Powershell: `touch` not work

[longtth]

According to this guide, by default, Powershell support an alias touch to create a new empty file (touch test.txt == New-Item -Path test.txt)
But it doesn't work so I created this issue.

Steps to reproduce

PS> touch reamde.md

Expected behavior

readme.md file created in my dir 

Actual behavior

PS C:\Users\longnx\Documents> touch readme.md
touch : The term 'touch' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check
the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.
At line:1 char:1
+ touch readme.md
+ ~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (touch:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

Environment data

Name                           Value
----                           -----
Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      6.1.1
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    6.1.1
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.16299
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

[vexx32]

touch is a Linux command from what I can find, not a PowerShell command or a Windows command.

Is there a reason you'd expect such a command to work?

[rkeithhill]

For creating an empty file you can use New-Item readme.md.

[longtth]

touch is a Linux command from what I can find, not a PowerShell command or a Windows command.

Is there a reason you'd expect such a command to work?

according to this guide they have created an alias "touch" default for PowerShell

[longtth]

For creating an empty file you can use New-Item readme.md.

I know this, sorry for not mention that they leave touch in learning so I created this issue.

[rkeithhill]

Well yeah, but they mention that in the context of Bash's touch test.txt can be done from PS with New-Item -Path test.txt. That said, touch on Linux does more than create an empty file. If the file exists, it will update the last write time IIRC. New-Item doesn't do that so it isn't a "direct" replacement for touch.

[vexx32]

The guide appears to simply be there for reference, indeed; it just indicates how to accomplish common tasks in Bash with PS commands instead.

[longtth]

ls , clear, mkdir... works :( but not touch , so sad :(
if this shouldnot work, I think this issue could be closed.

thanks @rkeithhill and @vexx32

[rkeithhill]

You can close it. In general, the PS team got in a bit of trouble with *nix aliases they created that masked the actual corresponding utility on Linux. Remember, aliases take precedence over executables. And anyway, in the case of aliasing touch to New-Item, it would let folks down who expect an existing file's timestamp to be updated.

[rkeithhill]

BTW this doesn't mean that you can't create this alias if you'd like. Just put this in your profile script:

New-Alias touch New-Item

[madzadev]

use git bash for touch to work, as its a linux command

[SachiAcchi]

BTW this doesn't mean that you can't create this alias if you'd like. Just put this in your profile script:

New-Alias touch New-Item

Thanks man .. It works

[HabibManjotha]

BTW this doesn't mean that you can't create this alias if you'd like. Just put this in your profile script:

New-Alias touch New-Item

↑ This is the best way!!! Do this once, and use touch always.