How to Output to Two Columns In Powershell With Xml?

Published on Sep 20, 2025

4 min read

Define the maximum width for each column
Iterate over the nodes in the XML file

How to Output to Two Columns In Powershell With Xml? image

Best XML Tools to Buy in February 2026

Ultra-Bright Flashlights, 2000 Lumens XML-T6 LED Tactical Flashlight, Zoomable Adjustable Focus, IP65 Water-Resistant, Portable, 5 Light Modes for Indoor and Outdoor,Camping,Emergency,Hiking (1 Pack)

UNMATCHED BRIGHTNESS: 10X BRIGHTER, ILLUMINATES 1000 FEET AWAY!
VERSATILE MODES: 5 ADAPTABLE SETTINGS FOR ANY SITUATION.
RUGGED & RELIABLE: WATER-RESISTANT AND VIRTUALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE!

BUY & SAVE

Xml Json Programming, In 8 Hours, For Beginners, Learn Coding Easily: Xml Json Scripting, Crash Course Textbook & Exercises (2nd Edition) (Textbooks in 8 Hours 18)

BUY & SAVE

Beginning XML

AFFORDABLE PRICES OFFER GREAT VALUE FOR AVID READERS.
QUALITY ASSURANCE: THOROUGHLY CHECKED FOR GOOD CONDITION.
ECO-FRIENDLY CHOICE: PROMOTES SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH REUSE.

BUY & SAVE

Save 35%

Professional XML Development with Apache Tools: Xerces, Xalan, FOP, Cocoon, Axis, Xindice

BUY & SAVE

Opus IVS Giotto Bidirectional Scan Tool with J2534 for All Makes

GIOTTO READY: SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH INDUSTRY-LEADING DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS.
COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE: ACCESS TO ALL KEY VEHICLE SYSTEMS FOR PRECISE DIAGNOSTICS.
CUSTOM REPORTS: EASILY UPSELL REPAIRS WITH PROFESSIONAL, TAILORED PRINTOUTS.

BUY & SAVE

XML Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips and Tools

AFFORDABLE PRICES FOR QUALITY READS-SAVE ON YOUR NEXT BOOK!
ECO-FRIENDLY CHOICE: GIVE USED BOOKS A SECOND LIFE!
UNIQUE FINDS: DISCOVER HIDDEN GEMS AND RARE EDITIONS!

BUY & SAVE

Save 32%

XML Battery (1 Pack) 3.2v 3000mAh GS-97F-GE GS-97N GS-104 GS-103 GS-94 LIFEPO4 Battery for Outdoor Solar Lights

EFFORTLESS INSTALLATION: DIRECTLY REPLACES OLD LIGHTS-NO WIRING NEEDED!
ECO-FRIENDLY POWER: HARNESS SOLAR ENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR LIGHTING.
LONG-LASTING BATTERY: RELIABLE PERFORMANCE FOR ALL-NIGHT ILLUMINATION.

BUY & SAVE

XML Battery 4.8v 1800mAh AA1800 Unitech Ni-MH Rechargeable Battery Pack Replacement for Exit Sign Emergency Light

RELIABLE BATTERY FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE IN EMERGENCIES.
EASY INSTALLATION ENSURES QUICK SETUP FOR SAFETY COMPLIANCE.
LONG-LASTING DESIGN FOR PEACE OF MIND DURING POWER OUTAGES.

BUY & SAVE

XML Battery (1 Pack) Unitech AA900MAH 3.6V Exitronix 10010037 Lowes 253799 BBAT0063A TOPA 6200RP 6200-RP 3.6v 900mAh Ni-CD Battery Pack Replacement for Exit Sign Emergency Light

BUY & SAVE

ONE MORE?

To output to two columns in PowerShell with XML, you can use the Format-Table command along with custom XML formatting. By creating a custom XML template with the desired column headers and values, you can pass this template to the Format-Table command to display the XML data in two columns. Additionally, you can adjust the width and alignment of the columns using the -AutoSize and -Property parameters of the Format-Table command. This allows you to customize the output appearance and organization of the XML data in PowerShell.

What is the command for piping XML data to a two-column display in PowerShell?

The command for piping XML data to a two-column display in PowerShell is:

Get-Content file.xml | Select-String '.*|.*' | ForEach-Object { $_ -replace '' -replace '' -replace '' -replace '' } | Format-Table -Property @{Label="Column1";Expression={$_[0]}}, @{Label="Column2";Expression={$_[1]}}

Replace file.xml with the path to the XML file you want to display in a two-column format. This command will extract the data between <tag1> and <tag2> and display it in a two-column table format with "Column1" and "Column2" as headers.

What is the command to output XML data in a tabular format in PowerShell?

To output XML data in a tabular format in PowerShell, you can use the following command:

Get-Content path\to\your\xmlfile.xml | Select-Xml -XPath "//node" | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Node | Format-Table -AutoSize

Replace "path\to\your\xmlfile.xml" with the path to your XML file and "//node" with the XPath query to select the nodes you want to display in the table.

How can I display XML data in two columns using PowerShell?

Here is an example of how you can display XML data in two columns using PowerShell:

# Load the XML file $xml = [xml](Get-Content C:\path\to\your\file.xml)

Define the maximum width for each column

$columnWidth = 50

Iterate over the nodes in the XML file

foreach ($node in $xml.SelectNodes("//node")) { # Format the data for the first column $data1 = $node.SelectSingleNode("data1").InnerText $formattedData1 = $data1.PadRight($columnWidth)

# Format the data for the second column
$data2 = $node.SelectSingleNode("data2").InnerText
$formattedData2 = $data2.PadRight($columnWidth)

# Output the data in two columns
Write-Host "$formattedData1 $formattedData2"

}

In this script:

Replace C:\path\to\your\file.xml with the path to your XML file.
Modify the XPath expressions //node, data1, and data2 to match the structure of your XML file.
Adjust the $columnWidth variable to set the desired width for each column.
The script will iterate over each node in the XML file, extract the data from data1 and data2 elements, format them to fit in the specified column width, and then output them in two columns.

What is the procedure for customizing the output of XML data in PowerShell?

To customize the output of XML data in PowerShell, you can use the following steps:

Load the XML file: Use the Get-Content cmdlet to load the XML file into a variable.

$xml = [xml](Get-Content 'path\to\file.xml')

Navigate the XML structure: Use dot notation to navigate the XML structure and select the nodes you want to customize.

$node = $xml.Root.Node

Format the output: Use the properties and methods of the selected nodes to customize the output. For example, you can select specific attributes or values, combine multiple nodes into a custom format, or use string formatting to display the data in a specific way.

$customOutput = $node.Attribute + " - " + $node.Value

Display the customized output: Use the Write-Host cmdlet or other output cmdlets to display the customized output.

Write-Host $customOutput

By following these steps, you can customize the output of XML data in PowerShell to meet your specific requirements.

How do I pipe XML data to a two-column display efficiently in PowerShell?

You can use the ConvertTo-Xml cmdlet to convert your XML data to a PowerShell object, and then use Format-Table to display the data in a two-column format. Here's an example:

$xmlData = @" John 30 Alice 25 "@

$object = $xmlData | ConvertTo-Xml -As hashtable -NoTypeInformation $object.Object.employees.employee | Format-Table -Property name, age

This will display the XML data in a two-column format, with each row showing the name and age of an employee. You can customize the properties passed to Format-Table based on your XML structure.