PowerShell with Style
Let’s continue our exploration of ANSI escape sequences and how to incorporate color or formatting into our PowerShell scripting. If you missed them, I...
More Pretty PowerShell
In my previous article, I began a series of lessons on ANSI escape sequences. At first glance, they may appear daunting. But once you understand how they are...
Pretty PowerShell is Better PowerShell
It should come as no surprise that I am an old-school, command-line kind of guy. I am thrilled when I can type out a command and get a result in the console....
Taking PowerShell in a New (Re)direction
Normally, when we run a PowerShell command or pipeline expression, we focus on the output. We’re manipulating objects in the pipeline until we get the...
Information is Power
Earlier this year, I published an article on creating better PowerShell output. One of the techniques I demonstrated involved using the Write-Information...
Stacking Locations in PowerShell
I’m expecting that a significant number of you use PowerShell from an interactive console prompt. You are running commands, changing directories, and...
Buffering Up the Pipeline
In several of the last articles, I’ve alluded to how PowerShell passes objects down the pipeline. Most of the time, we don’t worry about it, and PowerShell...
More Common Variables That Aren't Common
In a recent article, I began exploring a few common parameters. These are parameters that every cmdlet includes, although I suspect their usage is anything...
Common Variables Are Anything But Common
When you run a PowerShell command, you have the benefit of also using several common parameters. These are parameters that are included with every cmdlet....
Wading into the Stream
In the last article, we looked at several logging techniques you can use in your PowerShell scripting. I focused on writing text-based files as I expect this...
Logging in PowerShell and Performance Pitfalls
It is not uncommon for IT Pros to incorporate logging into their PowerShell scripts and functions. Often this involves writing content to text files....
PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches
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Making Associations with CIM
Today’s article grew from a post I saw on the Facebook PowerShell group page. The question centered on the best way to filter results using Get-CimInstance....
More PowerShell Replacement Techniques
In the last article, I discussed and demonstrated a number of replacement techniques in PowerShell. You can use these techniques to replace strings or parts...
PowerShell Replacement Rules
Even though we think about working with objects in PowerShell and not parsing strings, a string is still an object, and there are situations where we want to...
What's In a Name
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet.” - Romeo and Juliet I’m sure you are familiar with Shakespeare’s...
Collection Function Homework
A few weeks ago, I shared my code utilizing generic collections to encode a text file by reversing each line and the entire file. The point of the exercise...
Scoping Out PowerShell Problems
One of the challenges facing beginner PowerShell scripters is the concept of scope. I recall when I first learned PowerShell struggling to get my head...
Optimizing PowerShell Objects
I recently posted an article on my blog about formatting property names from a Directory Searcher result. While that article and its accompanying code were...
The Collections Script Challenge
A few weeks ago, I published an article on using generic collections in place of arrays. Arrays still have a place in your PowerShell scripting toolbox. But...
Creating User Friendly Code
As you write PowerShell scripts and functions, I encourage you to think about who will be using your code and their expectations. Even if the user will be...
Collections in Action
In the last article, I introduced the generic collection, a terrific alternative to using an array. Especially if you need to modify the array contents. A...
Arrays and Collections
I do not doubt that you have used arrays in your PowerShell work. You might have created an array to hold the results of a PowerShell command at the console...
Best Practices Make Perfect
Over the last several weeks, I've been sharing and demonstrating techniques for writing effective PowerShell functions. I know I've mentioned a few...
Pipeline Possibilities
In the previous article, I demonstrated how to add pipeline binding to your advanced PowerShell function. There is nothing wrong with writing a simple...
Advancing Your Functions
I hope you've been enjoying this series of articles looking at how to build a PowerShell function. If you are a PowerShell beginner and can write a function...
Extending a PowerShell Function
If you’ve been keeping up with the articles, you’ve seen how I went from a script block to a basic PowerShell function. This is a stand-alone function,...
More Basic Function Building
In the last article, I demonstrated how to add parameters to a basic PowerShell function. Well-crafter parameters make your code flexible, re-usable, and...
Parameterizing the Basic Function
In the last article, I showed you how to create a basic PowerShell function from a script block. A function at its core is nothing more than a script block...
Creating Basic Functions
In a previous post, we looked at creating and using script blocks in PowerShell. As you’ll discover, these are the building blocks of PowerShell functions....
Building with Script Blocks
Photo by Ryan Fields on Unsplash This month we’re going to dive deeper into PowerShell functions. A reader asked for more content on this topic, and I am...
Building a PowerShell Module
I hope you’ll indulge me and accept a slight deviation from the regular content. But this is something you might be interested in attending, and unless you...
Richer Logging for PowerShell
Over the last several articles, I’ve demonstrated the importance of thinking about objects when creating PowerShell scripts. Once you get your head around...
Creating Better PowerShell Output - Practicum
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been writing about improving your PowerShell code. PowerShell functions should do one thing and write one type of object to the...
Creating Better PowerShell Output Part 2
Last time, I started to explain good construction techniques for your PowerShell code. We’re going to continue this topic by looking at what should be a...
Practical PowerShell Questions
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Creating Better PowerShell Output Part 1
There are some crucial guidelines you should follow when creating PowerShell-based tools. Presumably, you’ve written a PowerShell function that does...
Logging PowerShell Profiles
Last month we dove into the world of PowerShell profile scripts. These configuration scripts run automatically every time you start a PowerShell session. As...
Automation Decisions
I’ve been scripting and automating things since the days of DOS 3.3, beginning with batch files. It always felt like magic. I could cast a charm simply by...
Synchronized PowerShell Profiles
Today I want to look at another aspect of PowerShell profile scripts that you may not have considered. I’ll admit this scenario doesn’t fit everyone, but...
Pick Jeff's Brain - February 2022
Here’s my monthly brain dump, including items from subscribers like you. If you have a question, problem, or topic you’d like me to cover, you can use the...
Managing PowerShell Profiles
Let’s continue our exploration of PowerShell profile scripts and discover how to take advantage of them. A well-designed set of profile scripts can make you...
Remote PowerShell Profiles
In the last article, I explained where PowerShell profile scripts come from and how to use them. There is, however, one area where you might make a wrong...
Understanding PowerShell Profiles
I’ve been covering the relationship between PowerShell and the hosting application. One item I want to dive into deeper is the PowerShell profile script....
Ask Away
I want to publish an AMA or “Pick Jeff’s Brain” type of post by the end of the month. I’m sure there is something about PowerShell you’ve always wondered...
PowerShell Private Data
In an earlier article, we looked at the relationship between PowerShell and the hosting application. One aspect of this relationship determines how some...
About This Newsletter
While I appreciate you taking the time to subscribe for free, you will most likely miss out on a lot of content, so I wanted to take a few moments to provide...
January Tips
Because this newsletter is just getting going and the subscriber base is still small, in place of the monthly AMA, also known as “Pick Jeff’s Brain,” I...
I will be your host...
One concept that stymies many PowerShell beginners is the PowerShell Host. There is a relationship between the PowerShell engine and the host. PowerShell...
When Is an Array Not an Array?
You naturally want to leverage the PowerShell pipeline when you work with PowerShell. That’s the whole point, after all. The typical pattern is to get a...