brackets cause PowerShell scripts to fail

Keep in mind when you're drafting a PowerShell script that if any of the filepaths referenced in it contain beginning or ending brackets, the script will fail. So if we set up a simple copy-item script like this in Excel:

. . . which copies files from one location to a new one, renamed with a new filename, but the filepaths include a bracketed word, the script will fail without giving an error message that something is wrong.

The files in the first location are simply not copied to the new folder at all, and no error message flags the problem in the PowerShell blue console at the bottom.

We can get around this problem by adding a backtick ` in front of each beginning and ending bracket in the script. (Be sure to use a backtick and not an apostrophe.) You can enter a backtick by pressing ALT + 096. If your filepath is listed in double quotes, use two backticks in front of each bracket; if the path is enclosed in single quotes use just one backtick.

So the updated script will look like this:

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 001.pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit A.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 002 ``[redacted``].pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit B.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 003.pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit C.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 004 ``[redacted``].pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit D.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 005.pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit E.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 006 ``[redacted``].pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit F.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 007.pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit G.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 008 ``[redacted``].pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit H.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 009.pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit I.pdf"

copy-item -Path "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhibit 010 ``[redacted``].pdf" -Destination "C:\foofolder\test\powershell\Exhs A to Z\Exhibit J.pdf"

. . . and give you the result you wanted:

The trick to adding highlighting to pages pasted into PowerPoint

When creating PowerPoint slide decks for openings, closings, or witness examinations, you almost certainly will be called upon to create some slides which contain highlighted document text. If you use the highlighter tool that you find on the Draw ribbon, you'll find it difficult to highlight multiple lines of text evenly:

To get the neat rectangular box that the highlighter tool in Trial Director or OnCue will add to text, first paste the document image as a picture on a PowerPoint slide:

. . . with the picture selected, in the 'Picture Format' ribbon that appears on the right select the drop-down menu for Color, and then select 'Set Transparent Color'.

. . . the cursor will change to include a little syringe next to the arrow:

Click on the white part of the page, and the white of the page will then be made transparent in the slideshow.

Create a rectangular box (Insert . . . Shapes), with the fill color set to yellow, and no line set for the edges.

Right-click on the box and set it as the default shape. Then right-click again, and send the yellow box to the back. The text in the document image will appear highlighted.

When adding highlighting it will be easier to make changes if you use the hot key CTRL + SHIFT + [ to send images to the back, and CTRL + SHIFT + ] to send images to the front.

Can you Remove Properties and Personal information in Windows Explorer?

In Windows 11, in Windows Explorer when you right click on a file and select 'Properties', you'll see that you have the option to 'Remove Properties and Personal information'.

This function can be a quick and easy way to remove some, if not all, metadata from a file. Click on the underlined, blue link and you will be given the option to create a copy with 'all possible properties' removed, or only certain properties that you select from the current file:

. . . . the function will remove the Author and reset the date created, modified, and accessed in the 'File' section, but leaves in the original dates and times in the origin section.

It may be better than nothing but it will not remove comments and track changes from a Word document even if they are hidden.

To remove the metadata from any individual MS Office file you would go to File . . . Info . . . Inspect for Issues . . . Inspect Document, and you'll get the option to run Document Inspector.

The document inspector will flag what kinds of metadata are present.

The Protect function in Adobe Acrobat includes an option to remove hidden information.