Writing my first powershell script: commands are not recognized in the script

Question

rename-item A B

When typed in the shell, and provided there is a file A at the local directory, the rename works.

When I write a one-line script, put it in a folder, export the path to this folder, go to another folder, containing a file A, and call the script, here is what happens:

'rename-item' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

What am I missing?

I suspect that you are trying to call the powershell script from a regular command prompt (cmd.exe) rather than from a powershell command prompt (powershell.exe) since that is the exact error that you would get in a regular command prompt. — EBGreen, Commented Apr 9, 2013 at 15:17
@EBGreen, I am calling the file from a powershell. But the file is called rename.bat. Possibly this is my problem. — Vorac, Commented Apr 9, 2013 at 15:19
@ EBGreen, Yey, one step further. Could you please write a short answer, explaining why the strange error message, so as to finish up this question nicely? — Vorac, Commented Apr 9, 2013 at 15:25

Austin T French · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-09 17:19:22Z

When you ran the batch file, you were calling a batch file that had PowerShell commands in it. The command prompt was directing its output through Powershell, which was the above errors. Command.exe cannot run powershell cmdlets, so when it got to Rename-Item, it was not a good internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Ping.exe is called when you Ping www.google.com for example of what is a good command or executable.

Powershell can run commands from command.exe, the reverse is not true.

You can see the same result if you open a cmd prompt and try to run powershell commands or cmdlets.:

H:\>rename-item 'rename-item' is not recognized as an internal or external command, 
operable program or batch file.

So the powershell interpreter is called only on files with extension .ps1 and several others. There is no way to change this. — Vorac, Commented Apr 10, 2013 at 5:43

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