PowerShell script demonstrating the difference between Csv, Xml & Json

Demo-ExportFormats.ps1

<#

Author: I.C.A Strachan
Version:
Version History:

Purpose: Demo exporting/importing to/from csv, xml and json format

#>
[CmdletBinding()]

#region Nested Object for Demo purposes
$Win32_ComputerSystem = @(
    'DNSHostName' 
    'Model' 
    'Manufacturer'
    'Domain'
    'DomainRole'
    'PartOfDomain'
    'SystemType'
)

$Win32_OperatingSystem = @(
    'Version'
    'BuildNumber'
    'BuildType'
    'OSLanguage'
    'OSType'
    'OSArchitecture'
    'MUILanguages'
    'OperatingSystemSKU'
    'Organization'
    'ProductType'
    'ServicePackMajorVersion'
    'ServicePackMinorVersion'
    'SizeStoredInPagingFiles'
    'SystemDevice'
    'SystemDirectory'
    'WindowsDirectory'
)

$Win32_BIOS = @(
    'SMBIOSBIOSVersion' 
    'Manufacturer'
    'Name'
    'SerialNumber'
    'Version'
    'ReleaseDate'
)

function Get-WMIData {
    [cmdletbinding()]
    param(
        [string]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
        $WMIClass,

        [string[]]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
        $ComputerName,

        [string[]]
        [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
        $WMIProperties
    )

    $queryProperties =''

    foreach ($property in $WMIProperties){
        $queryProperties += "$property," 
    }

    #Remove last character from $queryProperties
    $queryProperties = $queryProperties -replace ".$"

    Get-wmiObject -Query "SELECT $queryProperties FROM $WMIClass" -ComputerName $ComputerName |
    Select-Object $WMIProperties
}


$Inventory = @{}

$Inventory.ComputerSystem = Get-WMIData -WMIClass Win32_ComputerSystem -ComputerName LocalHost -WMIProperties $Win32_ComputerSystem

$Inventory.OperatingSystem = Get-WMIData -WMIClass Win32_OperatingSystem -ComputerName LocalHost -WMIProperties $Win32_OperatingSystem

$Inventory.BIOS = Get-WMIData -WMIClass Win32_BIOS -ComputerName LocalHost -WMIProperties $Win32_BIOS
#endregion

#region Export-Csv
$exportSplat = @{
  NoTypeInformation = $true
  Encoding = 'UTF8'
  Delimiter = ';'
}

#Export each key to seperate csv File
Foreach ($key in $Inventory.Keys) {
  if ( $Inventory.$key.Count -ne 0 ){
    $exportSplat.Path = "$PSSCriptRoot\$($key).csv"
    $Inventory.$key |
    Export-Csv @exportSplat
  }
}

#Import Csv for verfication
$importCsv = @{}

#Get csv Files
$csvFiles = Get-ChildItem -Filter *.csv -Path $PSSCriptRoot -File

$importSplat =@{
  Delimiter = ';'
  Encoding = 'UTF8'
}

Foreach ($file in $csvFiles) {
  $importCsv.$($file.BaseName) = Import-Csv -Path $file.FullName @importSplat
}
#endregion

#region Export-Clixml
$Inventory | 
Export-Clixml -Path "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.xml" -Encoding UTF8

#Import Xml for verfication
$importXml = Import-Clixml -Path "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.xml"
#endregion

#region Export to Json Format using ConvertTo-Json
$Inventory | 
ConvertTo-Json | 
Out-File "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.json" -Encoding utf8

#Import Json for verification
$importJson = Get-Content -Path "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.json" |
ConvertFrom-Json
#endregion

#region Compare the membertypes of Csv, Xml & Json
$importCsv.ComputerSystem  | Get-Member #Everything is a string
$importXml.ComputerSystem  | Get-Member #Typecast is preserved
$importJson.ComputerSystem | Get-Member #Typecast is preserved

if ($psISE) {
  psedit "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.json"
  psedit "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.xml"
}
else {
  notepad.exe "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.json"
  notepad.exe "$PSSCriptRoot\Inventory.xml"
}
#endregion