" and it's
>> matching both "userA" and "userAA". I only want it to match "userA".
>> -----Original Message-----
>>

	Quote:
	>>> From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx] >>> Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:37 PM >>> Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell >>> Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match >>> Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match >>> Not sure I'm following you. Based on FileA and FileB, What would be >>> the >>> content >>> of CleanUserList.txt? >>> ----- >>> Shay Levi >>> $cript Fanatic >>> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com >>> I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that >>> has >>> a list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion >>> list. This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved >>> (for one reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA and >>> search through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and >>> then save the results as a "clean" file. >>> The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , >>> it's not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it >>> to). For example: >>> >>> fileA: >>> userA >>> userAA >>> userB >>> userBB >>> fileB: >>> userA >>> userB >>> My script looks like this: >>> ##################### >>> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in >>> lower >>> case >>> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| >>> foreach-object >>> { >>> $_.ToLower() } >>> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower >>> case, >>> and if they put in the domain portion of the account >>> # I strip that out. >>> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| >>> foreach-object >>> { >>> $_.ToLower() } \| foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"} >>> # Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object >>> in >>> $moveList >>> $exclude \| foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ } >>> # Clean up whitespace left by replace operation >>> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+" >>> # Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for mailbox >>> moves. >>> $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt >>> ##################### >>> The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not >>> hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, >>> it >>> is matching: >>> userA >>> userAA >>> What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" >>> part. How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or better >>> yet, does anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing? >>> Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it.

01-29-2008

$moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort -unique
get-content fileB.txt | sort -unique | foreach { $moveList = $moveList -replace
"^$_`$" }
$moveList | where {$_} | out-file -encoding ASCII .\CleanUserList.txt

### CleanUserList.txt ###
blee
c_tlee
ulee

-----
Shay Levi
$cript Fanatic
http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

Quote:

> I think there's some confusion :-). Let me change to include more
> realistic names.
>
> fileA.txt:
> blee
> c_tlee
> ulee
> lee
> fileB.txt:
> c_smith
> lee
> radams
> In fileB one of the entries is "lee". This will match all 3 entries
> in
> fileA.txt and with the -replace operator is results in:
> b
> c_t
> u
> Remember that what I'm trying to do is take a file that has a list of
> user names and remove the ones that are in fileB from fileA. The
> above
> ends up corrupting the user name.which isn't what I'm trying to do
> :-).
> What the results should look like (if I can get this to work) is:
> blee
> c_tlee
> ulee
> Where it just removes "lee".
> _____________________________________________
> From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx]
> Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 6:48 PM
> Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell
> Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match
> Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match
> Modified version:
>
> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort -unique
> get-content fileB.txt | sort -unique | foreach { $moveList = $moveList
> -replace
> $_ }
> $moveList | where {$_ -ne ""} | out-file -encoding ASCII
> .\CleanUserList.txt
> A
> B
> -----
> Shay Levi
> $cript Fanatic
> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

Quote:

>> I'm sure there's a shorter way

, until then:
>>
>> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort-object -uniq |
>> foreach-object
>> {
>> $_.trim() }
>> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt | sort-object -uniq |
>> foreach-object
>> {
>> $_.trim() ; $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ }
>> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+"
>> $moveList | out-file -encoding ASCII .\CleanUserList.txt
>> -----
>> Shay Levi
>> $cript Fanatic
>> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

	Quote:
	>>> a >>> b >>> So the problem that I'm having is that in $_ is "userA" and it's >>> matching both "userA" and "userAA". I only want it to match >>> "userA". >>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx] >>>> Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 5:37 PM >>>> Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell >>>> Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match >>>> Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match >>>> Not sure I'm following you. Based on FileA and FileB, What would be >>>> the >>>> content >>>> of CleanUserList.txt? >>>> ----- >>>> Shay Levi >>>> $cript Fanatic >>>> http://scriptolog.blogspot.com >>>> I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that >>>> has >>>> a list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion >>>> list. This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved >>>> (for one reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA >>>> and >>>> search through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and >>>> then save the results as a "clean" file. >>>> The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , >>>> it's not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it >>>> to). For example: >>>> fileA: >>>> userA >>>> userAA >>>> userB >>>> userBB >>>> fileB: >>>> userA >>>> userB >>>> My script looks like this: >>>> ##################### >>>> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in >>>> lower >>>> case >>>> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| >>>> foreach-object >>>> { >>>> $_.ToLower() } >>>> # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower >>>> case, >>>> and if they put in the domain portion of the account >>>> # I strip that out. >>>> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| >>>> foreach-object >>>> { >>>> $_.ToLower() } \| foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"} >>>> # Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object >>>> in >>>> $moveList >>>> $exclude \| foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ } >>>> # Clean up whitespace left by replace operation >>>> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+" >>>> # Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for >>>> mailbox >>>> moves. >>>> $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt >>>> ##################### >>>> The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not >>>> hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, >>>> it >>>> is matching: >>>> userA >>>> userAA >>>> What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" >>>> part. How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or >>>> better >>>> yet, does anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing? >>>> Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it.

01-29-2008

Re: Using RegEx to get an exact matchAnother method I was considering was a hash table.

$hash = @{}
gc exclude.txt | %{$hash.$_ = $_}
gc fulllist.txt | %{if (-not $hash.containsvalue($_)) {$_}} > cleanlist.txt

Cheers,

Adam.
"Steven" <evetsleep@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:000001c8627f$ee39e780$0202fea9@xxxxxx
I think there's some confusion J. Let me change to include more realistic names.

fileA.txt:

blee

c_tlee

ulee

lee

fileB.txt:

c_smith

lee

radams

In fileB one of the entries is "lee". This will match all 3 entries in fileA.txt and with the -replace operator is results in:

b

c_t

u

Remember that what I'm trying to do is take a file that has a list of user names and remove the ones that are in fileB from fileA. The above ends up corrupting the user name.which isn't what I'm trying to do J. What the results should look like (if I can get this to work) is:

blee

c_tlee

ulee

Where it just removes "lee".

_____________________________________________
From: Shay Levi [mailto:no@xxxxxx]
Posted At: Monday, January 28, 2008 6:48 PM
Posted To: microsoft.public.windows.powershell
Conversation: Using RegEx to get an exact match
Subject: Re: Using RegEx to get an exact match

Modified version:

$moveList = get-content fileA.txt | sort -unique

get-content fileB.txt | sort -unique | foreach { $moveList = $moveList -replace

$_ }

$moveList | where {$_ -ne ""} | out-file -encoding ASCII ..\CleanUserList.txt

A

B

-----

Shay Levi

$cript Fanatic

http://scriptolog.blogspot.com

	Quote:
	> I'm sure there's a shorter way , until then:

	Quote:
	>

	Quote:
	> $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object

	Quote:
	> {

	Quote:
	> $_.trim() }

	Quote:
	> $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object

	Quote:
	> {

	Quote:
	> $_.trim() ; $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ }

	Quote:
	> $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+"

	Quote:
	> $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII .\CleanUserList.txt

01-28-2008	#1 (permalink)
Steven Guest	Using RegEx to get an exact match I'm working on a PowerShell script that will clean up a file that has a list of names to be moved to Exchange 2007 based off an exclusion list. This is because I have some mailboxes that I don't want moved (for one reason or another). So what I want to do is take fileA and search through it for any user names in fileB and pull them out and then save the results as a "clean" file. The problem I've run into is that when using the -replace regex , it's not performing exact matches (at least as I had expected it to). For example: fileA: userA userAA userB userBB fileB: userA userB My script looks like this: ##################### # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, and in lower case $moveList = get-content fileA.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object { $_.ToLower() } # Cleaning up the list so all entries are sorted, unique, in lower case, and if they put in the domain portion of the account # I strip that out. $exclude = get-content fileB.txt \| sort-object -uniq \| foreach-object { $_.ToLower() } \| foreach-object { $_ -replace "^\w+\\+"} # Go through each object in $exclude and remove any matching object in $moveList $exclude \| foreach-object { $moveList = $moveList -replace $_ } # Clean up whitespace left by replace operation $moveList = $moveList -match "^\w+" # Output clean file to file to be used as an answer file for mailbox moves. $moveList \| out-file -encoding ASCII CleanUserList.txt ##################### The problem that I'm seeing is that "$moveList -replace $_" is not hitting exact matches. So in the above example if userA was in $_, it is matching: userA userAA What I'm left with is "A" because it is stripping out the "userA" part. How can I have it match only "userA" and not userAA" or better yet, does anyone have a better way doing what I'm doing? Thanks for any suggestions..as always I really appreciate it.