Preparing to Upload Multiple Files in SharePoint 2010

Introduction

Consider a scenario where you need to upload thousands of files to SharePoint 2010. Before uploading the files you must prepare for it. This article outlines how to get prepared for uploading bulk files to SharePoint.

Preparation

There are at least the following 3 scenarios where the upload of the file can fail:

Blocked file types
Invalid special characters in the file name
Size of the file

Not all the file formats can be uploaded to SharePoint (for example .exe files) and you cannot upload a file that has special characters in its name and there is a size restriction for a single file being uploaded in SharePoint. To find the list of blocked file types refer to this Link. The unsupported special characters in a file name are:

[~#%&*{}|:<>?/|"]

How to Upload Blocked file types

In order to upload the blocked file types in SP you need to either remove them from the blocked file types list (not recommended) or rename the file with a “.txt” extension. So when uploading the file SharePoint understands it as a .txt file and not as any other file type. In order to use the file you can download the file and rename it to the original file type.

The following piece of code renames the file to change its type to “.txt” format:

$path = read-host "Enter the path"
$TestPath = test-path $path
if($TestPath)
{
Get-ChildItem -path $path -recurse |
Foreach-Object
{
$name = $_.name
if($name.contains(".ade") -or $name.contains(".adp") -or $name.contains(".app") -or $name.contains
(".asa") -or $name.contains(".ashx") -or $name.contains(".asmx") -or $name.contains(".asp") -or
$name.contains(".bas") -or $name.contains(".bat") -or $name.contains(".cdx") -or
$name.contains(".cer") -or $name.contains(".chm") -or $name.contains(".class") -or
$name.contains(".cmd") -or $name.contains(".com") -or $name.contains(".config") -or
$name.contains(".cpl") -or $name.contains(".crt") -or $name.contains(".csh") -or
$name.contains(".dll") -or $name.contains(".exe") -or $name.contains(".fxp") -or
$name.contains(".hlp") -or $name.contains(".hta") -or $name.contains(".htr") -or
$name.contains(".htw") -or $name.contains(".ida") -or $name.contains(".idc") -or
$name.contains(".idq") -or $name.contains(".ins") -or $name.contains(".isp") -or
$name.contains(".its") -or $name.contains(".jse") -or $name.contains(".ksh") -or
$name.contains(".lnk") -or $name.contains(".mad") -or $name.contains(".maf") -or
$name.contains(".mag") -or $name.contains(".mam") -or $name.contains(".maq") -or
$name.contains(".mar") -or $name.contains(".mas") -or $name.contains(".mat") -or
$name.contains(".mau") -or $name.contains(".mav") -or $name.contains(".maw") -or
$name.contains(".mda") -or $name.contains(".mdb") -or $name.contains(".mde") -or
$name.contains(".mdt") -or $name.contains(".mdw") -or $name.contains(".mdz") -or
$name.contains(".msc") -or $name.contains(".msh") -or $name.contains(".msh1") -or
$name.contains(".msh1xml") -or $name.contains(".msh2") -or $name.contains(".msh2xml") -or
$name.contains(".mshxml") -or $name.contains(".msi") -or $name.contains(".msp") -or
$name.contains(".mst") -or $name.contains(".ops") -or $name.contains(".pcd") -or
$name.contains(".pif") -or $name.contains(".prf") -or $name.contains(".prg") -or
$name.contains(".printer") -or $name.contains(".pst") -or $name.contains(".reg") -or
$name.contains(".rem") -or $name.contains(".scf") -or $name.contains(".scr") -or
$name.contains(".sct") -or $name.contains(".shb") -or $name.contains(".shs") -or
$name.contains(".shtm") -or $name.contains(".shtml") -or $name.contains(".soap") -or
$name.contains(".stm") -or $name.contains(".url") -or $name.contains(".vb") -or
$name.contains(".vbe") -or $name.contains(".vbs") -or $name.contains(".ws") -or
$name.contains(".wsc") -or $name.contains(".wsf") -or $name.contains(".wsh") -or
$name.contains(".ADE") -or $name.contains(".ADP") -or $name.contains(".APP") -or
$name.contains(".ASA") -or $name.contains(".ASHX") -or $name.contains(".ASMX") -or
$name.contains(".ASP") -or $name.contains(".BAS") -or $name.contains(".BAT") -or
$name.contains(".CDX") -or $name.contains(".CER") -or $name.contains(".CHM") -or
$name.contains(".CLASS") -or $name.contains(".CMD") -or $name.contains(".COM") -or
$name.contains(".CONFIG") -or $name.contains(".CPL") -or $name.contains(".CRT") -or
$name.contains(".CSH") -or $name.contains(".DLL") -or $name.contains(".EXE") -or
$name.contains(".FXP") -or $name.contains(".HLP") -or $name.contains(".HTA") -or
$name.contains(".HTR") -or $name.contains(".HTW") -or $name.contains(".IDA") -or
$name.contains(".IDC") -or $name.contains(".IDQ") -or $name.contains(".INS") -or
$name.contains(".ISP") -or $name.contains(".ITS") -or $name.contains(".JSE") -or
$name.contains(".KSH") -or $name.contains(".LNK") -or $name.contains(".MAD") -or
$name.contains(".MAF") -or $name.contains(".MAG") -or $name.contains(".MAM") -or
$name.contains(".MAQ") -or $name.contains(".MAR") -or $name.contains(".MAS") -or
$name.contains(".MAT") -or $name.contains(".MAU") -or $name.contains(".MAV") -or
$name.contains(".MAW") -or $name.contains(".MDA") -or $name.contains(".MDB") -or
$name.contains(".MDE") -or $name.contains(".MDT") -or $name.contains(".MDW") -or
$name.contains(".MDZ") -or $name.contains(".MSC") -or $name.contains(".MSH") -or
$name.contains(".MSH1") -or $name.contains(".MSH1XML") -or $name.contains(".MSH2") -or
$name.contains(".MSH2XML") -or $name.contains(".MSHXML") -or $name.contains(".MSI") -or
$name.contains(".MSP") -or $name.contains(".MST") -or $name.contains(".OPS") -or
$name.contains(".PCD") -or $name.contains(".PIF") -or $name.contains(".PRF") -or
$name.contains(".PRG") -or $name.contains(".PRINTER") -or $name.contains(".PST") -or
$name.contains(".REG") -or $name.contains(".REM") -or $name.contains(".SCF") -or
$name.contains(".SCR") -or $name.contains(".SCT") -or $name.contains(".SHB") -or
$name.contains(".SHS") -or $name.contains(".SHTM") -or $name.contains(".SHTML") -or
$name.contains(".SOAP") -or $name.contains(".STM") -or $name.contains(".URL") -or
$name.contains(".VB") -or $name.contains(".VBE") -or $name.contains(".VBS") -or
$name.contains(".WS") -or $name.contains(".WSC") -or $name.contains(".WSF") -or $
name.contains(".WSH"))
{
$newname = $_.name + ".txt"
write-host $newname
Rename-Item -Path $_.fullname -newname ($newName)
}
}
}
else
{
write-host "Invalid path details.... Please run the script again and enter the valid path" -fore cyan
write-host "SCRIPT FINISHED" -fore yellow
}

The special characters that are not accepted in the file name are:

[~#%&*{}|:<>?/|"].

The following piece of code loops through all the files given in the path and replaces the special characters in the name with an empty value.

$path = read-host "Enter the path"
$TestPath = test-path $path
if($TestPath)
{
Get-ChildItem -path $path -recurse |
Foreach-Object
{
$newName = $_.name -replace '[~#%&*{}|:<>?/|"]', ''
if (-not ($_.name -eq $newname))
{
Rename-Item -Path $_.fullname -newname ($newName)
}
}
}
else
{
write-host "Invalid path details.... Please run the script again and enter the valid path" -fore cyan
write-host "SCRIPT FINISHED" -fore yellow
}

Complete Code

Code 1

$LogTime = Get-Date -Format yyyy-MM-dd_hh-mm
$LogFile = ".\ReplaceInvalidFileExtensionPatch-$LogTime.rtf"
# Add SharePoint PowerShell Snapin
if ( (Get-PSSnapin -Name Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) -eq $null )
{
Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.Powershell
}
start-transcript $logfile
$path = read-host "Enter the path"
$TestPath = test-path $path
if($TestPath)
{
Get-ChildItem -path $path -recurse |
Foreach-Object
{
$name = $_.name
if($name.contains(".ade") -or $name.contains(".adp") -or $name.contains(".app") -or
$name.contains(".asa") - or $name.contains(".ashx") -or $name.contains(".asmx") -or
$name.contains(".asp") -or $name.contains(".bas") -or $name.contains(".bat") -or
$name.contains(".cdx") -or $name.contains(".cer") -or $name.contains(".chm") -or
$name.contains(".class") -or $name.contains(".cmd") -or $name.contains(".com") -or
$name.contains(".config") -or $name.contains(".cpl") -or $name.contains(".crt") -or
$name.contains(".csh") -or $name.contains(".dll") -or $name.contains(".exe") -or
$name.contains(".fxp") -or $name.contains(".hlp") -or $name.contains(".hta") -or
$name.contains(".htr") -or $name.contains(".htw") -or $name.contains(".ida") -or
$name.contains(".idc") -or $name.contains(".idq") -or $name.contains(".ins") -or
$name.contains(".isp") -or $name.contains(".its") -or $name.contains(".jse") -or
$name.contains(".ksh") -or $name.contains(".lnk") -or $name.contains(".mad") -or
$name.contains(".maf") -or $name.contains(".mag") -or $name.contains(".mam") -or
$name.contains(".maq") -or $name.contains(".mar") -or $name.contains(".mas") -or
$name.contains(".mat") -or $name.contains(".mau") -or $name.contains(".mav") -or
$name.contains(".maw") -or $name.contains(".mda") -or $name.contains(".mdb") -or
$name.contains(".mde") -or $name.contains(".mdt") -or $name.contains(".mdw") -or
$name.contains(".mdz") -or $name.contains(".msc") -or $name.contains(".msh") -or
$name.contains(".msh1") -or $name.contains(".msh1xml") -or $name.contains(".msh2") -or
$name.contains(".msh2xml") -or $name.contains(".mshxml") -or $name.contains(".msi") -or
$name.contains(".msp") -or $name.contains(".mst") -or $name.contains(".ops") -or $name.contains
(".pcd") -or $name.contains(".pif") -or $name.contains(".prf") -or $name.contains(".prg") -or
$name.contains(".printer") -or $name.contains(".pst") -or $name.contains(".reg") -or $name.contains
(".rem") -or $name.contains(".scf") -or $name.contains(".scr") -or $name.contains(".sct") -or
$name.contains(".shb") -or $name.contains(".shs") -or $name.contains(".shtm") -or $name.contains
(".shtml") -or $name.contains(".soap") -or $name.contains(".stm") -or $name.contains(".url") -or
$name.contains(".vb") -or $name.contains(".vbe") -or $name.contains(".vbs") -or $name.contains
(".ws") -or $name.contains(".wsc") -or $name.contains(".wsf") -or $name.contains(".wsh") -or
$name.contains(".ADE") -or $name.contains(".ADP") -or $name.contains(".APP") -or $name.contains
(".ASA") -or $name.contains(".ASHX") -or $name.contains(".ASMX") -or $name.contains(".ASP") -or
$name.contains(".BAS") -or $name.contains(".BAT") -or $name.contains(".CDX") -or $name.contains
(".CER") -or $name.contains(".CHM") -or $name.contains(".CLASS") -or $name.contains(".CMD") -or
$name.contains(".COM") -or $name.contains(".CONFIG") -or $name.contains(".CPL") -or $name.contains
(".CRT") -or $name.contains(".CSH") -or $name.contains(".DLL") -or $name.contains(".EXE") -or
$name.contains(".FXP") -or $name.contains(".HLP") -or $name.contains(".HTA") -or $name.contains
(".HTR") -or $name.contains(".HTW") -or $name.contains(".IDA") -or $name.contains(".IDC") -or
$name.contains(".IDQ") -or $name.contains(".INS") -or $name.contains(".ISP") -or $name.contains
(".ITS") -or $name.contains(".JSE") -or $name.contains(".KSH") -or $name.contains(".LNK") -or
$name.contains(".MAD") -or $name.contains(".MAF") -or $name.contains(".MAG") -or $name.contains
(".MAM") -or $name.contains(".MAQ") -or $name.contains(".MAR") -or $name.contains(".MAS") -or
$name.contains(".MAT") -or $name.contains(".MAU") -or $name.contains(".MAV") -or $name.contains
(".MAW") -or $name.contains(".MDA") -or $name.contains(".MDB") -or $name.contains(".MDE") -or
$name.contains(".MDT") -or $name.contains(".MDW") -or $name.contains(".MDZ") -or $name.contains
(".MSC") -or $name.contains(".MSH") -or $name.contains(".MSH1") -or $name.contains(".MSH1XML") -or
$name.contains(".MSH2") -or $name.contains(".MSH2XML") -or $name.contains(".MSHXML") -or
$name.contains(".MSI") -or $name.contains(".MSP") -or $name.contains(".MST") -or $name.contains
(".OPS") -or $name.contains(".PCD") -or $name.contains(".PIF") -or $name.contains(".PRF") -or
$name.contains(".PRG") -or $name.contains(".PRINTER") -or $name.contains(".PST") -or $name.contains
(".REG") -or $name.contains(".REM") -or $name.contains(".SCF") -or $name.contains(".SCR")
-or $name.contains(".SCT") -or $name.contains(".SHB") -or $name.contains(".SHS") -or
$name.contains(".SHTM") or $name.contains(".SHTML") -or $name.contains(".SOAP") -or
$name.contains(".STM") -or $name.contains(".URL") -or $name.contains(".VB") -or $name.contains
(".VBE") -or $name.contains(".VBS") -or $name.contains(".WS") -or $name.contains(".WSC") -or
$name.contains(".WSF") -or $name.contains(".WSH"))
{
$newname = $_.name + ".txt"
write-host $newname
Rename-Item -Path $_.fullname -newname ($newName)
}
}
}
else
{
write-host "Invalid path details.... Please run the script again and enter the valid path" -fore cyan
write-host "SCRIPT FINISHED" -fore yellow
}
stop-transcript

Code 2

$LogTime = Get-Date -Format yyyy-MM-dd_hh-mm
$LogFile = ".\ReplaceSpecialCharactersInFileNamePatch-$LogTime.rtf"
# Add SharePoint PowerShell Snapin
if ( (Get-PSSnapin -Name Microsoft.SharePoint.PowerShell -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) -eq $null )
{
Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.SharePoint.Powershell
}
start-transcript $logfile
$path = read-host "Enter the path"
$TestPath = test-path $path
if($TestPath)
{
Get-ChildItem -path $path -recurse |
Foreach-Object
{
$newName = $_.name -replace '[~#%&*{}|:<>?/|"]', ''
if (-not ($_.name -eq $newname))
{
Rename-Item -Path $_.fullname -newname ($newName)
}
}
}
else
{
write-host "Invalid path details.... Please run the script again and enter the valid path" -fore cyan
write-host "SCRIPT FINISHED" -fore yellow
}
stop-transcript

Execution Procedure

Step 1: Download the script

Step 2: Navigate to the script path

Step 3: Execute the script

Enter the path where the files are placed.

Enter the path where the files are placed.

Conclusion

Thus this article explained how to prepare for uploading multiple files to SharePoint 2010 using a PowerShell script.

8 Comments

Join the conversation! Your thoughts help the community grow.

Karthik Muthu Karuppan11y ago
thanks
Vijay S11y ago
Good show
Karthik Muthu Karuppan11y ago
Thanks Gowtham
Gowtham Rajamanickam11y ago
good one...
Karthik Muthu Karuppan11y ago
Thanks Tom
Tom Mohan11y ago
useful
Karthik Muthu Karuppan11y ago
:)
Gowtham Rajamanickam11y ago
useful and informative...