Bulk upload the files from local path to SharePoint Online Allow Ampersand and Pound?

Question

I am using PowerShell PnP v3 on Win 10 to bulk upload files and folders to SPO. I am using the script from this page: enter link description here, which works great. However, it will skip files and folders containing an ampersand (&) or a pound symbol (#). How can this code be updated to allow those characters? I am a Powershell newbie so any help is greatly appreciated.

$cred=Get-Credential  
$makeUrl ="https://sharepoint.com/" 
$sourcePath = "C:\foldername"; 
$topSPOFolder = "one\two"; 

# connect to spo online 
Connect-PnPOnline -Url $makeUrl -Credentials $cred

$fileNames = Get-ChildItem -Path $sourcePath -Recurse ;

foreach($aFileName in $fileNames) 
{ 
if($aFileName.GetType().Name -ne "DirectoryInfo")  
{ 
 $filepath= [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($aFileName.FullName)+"\" 
 $Urlpath= ($filepath.Replace($sourcePath, '')); 
 $foldername=$Urlpath.Replace("/","\"); 
 $fn=$topSPOFolder+"\"+$foldername; 
 Add-PnPFile -Path $aFileName.FullName -Folder $fn; 
 $fn=$null 
 } 
}

Answer 1

Indeed, in case if filename contains special symbols (such as #) the following exception occurs for Add-PnPFile cmdlet:

The argument must be a single file name and cannot contain path characters.

And seems the similar issue has been already reported here

Further analysis of source code for Add-PnPFile cmdlet

  if (fileName.ContainsInvalidFileFolderChars())
                throw new ArgumentException(CoreResources.FileFolderExtensions_UploadFile_The_argument_must_be_a_single_file_name_and_cannot_contain_path_characters_, nameof(fileName));

confirms (at least in 3.2.1810.0 version) that:

• # is not allowed
• & is allowed

But given the fact that support for # and % in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business has been introduced, not sure why # is still not allowed. So, i would consider it is a bug and recommend to report an issue in GitHub.

Meanwhile you could consider the following solutions:

Option 1

Utilize the following function to upload a file which mimics to some extent Add-PnPFile cmdlet:

Function UploadAFile() 
{
Param(
  [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
  [string]$PathName,

  [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
  [String]$FolderName,

  [Parameter(Mandatory=$False)]
  [String]$FileName
)

   $ctx = Get-PnPContext

   if([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($FileName)){
      $FileName = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileName($PathName)
   }

   $folder = [Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileFolderExtensions]::EnsureFolder($ctx.Web,$ctx.Web.RootFolder, $FolderName)
   $fileUrl = [OfficeDevPnP.Core.Utilities.UrlUtility]::Combine($folder.ServerRelativeUrl, $FileName)

   $fci= New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileCreationInformation
   $fci.Overwrite = $true
   $fci.Content = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($PathName)
   $fci.Url = $FileName
   $uploadFile = $folder.Files.Add($fci)
   $ctx.ExecuteQuery()
   return $uploadFile
}

Example

UploadAFile  -PathName "./Guide #123.docx" -FolderName "Shared Documents" 

Option 2

Replace all not supported special symbols using -NewFileName parameter of Add-PnPFile cmdlet, for example:

Add-PnPFile -Path "./Guide #123.docx" -Folder "Shared Documents" -NewFileName "Guide 123.docx"