Powershell

If you want to run the loadup script at powershell startup. Proceed with your own risk.

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

About Powershell

• so powershell is the new open source version of shell that microsoft is working on.
• it is cross compatible, that is can run on linux too

• it is better than cmd, because you can pipe one commands another

• PowerShell is a task automation and configuration management framework from Microsoft

• consisting of a command-line shell and the associated scripting language.

• Initially a Windows component only, known as Windows PowerShell, it was made open-source and cross-platform on 18 August 2016 with the introduction of PowerShell Core.

• The former is built on the .NET Framework, the latter on .NET Core.

Types of powershell

• yes, there are two version of powershell desktop, and powershell core

  • one built on top of .net framework - this one comes with windows
  • another uses .net core - this you can install

• what is the difference?

  • so the one that comes with windows, it has additional modules, which can be only be supported by windows.
  • the core version - this have some generic modules which all operating systems can support

How to check which version you are running

• $PSVersionTable
• this will give output as follows

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      5.1.19041.1645 <--------this is the version
PSEdition                      Desktop <---------------this is the type
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion                   10.0.19041.1645
CLRVersion                     4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion              3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1

Documentation

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/how-to-use-docs?view=powershell-7.2

Configuration

• so this is complicated, there are different config files

• the config files are called Profiles in powershell

• so how many types of profiles can there be - 4

  • All Users, All Hosts
  • All Users, Current Host
  • Current User, All Hosts
  • Current User, Current Host

• so if you see Current User, Current Host maybe the best to start with

where are these located

• for powershell desktop (v5)

  • All Users, All Hosts
    • $PSHOME\Profile.ps1
  • All Users, Current Host
    • $PSHOME\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
  • Current User, All Hosts
    • $Home\[My ]Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Profile.ps1
  • Current user, Current Host
    • $Home\[My ]Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

• for powershell core

  • All Users, All Hosts
    • Windows - $PSHOME\Profile.ps1
    • Linux - /usr/local/microsoft/powershell/7/profile.ps1
    • macOS - /usr/local/microsoft/powershell/7/profile.ps1
  • All Users, Current Host
    • Windows - $PSHOME\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
    • Linux - /usr/local/microsoft/powershell/7/Microsoft.Powershell_profile.ps1
    • macOS - /usr/local/microsoft/powershell/7/Microsoft.Powershell_profile.ps1
  • Current User, All Hosts
    • Windows - $Home\[My ]Documents\PowerShell\Profile.ps1
    • Linux - ~/.config/powershell/profile.ps1
    • macOS - ~/.config/powershell/profile.ps1
  • Current user, Current Host
    • Windows - $Home\[My ]Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
    • Linux - ~/.config/powershell/Microsoft.Powershell_profile.ps1
    • macOS - ~/.config/powershell/Microsoft.Powershell_profile.ps1

Note: $PSHOME indicate the installation directory of the powershell

So you don't want to deal with this all, there are variable too

• Current User, Current Host
  • $PROFILE
• Current User, Current Host
  • $PROFILE.CurrentUserCurrentHost
• Current User, All Hosts
  • $PROFILE.CurrentUserAllHosts
• All Users, Current Host
  • $PROFILE.AllUsersCurrentHost
• All Users, All Hosts
  • $PROFILE.AllUsersAllHosts

So, type $PROFILE and find the directory to put your config file in.

Basics

Install modules

• install modules from $PSGallery
• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/powershellget/install-module?view=powershell-7.2

• e.g.

  • Install-Module -Name PowerShellGet

• update modulse

  • Update-Module -Name PowerShellGet

Variables

• start with $

• boolean

  • $true
  • $false

• string

  • "HellornWorld"

  • "Hello{0}World" -f [environment]::NewLine

  • ```

  "Hello World"

  - ```
  @"
  Hello
  World
  "@
  

hello world

Write-Output "hello world"

# debug output can be written as
Write-Debug "hi this is debug"

• by default the debug output will not be shown,
  • to see the debug output set $DebugPreferences = "Continue"

Conditionals

• conditionals

$condition
if ( $condiion ) {
    Write-Output "The condition was true"
}