Powershell convertto-json without labels - json

Question

how to correctly convert a Powershell array of object properties to a json array of values, that is without the objects property lables in the array.
for example:
I want to make 2 json arrays for chart.js
I will group some process objects:
$processgroup = get-process | group -property name
$processgroup.gettype()
IsPublic IsSerial Name BaseType
-------- -------- ---- --------
True True Object[] System.Array
$chartlabels = $processgroup.name | convertto-json
$chartlabels
$chartlabels
[
"ApMsgFwd",
"ApntEx",
"Apoint",
"ApplicationFrameHost",
"armsvc",
"BtwRSupportService",
"chrome",
"com.docker.proxy",
"com.docker.service",
"concentr",
"conhost",
"csrss",
"dllhost",
"Docker for Windows",
"dockerd",
"dwm",
"Everything",
"EXCEL",
"explorer",
"fontdrvhost",
"GROOVE",
"hidfind",
"HidMonitorSvc",
"Idle",
"iexplore",
"IpOverUsbSvc",
"jucheck",
"jusched",
"LicensingUI",
"lsass",
"mDNSResponder",
"Memory Compression",
"mqsvc",
"MSASCuiL",
"MsMpEng",
"MSOIDSVC",
"MSOIDSVCM",
"MySQLNotifier",
"NisSrv",
"notepad",
"notepad++",
"nvSCPAPISvr",
"nvvsvc",
"nvwmi64",
"nvxdsync",
"OfficeClickToRun",
"OneDrive",
"OUTLOOK",
"powershell",
"powershell_ise",
"prevhost",
"Receiver",
"redirector",
"rundll32",
"RuntimeBroker",
"SearchIndexer",
"SearchUI",
"Secure System",
"SecurityHealthService",
"SelfServicePlugin",
"services",
"SettingSyncHost",
"ShellExperienceHost",
"sihost",
"SkypeHost",
"smss",
"SMSvcHost",
"spiceworks",
"spiceworks-httpd",
"spoolsv",
"SppExtComObj",
"sppsvc",
"sqlwriter",
"svchost",
"System",
"SystemSettings",
"taskhostw",
"TSVNCache",
"vmcompute",
"vmms",
"vmnat",
"vmnetdhcp",
"vmware-authd",
"vmware-tray",
"vmware-usbarbitrator64",
"wfcrun32",
"wininit",
"winlogon",
"WINWORD",
"WmiPrvSE",
"WUDFHost"
]
#this is the array I want for charts labels, now for the chart value array
$chartvalues = $processgroup | select count | convertto-json
$chartvalues
[
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 30
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 5
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 4
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 30
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 75
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 2
},
{
"Count": 1
},
{
"Count": 1
}
]
how do I omit the "Count" label so PowerShell creates a single json array of the values only, as in the process name array.
I have tried
$chartvalues = $processgroup.count
results in the count of the number of groups
and I have tried
$chartvalues = $ processgroup | select count -expandproperty count | convertto-json
with the same result as above example

Answer 1

You want a list, rather than object with key/value pair, so this should work*:
$groups| foreach-object {$_.count}|convertto-json
When you do select after the pipeline it creates an object, thus pushes the object property name as well as the value as key/value pair into the json conversion process.
i.e. If you have used select for name property, you would get the name/value pair in the json too...
$groups| select-object name| convertto-json
*may be better solutions out there... but itworks..

Answer 2

Silly me - I only needed to select and expand the property. like so.
$chartvalues = $processgroup | select -expandproperty count | convertto-json
$chartvalues
[
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
30,
1,
1,
1,
5,
2,
1,
1,
1,
1,
2,
1,
1,
2,
1,
1,
1,
1,
4,
1,
1,
1,
30,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
2,
1,
1,
2,
2,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
2,
1,
1,
1,
2,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
2,
1,
2,
1,
1,
1,
1,
75,
1,
1,
1,
2,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
1,
2,
1,
1
]

Answer 3

All you have to do use the -ExpandProperty property of Select-Object to achieve your stated desire. Is there any reason not to preserve the property->value notation which association inside of a single JSON array? e.g.:
$processgroup = get-process | group -property name,count | select name,count | convertto-json
yields:
$processgroup
[
{
"Name": "acevents",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "acrotray",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "AGSService",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "aiCOMMAPI",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "armsvc",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "audiodg",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "AuditManagerService",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "CcmExec",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "chrome",
"Count": 9
},
{
"Name": "conhost",
"Count": 2
},
{
"Name": "csrss",
"Count": 2
},
{
"Name": "dllhost",
"Count": 2
},
{
"Name": "dwm",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "explorer",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "Idle",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "lsass",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "lync",
"Count": 1
},
{
"Name": "msdtc",
"Count": 1
}
]