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Windows PowerShell How-to guides and examples

Parameters	Command Line Parameters param() and $args[]
Pipelines	Pass objects down the pipeline.
Objects	Working with objects.
Looping commands:	Do, ForEach, ForEach-Object, Switch, While
Date&Time	Date and Time Format patterns (DateTimeFormatInfo).
Redirection	Spool output to a file.
Statements	Looping, If-Then-Else.
Tab Completion	for Cmdlets, Filenames & Variables.
Transactions	Manage transactions.

Variables

Create Variables and assign values	Basic Operators: + - / =
Arrays and Hash tables.
Automatic variables	$_, $Args, $myinvocation etc
Preference variables	Verbosity, Confirmations, ErrorAction, $Debug
Ref variables	Pass a reference variable to a function.
Environment variables	$Env: & PowerShell providers.

Evaluate expressions

Escape characters	Delimiters, Here Strings and "quotes".
Comparison	-like, -lt, -gt, -eq, -ne, -match
DataTypes	PowerShell data types.
ParseExact	Convert a String to a DateTime.
Enums	Create and use PowerShell enums.
Methods	ToUpper(), PadRight(), Split(), Substring(), Replace() etc.
.Net Math	Round(), Ceiling(), Max(), Min()
Operators	Format strings and arrays @( ) -f [ ] $( ) :: &
Concat	Several methods to combine strings together.
Regular Expressions	Search and/or Replace.
Replace	Basic Search/Replace in strings and files.
Wildcards	Match multiple items.

Functions and Modules

Scriptblock	A collection of statements: { … }
Functions and Filters	Write a named block of code.
Function Input Processing	(Begin..Process..End)
Advanced Functions	Adding ValidateSet and Help, a function template to copy.
Assertions	Use a filter to assert certain prerequisite conditions.
Modules	Combine functions into a module for easy re-use.

Example scripts and functions

Run a script	How to run a PowerShell .ps1 script or a CMD batch file.
Base36	Convert numbers to/from base 36.
CD -	Function to jump back to the previous working directory.
Console Size	Set the PowerShell console window size.
DelOlder	Delete files and folders older than n days.
DirUse	List the size of subfolders.
DisplayRes	Get the display resolution of multiple computers.
Check-Backups	Check multiple locations for files that have changed.
Get-Bandwidth	List the average IO for a Network interface.
Get-BankHolidaysUK	Retrieve UK Bank Holidays from a web service.
Get-DateOfEaster	Calculate the date of Easter.
Get-DiskSpace	List the free disk space for multiple computers.
Get-OSVersion	Get the OS and Service pack level of a remote machine (inventory).
Get-Programs	List Installed Software (Programs & Features).
Get-AdvTarget	Find the target of an Advertised Shortcut.
Get-Uptime	Get the system uptime for one or more computers.
Get-Windows-Key	Retrieve the Windows product key.
Set-KnownFolderPath	Get or Set Special 'Known' Folders.
Logged On	Who is logged in / where is a user logged in.
Function: Get-Loggedon	Get a list of Logged on users
LastLogon	Find when an account last logged in.
Lock-Workstation	Lock the current interactive session.
MsgBox	A function to display messages in a popup message box.
New-Shortcut	Create a Shortcut.
Password expiry	Reminder email.
pshInfo	List Ram, Disk Space, Service pack, Uptime.
psp	PowerShell Ping.
ms-settings:	Open Settings
Set-LastWrite	Reset Folder Last Modified to the most recent file in the folder.
ServiceStatus	List installed services and service status.
Set-EOL	Change the line endings (CR/LF) of a text file.
StampMe	Rename a file with the current Date/Time.
Template	Template for a Basic PowerShell script.
Touch	Change the date/time of a file/folder.
Video Converter	A simple GUI front end for the FFmpeg video converter (compress/resize).

Reference

AD/LDAP	Active Directory / LDAP User Attributes. Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) .
Elevate	Run with elevated permissions (As Admin).
Colours	How to set terminal colours in PowerShell.
Comments	How to comment your scripts including Comment-based help.
Circular	Find circular nested AD groups.
Event IDs	The most common Windows Event IDs.
Keyboard	Keyboard shortcuts for CMD/PowerShell and Windows Terminal.
Open Here	Open PowerShell from any folder.
PS verbs	Naming convention (Technet).
$Profile	The PowerShell startup $Profile.
Prompt	Configure the PowerShell prompt.
Remote	Run a PowerShell script on a remote computer.
#requires	Prevent a script from running without a required element.
Restore	Restore selected (zero byte) files from a backup
Verbs	Approved Verbs for PowerShell.
OS Version	How to retrieve the OS version in PowerShell.
Word	How to automate MS Word in PowerShell using a COM object.

See also: Websites, additional cmdlets, Utilities and Books for PowerShell.

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