Fail to create a folder in VMFS datastore using a .Net PowerShell object

[dudi_cog]

Hi friends,

I'm using .Net System.Management.Automation.PowerShell object to invoke:
New-Item -Path "vmstore:\Test-DC\ESX_Log\ESX10.161.47.228" -ItemType Directory -Force
The returned error is:
The specified path does not refer to a drive created by this provider.

However, from PowerShell console the same command it works fine as shown below.

New-Item -Path "vmstore:\SiltecRX2-DC\ESX_Log\ESX10.161.47.229" -ItemType Directory -Force

Name Type Id
---- ---- --
ESX10.161.47.229 DatastoreFolder

Any help will be appreciated!

[LucD]

Looks like you don't have the VimDatastore provider in that environment.
Did you check with Get-PSProvider?

That provider should normally be created when you run the Connect-VIServer

[dudi_cog]

Thanks, I will check.

[dudi_cog]

It seems I have VimDatastore as one of the providers:

VMware.VimAutomation.Core\VimDatastore

[LucD]

Can you try if some basic functionality with the VimDatastore provider works?

Like

Get-Item -Path vmstore:
Get-childItem -Path vmstore:

[dudi_cog]

I tried it and here are the results:

Get-Item -Path "vmstore:"

Cannot find path 'vmstore:\' because it does not exist

Get-childItem -Path "vmstore:"

Cannot find path '\LastConnectedVCenterServer\' because it does not exist.

[LucD]

That again seems to show that the provider is not set up correctly in that environment.
Sorry but I have no further experience with calling PS from a .Net environment.

[dudi_cog]

Thanks for trying man:-)

It seems like I have some environment issue.

I will try to reinstall PowerCLI on my machine and update.

[dudi_cog · Accepted solution]

The following workaround worked for me:

1. Create a PSDrive with VimDatastore as the PS Provider.

2. create the directory using New-Item cmdlet with the created PSDrive as the drive letter.

3. Remove the PSDrive.

Here is the C# code I use:

PowerShell _powerShell;

_powerShell = PowerShell.Create();

_powerShell.AddScript($"Get-Datastore {datastoreName} | New-PSDrive -Name {PSDriveName} -PSProvider VimDatastore -Root \"\\\\\"");
_powerShell.AddScript($"New-Item -Path {PSDriveName}:\\{folderName} -ItemType Directory -Force");
_powerShell.AddScript($"Remove-PSDrive -Name {PSDriveName}");