Clear-Content PowerShell Get-Help Output

This is the built-in help made by Microsoft for the command 'Clear-Content', in PowerShell version 4 - as retrieved from Windows version 'Microsoft Windows 8.1 Enterprise' PowerShell help files on 2016-06-23.

For PowerShell version 3 and up, where you have Update-Help, this command was run just before creating the web pages from the help files.

SYNOPSIS

SYNTAX

Clear-Content [-Path] <String[]> [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Filter <String>] [-Force] [-Include <String[]>] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [-UseTransa
ction [<SwitchParameter>]] [<CommonParameters>]
Clear-Content [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Filter <String>] [-Force] [-Include <String[]>] -LiteralPath <String[]> [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [-UseT
ransaction [<SwitchParameter>]] [<CommonParameters>]
Clear-Content [-Stream <string>] [<CommonParameters>]

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DESCRIPTION

The Clear-Content cmdlet deletes the contents of an item, such as deleting the text from a file, but it does not delete the item. As a result, the item exists, but it
is empty. Clear-Content is similar to Clear-Item, but it works on items with contents, instead of items with values.

In the file system, Clear-Content clears the content in a file, but does not delete the file. It has no effect on folders.

Note: This custom cmdlet help file explains how the Clear-Content cmdlet works in a file system drive. For information about the Clear-Content cmdlet in all drives, t
ype "Get-Help Clear-Content -Path $null" or see Clear-Content at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113282.

RELATED LINKS

REMARKS

Examples

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------

C:\PS>Get-Content C:\Test\Copy-Script.ps1 -Stream Zone.Identifier

[ZoneTransfer]
ZoneId=3

C:\PS>Clear-Content C:\Test\Copy-Script.ps1 -Stream Zone.Identifier

C:\PS>Get-Content C:\Test\Copy-Script.ps1 -Stream Zone.Identifier
C:\PS>

Description

-----------

This example shows how the Clear-Content cmdlet clears the content from an alternate data stream while leaving the stream intact.

The first command uses the Get-Content cmdlet to get the content of the Zone.Identifier stream in the Copy-Script.ps1 file, which was downloaded from the Internet.

The second command uses the Clear-Content cmdlet to clear the content.

The third command repeats the first command. It verifies that the content is cleared, but the stream remains. If the stream were deleted, the command would generate a
n error.

You can use a method like this one to clear the content of an alternate data stream. However, it is not the recommended way to eliminate security checks that block fi
les that are downloaded from the Internet. If you verify that a downloaded file is safe, use the Unblock-File cmdlet.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------

C:\PS>Clear-Content ..\SmpUsers\*\init.txt

Description

-----------

This command deletes all of the content from the "init.txt" files in all subdirectories of the SmpUsers directory. The files are not deleted, but they are empty.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

C:\PS>Clear-Content -Path * -Filter *.log -Force

Description

-----------

This command deletes the contents of all files in the current directory with the ".log" file name extension, including files with the read-only attribute. The asteris
k (*) in the path represents all items in the current directory. The Force parameter makes the command effective on read-only files. Using a filter to restrict the co
mmand to files with the ".log" file name extension instead of specifying "*.log" in the path makes the operation faster.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 4 --------------------------

C:\PS>Clear-Content c:\Temp\* -Include Smp* -Exclude *2* -WhatIf

Description

-----------

This command requests a prediction of what would happen if you submitted the command: "clear-content c:\temp\* -include smp* -exclude *2*". The result lists the files
that would be cleared; in this case, files in the Temp directory whose names begin with "Smp", unless the file names include a "2". To execute the command, run it ag
ain without the Whatif parameter.