Question

I need to execute some periodic console applications that give me some results (on the console)… How can I execute it and have its return data sent to my email?
I tried to use [Diagnostics.Process]::Start() and it launches my application but i don’t know how to get the return… I do not want the exitCode, I want the text that the application prints on screen.
Using PS V2 CTP3.

*** UPDATE

The solutions presented worked fine but i have a problem… this application that i need to execute is gfix from the firebird database and now i discovered a thing, I can’t redirect the output of gfix to a file, if i execute on command prompt the line:

gfix.exe -v -f dabatase.gdb > c:\test.txt

it print the output on the screen and the file is empty.
Same thing if I try to assign it to a variable… I don’t know what difference gfix has from the other console apps that I use, but looks like its output can’t be redirected.

Has someone seeing this?

*** UPDATE 2

Even if I use Start-transcript /Stop-Transcript, although on the screen I see the gfix output, on the file there is only the commands :/

*** UPDATE 3

Found the solution here
http://edn.embarcadero.com/br/article/25605

Answer 1

Something like this could work:

# temporary file
$f = [io.path]::GetTempFileName()
# start process and redirect its output to the temp file
ping localhost > $f

# create and send email
$emailFrom = "[e-mail]"
$emailTo = "[e-mail]"
$subject = "results"
$body = (Get-Content $f) -join "`r`n"
$smtpServer = "your smtp server"
$smtp = new-object Net.Mail.SmtpClient($smtpServer)
$smtp.Send($emailFrom, $emailTo, $subject, $body)

# delete the file
remove-item $f

I think in this case [Diagnostics.Process]::Start() is not needed. Besides that there is a cmdlet Start-Process that does almost the same.