CSV - Piping to Copy-Item

Question

When I try to import a CSV, and take a source filename/path and destination folder ref, copy-item seems to not copy the file in question.

I have a folder full of files in C:\Dir1\Test\Files\ and I need to copy them to individual folders in C:\Dir1\Test, based on what is in the csv.

$SourceDir = 'C:\Dir1\Test\Files\'
$DestDir = 'C:\Dir1\Test\'


Import-Csv C:\Dir1\Test\FileList.csv | ForEach-Object {

    $Source = $SourceDir + $($_.'FilePath')
    $Dest = $DestDir + "$($_.'Folder Ref')\"
    
    Copy-Item $Source -Destination $Dest

}

If I switch out the Copy-Item to Write-Host, it reads to me correctly, am I doing something wrong?

Nothing happens, it returns me to the prompt with no output

Answer 1

Constructing file paths using string concatenation as you are doing is never a good idea..
Better use PowerShells cmdlet Join-Path for that or .Net [System.IO.Path]::Combine() method.

As mklement0 already commented, Copy-Item by default does not procude any visual output unless you add -Verbose.
You can also append switch -PassThru and in that case, the cmdlet returns an object that represents the copied item.
In your case, why not add an informative message yourself, something like:

$SourceDir = 'C:\Dir1\Test\Files'
$DestDir   = 'C:\Dir1\Test'

Import-Csv -Path 'C:\Dir1\Test\FileList.csv' | ForEach-Object {
    # construct the source path
    $Source = Join-Path -Path $SourceDir -ChildPath $_.FilePath
    if (Test-Path -Path $source -PathType Leaf) {
        # construct the destination path
        $Dest = Join-Path -Path $DestDir -ChildPath $_.'Folder Ref'
        # make sure the target path exists before trying to copy to it
        $null = New-Item -Path $Dest -ItemType Directory -Force
        # now copy the file
        Write-Host "Copying file '$Source' to '$Dest'"
        Copy-Item -Path $Source -Destination $Dest
    }
    else {
        Write-Warning "File '$Source' could not be found"
    }   
}