Powershell populate array from list of files -

i need populate powershell array filenames of files stored in directory based on names. need different array each set of files (see example folder structure) used part of process.

i automatic , create arrays on fly, have arrays containing filenames starting processor123, processorabc , processorxyz. names of these arrays can stored in array named $arrynames. needs dynamic in case new processor introduced, not want rely on users enter file names.

example folder structure;

c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150604 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150603 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150602 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150601 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150531 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150604 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150603 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150602 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150601 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150531 c:\directory\processorxyz.log.20150604 c:\directory\processorxyz.log.20150603 c:\directory\processorxyz.log.20150602 c:\directory\processorxyz.log.20150601 c:\directory\processorxyz.log.20150531 

$arrynames

processor123 processorabc processorxyz 

$processor123

c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150604 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150603 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150602 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150601 c:\directory\processor123\processor123.log.20150531 

$processorabc

c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150604 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150603 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150602 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150601 c:\directory\processorabc.log.20150531 

so, you'll want each string:

1. extract first part of file name
2. put entire string array matching first part

as mentioned in comments, can use hashtable hold arrays, file prefix being key:

# set hashtable $hashtable = @{}  # pipe list of file paths foreach-object get-content c:\filenames.txt |foreach-object {     # extract filename [system.io.path]::getfilename(), split dots , grab part before first dot     $prefix = [system.io.path]::getfilename($_) -split "\." |select-object -first 1     # use extracted prefix place string in correct hashtable entry     $hashtable[$prefix] += $_ } 

now, can reference first 5 paths with: $hashtable["processor123"]