Mastering Windows PowerShell Scripting - Third Edition

Methods and enumerations

The GetElementsByGroup method shown by Get-Member requires an argument of type SOAP.Group. This is an enumeration, as indicated by the BaseType shown here:

PS> [SOAP.Group]IsPublic    IsSerial    Name     BaseType--------    --------    ----     --------True        True        Group    System.Enum

The values of the enumeration may be shown by running the GetEnumValues method as shown here:

PS> [SOAP.Group].GetEnumValues()ActinoidAlkaliMetalAlkalineEarthMetalHalogenLanthanoidMetalMetalloidNobleGasNonmetalPostTransitionMetalTransitionMetal

PowerShell will help cast to enumeration values; a string value is sufficient to satisfy the method:

PS> $service.GetElementsByGroup('Nonmetal') | Format-TableAtomicNumber    Symbol    Name          AtomicMass      Group------------ ------ ...