Import-Counter
Imports performance counter log files and creates the objects that represent each counter sample in the log.
Syntax
GetCounterSet (Default)
Import-Counter
[-Path] <String[]>
[-StartTime <DateTime>]
[-EndTime <DateTime>]
[-Counter <String[]>]
[-MaxSamples <Int64>]
[<CommonParameters>]
ListSetSet
Import-Counter
[-Path] <String[]>
-ListSet <String[]>
[<CommonParameters>]
SummarySet
Import-Counter
[-Path] <String[]>
[-Summary]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Import-Counter cmdlet imports performance counter data from performance counter log files and
creates objects for each counter sample in the file. The PerformanceCounterSampleSet objects
that it creates are identical to the objects that Get-Counter returns when it collects performance
counter data.
You can import data from comma-separated value (.csv), tab-separated value (.tsv), and binary
performance log (.blg) performance log files. If you are using .blg files, you can import up to
32 files in each command. You can use the parameters of Import-Counter to filter the data that you
import.
Along with the Get-Counter and Export-Counter cmdlets, this feature lets you collect, export,
import, combine, filter, manipulate, and re-export performance counter data within Windows
PowerShell.
Examples
Example 1: Import all counter data from a file
$data = Import-Counter -Path ProcessorData.csv
This command imports all counter data from the ProcessorData.csv file into the $data variable.
Example 2: Import specific counter data from a file
$i = Import-Counter -Path "ProcessorData.blg" -Counter "\\SERVER01\Processor(_Total)\Interrupts/sec"
This command imports only the "Processor(_total)\Interrupts/sec" counter data from the
ProcessorData.blg file into the $i variable.
Example 3: Select data from a performance counter then export it to a file
This example shows how to select data from a performance counter log file (.blg) and then export
the selected data to a .csv file. The first four commands get the counter paths from the file and
save them in the variable named $data. The last two commands import selected data and then export
only the selected data.
$data = Import-Counter .\ProcessorData.blg
$data[0].CounterSamples | Format-Table -Property Path
Path
----
\\SERVER01\Processor(_Total)\DPC Rate
\\SERVER01\Processor(1)\DPC Rate
\\SERVER01\Processor(0)\DPC Rate
\\SERVER01\Processor(_Total)\% Idle Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(1)\% Idle Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(0)\% Idle Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(_Total)\% C3 Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(1)\% C3 Time
$intCtrs = $Data[0].Countersamples | Where-Object {$_.Path -like "*Interrupts/sec"} | ForEach-Object {$_.Path}
$intCtrs
\\SERVER01\Processor(_Total)\Interrupts/sec
\\SERVER01\Processor(1)\Interrupts/sec
\\SERVER01\Processor(0)\Interrupts/sec
$i = Import-Counter -Path .\ProcessorData.blg -Counter $intCtrs
$i | Export-Counter -Path .\Interrupts.csv -Format CSV
The first command uses Import-Counter to import all of the performance counter data from the
ProcessorData.blg files. The command saves the data in the $data variable.
The second command displays the counter paths in the $data variable. To get the display shown in
the command output, the example uses the Format-Table cmdlet to format as a table the counter
paths of the first counter in the $data variable.
The third command gets the counter paths that end in Interrupts/sec and saves the paths in the
$intCtrs variable. It uses the Where-Object cmdlet to filter the counter paths and the
ForEach-Object cmdlet to get only the value of the Path property of each selected path object.
The fourth command displays the selected counter paths in the $intCtrs variable.
The fifth command uses the Import-Counter cmdlet to import the data. It uses the $intCtrs
variable as the value of the Counter parameter to import only data for the counter paths in
$intCtrs.
The sixth command uses the Export-Counter cmdlet to export the data to the Interrupts.csv file.
Example 4: Display all counter paths in a group of imported counter sets
This example shows how to display all the counter paths in a group of imported counter sets.
Import-Counter -Path ProcessorData.csv -ListSet *
CounterSetName : Processor
MachineName : \\SERVER01
CounterSetType : MultiInstance
Description :
Paths : {\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\DPC Rate, \\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Idle Time, \\SERVER01
\Processor(*)\% C3 Time, \\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Interrupt Time...}
PathsWithInstances : {\\SERVER01\Processor(_Total)\DPC Rate, \\SERVER01\Processor(1)\DPC Rate, \\SERVER01
\Processor(0)\DPC Rate, \\SERVER01\Processor(_Total)\% Idle Time...}
Counter : {\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\DPC Rate, \\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Idle Time, \\SERVER01
\Processor(*)\% C3 Time, \\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Interrupt Time...}
Import-Counter -Path ProcessorData.csv -ListSet * | ForEach-Object {$_.Paths}
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\DPC Rate
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Idle Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% C3 Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Interrupt Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% C2 Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% User Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% C1 Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Processor Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\C1 Transitions/sec
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% DPC Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\C2 Transitions/sec
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\% Privileged Time
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\C3 Transitions/sec
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\DPCs Queued/sec
\\SERVER01\Processor(*)\Interrupts/sec
The first command uses the ListSet parameter of the Import-Counter cmdlet to get all of the
counter sets that are represented in a counter data file.
The second command gets all of the counter paths from the list set.
Example 5: Import counter data from a range of timestamps
This example imports only the counter data that has a timestamp between the starting an ending ranges specified in the command.
Import-Counter -Path ".\disk.blg" | Format-Table -Property Timestamp
$start = [datetime]"7/9/2008 3:47:00 PM"; $end = [datetime]"7/9/2008 3:47:59 PM"
Import-Counter -Path Disk.blg -StartTime $start -EndTime $end
The first command lists in a table the timestamps of all of the data in the ProcessorData.blg
file.
The second command saves particular timestamps in the $start and $end variables. The strings
are cast to DateTime objects.
The third command uses the Import-Counter cmdlet to get only counter data that has a time stamp
between the start and end times (inclusive). The command uses the StartTime and EndTime
parameters of Import-Counter to specify the range.
Example 6: Import a specified number of the oldest samples from a performance counter log file
This example shows how to import the five oldest and five newest samples from a performance counter log file.
Import-Counter -Path "Disk.blg" -MaxSamples 5
(Import-Counter -Path Disk.blg)[-1 .. -5]
The first command uses the Import-Counter cmdlet to import the first (oldest) five samples from
the Disk.blg file. The command uses the MaxSamples parameter to limit the import to five
counter samples.
The second command uses array notation and the Windows PowerShell range operator (..) to get the
last five counter samples from the file. These are the five newest samples.
Example 7: Get a summary of counter data from a file
Import-Counter "D:\Samples\Memory.blg" -Summary
OldestRecord NewestRecord SampleCount
------------ ------------ -----------
7/10/2008 2:59:18 PM 7/10/2008 3:00:27 PM 1000
This command uses the Summary parameter of the Import-Counter cmdlet to get a summary of the
counter data in the Memory.blg file.
Example 8: Update a performance counter log file
This example updates a performance counter log file.
$counters = Import-Counter OldData.blg -ListSet * | ForEach-Object {$_.PathsWithInstances}
Get-Counter -Counter $Counters -MaxSamples 20 | Export-Counter C:\Logs\NewData.blg
The first command uses the ListSet parameter of Import-Counter to get the counters in
OldData.blg, an existing counter log file. The command uses a pipeline operator (|) to send the
data to a ForEach-Object command that gets only the values of the PathsWithInstances property
of each object
The second command gets updated data for the counters in the $counters variable. It uses the
Get-Counter cmdlet to get a current sample, and then export the results to the NewData.blg file.
Example 9: Import performance log data from multiple files and then save it
$counters = "D:\test\pdata.blg", "D:\samples\netlog.blg" | Import-Counter
This command imports performance log data from two logs and saves the data in the $counters
variable. The command uses a pipeline operator to send the performance log paths to Import-Counter,
which imports the data from the specified paths.
Notice that each path is enclosed in quotation marks and that the paths are separated from each other by a comma.
Parameters
-Counter
Specifies, as a string array, the performance counters. By default, Import-Counter imports all
data from all counters in the input files. Enter one or more counter paths. Wildcards are permitted
in the Instance part of the path.
Each counter path has the following format. The ComputerName value is required in the path. For
instance:
\\<ComputerName>\<CounterSet>(<Instance>)\<CounterName>
For example:
\\Server01\Processor(2)\% User Time\\Server01\Processor(*)\% Processor Time
Parameter properties
| Type: | String[] |
| Default value: | All counter |
| Supports wildcards: | True |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
GetCounterSet
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-EndTime
Specifies an end date and time that this cmdlet imports counter data between the StartTime and
this parameter timestamps. Enter a DateTime object, such as one created by the Get-Date
cmdlet. By default, Import-Counter imports all counter data in the files specified by the Path
parameter.
Parameter properties
| Type: | DateTime |
| Default value: | No end time |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
GetCounterSet
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-ListSet
Specifies the performance counter sets that are represented in the exported files. Commands with this parameter do not import any data.
Enter one or more counter set names. Wildcards are permitted. To get all counter sets in the file,
type Import-Counter -ListSet *.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String[] |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | True |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
ListSetSet
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | True |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-MaxSamples
Specifies the maximum number of samples of each counter to import. By default, Get-Counter imports
all of the data in the files specified by the Path parameter.
Parameter properties
| Type: | Int64 |
| Default value: | No maximum |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
GetCounterSet
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-Path
Specifies the file paths of the files to be imported. This parameter is required.
Enter the path and file name of a, .csv, .tsv, or .blg file that you exported by using the
Export-Counter cmdlet. You can specify only one .csv or .tsv file, but you can specify
multiple .blg files (up to 32) in each command. You can also pipe file path strings (in quotation
marks) to Import-Counter.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String[] |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | True |
| DontShow: | False |
| Aliases: | PSPath |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | 1 |
| Mandatory: | True |
| Value from pipeline: | True |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | True |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-StartTime
Specifies the start date and time in which this cmdlet gets counter data. Enter a DateTime
object, such as one created by the Get-Date cmdlet. By default, Import-Counter imports all
counter data in the files specified by the Path parameter.
Parameter properties
| Type: | DateTime |
| Default value: | No start time |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
GetCounterSet
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-Summary
Indicates that this cmdlet gets a summary of the imported data, instead of getting individual counter data samples.
Parameter properties
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Default value: | False |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
SummarySet
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutBuffer, -OutVariable, -PipelineVariable, -ProgressAction, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
Inputs
String
You can pipe performance counter log paths to this cmdlet.
Outputs
Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetCounter.PerformanceCounterSampleSet, Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetCounter.CounterSet, Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetCounter.CounterFileInfo
This cmdlet returns a Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetCounter.PerformanceCounterSampleSet. If you use the ListSet parameter, this cmdlet returns a Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetCounter.CounterSet object. If you use the Summary parameter, this cmdlet returns a Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetCounter.CounterFileInfo object.
Notes
- This cmdlet does not have a ComputerName parameter. However, if the computer is configured for
Windows PowerShell remoting, you can use the
Invoke-Commandcmdlet to run anImport-Countercommand on a remote computer.
