">" creates files, even on terminating errors

[jszabo98]

">" (but not | out-file) creates files, even when the command has a terminating error. (I was helping a newbie with > vs -gt.)

Steps to reproduce

PS /Users/js> try { 1 | Where $_ > 1  } catch { 'yes' } 

PS /Users/js> get-item 1

Expected behavior

yes

get-item : Cannot find path '/Users/js/1' because it does not exist.
At line:1 char:1
+ get-item 1
+ ~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (/Users/js/1:String) [Get-Item], ItemNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : PathNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetItemCommand
 

Actual behavior

yes                           

    Directory: /Users/js

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
-----           7/14/2019  7:01 PM              0 1

Environment data

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      6.2.0
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    6.2.0
OS                             Darwin 16.7.0 Darwin Kernel Version 16.7.0: Thu Jun 21 20:07:39 PDT 2018; root:xnu-3789.73.14~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Platform                       Unix
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

[iSazonov]

It is "by design". Redirection is compiled as Out-File cmdlet, then engine execute begin blocks for every cmdlet in the pipeline and the file is created in begin block of Out-File cmdlet.

[ghost]

This issue has been marked as answered and has not had any activity for 1 day. It has been closed for housekeeping purposes.