Error-Handle powershell command in Batch File

To be able to handle the Powershell error in the batch script, you must return a non-zero exit code from Powershell in case of an error.

Powershell returns a non-zero exit code in these cases:

• The script is terminated using the exit N statement, where N specifies a non-zero exit code.
• A terminating error is not catched, so it "leaves" the script.
• Syntax error in the script, e. g. invalid command.

By default, Expand-Archive causes a non-terminating error when extraction fails. We can turn that into a terminating error by passing common parameter -ErrorAction Stop or by setting preference variable $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop' befor calling the command.

Example using -ErrorAction parameter:

powershell -Command "Expand-Archive -ErrorAction Stop -Force '%UserProfile%\Downloads\100 Player Among US.zip' '%UserProfile%\Downloads\'"
if ERRORLEVEL 1 (
   :: Handle the error
)

Example using $ErrorActionPreference:

powershell -Command "$ErrorActionPreference='Stop'; Expand-Archive -Force '%UserProfile%\Downloads\100 Player Among US.zip' '%UserProfile%\Downloads\'"
if ERRORLEVEL 1 (
   :: Handle the error
)

Setting the $ErrorActionPreference variable can simplify scripts that run multiple commands.