Powershell script ignoring $userInput variable

Question

function processSearch {
Get-Process -Name "$processSearch*"
}

function processKill {
Stop-Process -Name "$processSearch*"
}

$processSearch = Read-Host -Prompt "Enter the full or partial name of the process: "

processSearch

 if ((Get-Process -Name "$processSearch*") -eq $null) {
    Write-Output "ERROR: NO PROCESS FOUND."
    [Threading.Thread]::Sleep(3000) 
 }

if ((Get-Process -Name "$processSearch*") -ne $null) {
    $userInput= Read-Host -Prompt "Kill process?"
} 
     
if ($userInput -eq "y" -or "Y") {
    processKill
}
elseif ($userInput -eq "n" -or "N") {
    Write-Output "Process not killed."   
}
else {
    Write-Output "ERROR: UNHANDLED INPUT."
}            

When my script gets to $userInput= Read-Host -Prompt "Kill process?", and I enter any text, the script will terminate the selected process.

I'm new to scripting, so please let me know where my logic is flawed, thank you.

Answer 1

The issue you're experiencing is because when you're checking the $userInput variable you've forgotten to declare what variable to check against in your -or part of the clause.

This code:

if ($userInput -eq "y" -or "Y") {
    processKill
}
elseif ($userInput -eq "n" -or "N") {
    Write-Output "Process not killed."   
}
else {
    Write-Output "ERROR: UNHANDLED INPUT."
}  

should become:

if ($userInput -eq "y" -or $userInput -eq "Y") {
    processKill
}
elseif ($userInput -eq "n" -or $userInput -eq "N") {
    Write-Output "Process not killed."   
}
else {
    Write-Output "ERROR: UNHANDLED INPUT."
}  

You could also make the if statements a little less verbose by using the case-sensitive -cin operator as this will check if the value is in an array of given values as below:

if ($userInput -cin "y", "Y") {
    processKill
}
elseif ($userInput -cin "n", "N") {
    Write-Output "Process not killed."   
}
else {
    Write-Output "ERROR: UNHANDLED INPUT."
}