Microsoft PowerShell

Microsoft's recommended scripting language. Although designed with Windows administration particularly in mind, PowerShell also can function as general scripting language. Unfortunately, the scripting language aspect of Powershell seems to receive less attention from the vendor.

DataSelf's Microsoft PowerShell Knowledge Base

• DataSelf's New Microsoft PowerShell Knowledge Base

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Powershell Scripts

• DataSelf's Microsoft PowerShell Knowledge Base   (New Pages)
  • How to Run PowerShell Scripts from Schedulers

• PS Run Excel AD     AD for Excel - DataSelf's other Automatic Distribution system

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PowerShell Language

Powershell language reference and concepts.

• A-Z Index of Windows PowerShell 2.0 commands

• cookbooks from powertheshell.com ?

• Master-PowerShell with Dr. Tobias Weltner A good text on the language although not always complete.

• Microsoft Connects's Windows PowerShell Customer Connection Includes links to more PowerShell resources from Microsoft

Installing

Determining the Version of Powershell

If the $PSVersionTable variable doesn't exist, then you are running V1. If it does exist, then the version info will be available from $PSVersionTable.

1. Run Windows Powershell
   (Start > type "Powershell" into search box)
2. Type '$PSVersionTable' at prompt. (not case sensitive)

• If the $PSVersionTable variable doesn't exist, then you are running Powershell version 1.
• If $PSVersionTable does exist, then the version info will be displayed. (See the value for "PSVersion").

Alternatives:

function Get-PSVersion {

if (test-path variable:psversiontable) {$psversiontable.psversion}

else {[version]"1.0.0.0"}

}

Execution Policy

Powershell will not run scripts without the proper execution policy. By default unsigned scripts will not be run.

Duration

If you set the execution policy for the local computer (the default) or the current user, the change is saved in the registry and remains effective until you change it again.

Get-ExecutionPolicy -list

Lists the current execution policy

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy <PolicyName>

Changes the execution policy.

Put the following code in the profile for PowerShell ISE:

 Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

OR (recommended)

 Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Executing from the DOS command line

powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy [Bypass|Unrestricted] -Command .\<PS-script>.ps1

• Microsoft page about_Execution_Policies
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh847736.aspx
• http://ss64.com/ps/powershell.html

PowerShell ISE

• http://windowsitpro.com/scripting/get-know-powershell-ise
• Wildcards can be used in some dialog boxes.
  • Asterisk (*) represents any number of characters
  • Question mark (?), represents a single character.

PSModulePath Environment Variable

New-PsDrive -Scope Global -Name MyMod -PSProvider FileSystem -Root (($env:PSMODULEPATH -split ";")[0])

PowerGUI Editor & .exe compiler

http://www.quest.com/powergui-freeware/

Links

• Blocked files & the Unblock-File cmdlet

Regex - Regular Expressions in Powershell

• https://github.com/proxb/RegExHelper RegEx Helper (PS script)