book

PowerShell Cookbook, 4th Edition

Name: PowerShell Cookbook, 4th Edition
Author: Lee Holmes
ISBN: 9781098101602

by Lee Holmes

June 2021

Beginner

1000 pages

21h 51m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Foreword
Preface
Who This Book Is ForHow This Book Is OrganizedWhat You Need to Use This BookConventions Used in This BookAccess This Book in Digital FormatO’Reilly Online LearningHow to Contact UsAcknowledgments
Tour
A Guided Tour of PowerShell
IntroductionAn Interactive ShellStructured Commands (Cmdlets)Deep Integration of ObjectsAdministrators as First-Class UsersComposable CommandsTechniques to Protect You from YourselfCommon Discovery CommandsUbiquitous ScriptingAd Hoc DevelopmentBridging TechnologiesNamespace Navigation Through ProvidersMuch, Much More
Fundamentals
1. The PowerShell Interactive Shell
1.0. Introduction1.1. Install PowerShell Core1.2. Run Programs, Scripts, and Existing Tools1.3. Run a PowerShell Command1.4. Resolve Errors Calling Native Executables1.5. Supply Default Values for Parameters1.6. Invoke a Long-Running or Background Command1.7. Program: Monitor a Command for Changes1.8. Notify Yourself of Job Completion1.9. Customize Your Shell, Profile, and Prompt1.10. Customize PowerShell’s User Input Behavior1.11. Customize PowerShell’s Command Resolution Behavior1.12. Find a Command to Accomplish a Task1.13. Get Help on a Command1.14. Update System Help Content1.15. Program: Search Help for Text1.16. Launch PowerShell at a Specific Location1.17. Invoke a PowerShell Command or Script from Outside PowerShell1.18. Understand and Customize PowerShell’s Tab Completion1.19. Program: Learn Aliases for Common Commands1.20. Program: Learn Aliases for Common Parameters1.21. Access and Manage Your Console History1.22. Program: Create Scripts from Your Session History1.23. Invoke a Command from Your Session History1.24. Program: Search Formatted Output for a Pattern1.25. Interactively View and Process Command Output1.26. Program: Interactively View and Explore Objects1.27. Record a Transcript of Your Shell Session1.28. Extend Your Shell with Additional Commands1.29. Find and Install Additional PowerShell Scripts and Modules1.30. Use Commands from Customized Shells1.31. Save State Between Sessions
2. Pipelines
2.0. Introduction2.1. Chain Commands Based on Their Success or Error2.2. Filter Items in a List or Command Output2.3. Group and Pivot Data by Name2.4. Interactively Filter Lists of Objects2.5. Work with Each Item in a List or Command Output2.6. Automate Data-Intensive Tasks2.7. Intercept Stages of the Pipeline2.8. Automatically Capture Pipeline Output2.9. Capture and Redirect Binary Process Output
3. Variables and Objects
3.0. Introduction3.1. Display the Properties of an Item as a List3.2. Display the Properties of an Item as a Table3.3. Store Information in Variables3.4. Access Environment Variables3.5. Program: Retain Changes to Environment Variables Set by a Batch File3.6. Control Access and Scope of Variables and Other Items3.7. Program: Create a Dynamic Variable3.8. Work with .NET Objects3.9. Create an Instance of a .NET Object3.10. Create Instances of Generic Objects3.11. Use a COM Object3.12. Learn About Types and Objects3.13. Get Detailed Documentation About Types and Objects3.14. Add Custom Methods and Properties to Objects3.15. Create and Initialize Custom Objects3.16. Add Custom Methods and Properties to Types3.17. Define Custom Formatting for a Type
4. Looping and Flow Control
4.0. Introduction4.1. Make Decisions with Comparison and Logical Operators4.2. Adjust Script Flow Using Conditional Statements4.3. Manage Large Conditional Statements with Switches4.4. Repeat Operations with Loops4.5. Process Time-Consuming Action in Parallel4.6. Add a Pause or Delay
5. Strings and Unstructured Text
5.0. Introduction5.1. Create a String5.2. Create a Multiline or Formatted String5.3. Place Special Characters in a String5.4. Insert Dynamic Information in a String5.5. Prevent a String from Including Dynamic Information5.6. Place Formatted Information in a String5.7. Search a String for Text or a Pattern5.8. Replace Text in a String5.9. Split a String on Text or a Pattern5.10. Combine Strings into a Larger String5.11. Convert a String to Uppercase or Lowercase5.12. Trim a String5.13. Format a Date for Output5.14. Convert a String Between One Format and Another5.15. Convert Text Streams to Objects5.16. Generate Large Reports and Text Streams5.17. Generate Source Code and Other Repetitive Text

6. Calculations and Math
6.0. Introduction6.1. Perform Simple Arithmetic6.2. Perform Complex Arithmetic6.3. Measure Statistical Properties of a List6.4. Work with Numbers as Binary6.5. Simplify Math with Administrative Constants6.6. Convert Numbers Between Bases
7. Lists, Arrays, and Hashtables
7.0. Introduction7.1. Create an Array or List of Items7.2. Create a Jagged or Multidimensional Array7.3. Access Elements of an Array7.4. Visit Each Element of an Array7.5. Sort an Array or List of Items7.6. Determine Whether an Array Contains an Item7.7. Combine Two Arrays7.8. Find Items in an Array That Match a Value7.9. Compare Two Lists7.10. Remove Elements from an Array7.11. Find Items in an Array Greater or Less Than a Value7.12. Use the ArrayList Class for Advanced Array Tasks7.13. Create a Hashtable or Associative Array7.14. Sort a Hashtable by Key or Value
8. Utility Tasks
8.0. Introduction8.1. Get the System Date and Time8.2. Measure the Duration of a Command8.3. Read and Write from the Clipboard8.4. Generate a Random Number or Object8.5. Convert Time Between Time Zones8.6. Program: Search the Windows Start Menu8.7. Program: Show Colorized Script Content
Common Tasks
9. Simple Files
9.0. Introduction9.1. Get the Content of a File9.2. Store the Output of a Command into a File9.3. Add Information to the End of a File9.4. Search a File for Text or a Pattern9.5. Parse and Manage Text-Based Logfiles9.6. Parse and Manage Binary Files9.7. Create and Manage Temporary Files9.8. Search and Replace Text in a File9.9. Program: Get the Encoding of a File9.10. View the Hexadecimal Representation of Content
10. Structured Files
10.0. Introduction10.1. Access Information in an XML File10.2. Perform an XPath Query Against XML10.3. Convert Objects to XML10.4. Modify Data in an XML File10.5. Easily Import and Export Your Structured Data10.6. Store the Output of a Command in a CSV or Delimited File10.7. Import CSV and Delimited Data from a File10.8. Manage JSON Data Streams10.9. Use Excel to Manage Command Output10.10. Parse and Interpret PowerShell Scripts
11. Code Reuse
11.0. Introduction11.1. Write a Script11.2. Write a Function11.3. Find a Verb Appropriate for a Command Name11.4. Write a Script Block11.5. Return Data from a Script, Function, or Script Block11.6. Package Common Commands in a Module11.7. Write Commands That Maintain State11.8. Selectively Export Commands from a Module11.9. Diagnose and Interact with Internal Module State11.10. Handle Cleanup Tasks When a Module Is Removed11.11. Access Arguments of a Script, Function, or Script Block11.12. Add Validation to Parameters11.13. Accept Script Block Parameters with Local Variables11.14. Dynamically Compose Command Parameters11.15. Provide -WhatIf, -Confirm, and Other Cmdlet Features11.16. Add Help to Scripts or Functions11.17. Add Custom Tags to a Function or Script Block11.18. Access a Script’s Pipeline Input11.19. Write Pipeline-Oriented Scripts with Cmdlet Keywords11.20. Write a Pipeline-Oriented Function11.21. Organize Scripts for Improved Readability11.22. Invoke Dynamically Named Commands11.23. Program: Enhance or Extend an Existing Cmdlet
12. Internet-Enabled Scripts
12.0. Introduction12.1. Download a File from an FTP or Internet Site12.2. Upload a File to an FTP Site12.3. Program: Resolve the Destination of an Internet Redirect12.4. Download a Web Page from the Internet12.5. Parse and Analyze a Web Page from the Internet12.6. Script a Web Application Session12.7. Interact with REST-Based Web APIs12.8. Connect to a Web Service12.9. Interact with and Manage Remote SSL Certificates12.10. Export Command Output as a Web Page12.11. Send an Email12.12. Program: Monitor Website Uptimes12.13. Program: Interact with Internet Protocols
13. User Interaction
13.0. Introduction13.1. Read a Line of User Input13.2. Read a Key of User Input13.3. Program: Display a Menu to the User13.4. Display Messages and Output to the User13.5. Provide Progress Updates on Long-Running Tasks13.6. Write Culture-Aware Scripts13.7. Support Other Languages in Script Output13.8. Program: Invoke a Script Block with Alternate Culture Settings13.9. Access Features of the Host’s UI13.10. Add a Graphical User Interface to Your Script13.11. Program: Add a Console UI to Your Script13.12. Interact with MTA Objects
14. Debugging
14.0. Introduction14.1. Prevent Common Scripting Errors14.2. Write Unit Tests for your Scripts14.3. Trace Script Execution14.4. Set a Script Breakpoint14.5. Debug a Script When It Encounters an Error14.6. Create a Conditional Breakpoint14.7. Investigate System State While Debugging14.8. Debug a Script on a Remote Machine14.9. Program: Watch an Expression for Changes14.10. Debug a Script in Another Process14.11. Program: Get Script Code Coverage
15. Tracing and Error Management
15.0. Introduction15.1. Determine the Status of the Last Command15.2. View the Errors Generated by a Command15.3. Manage the Error Output of Commands15.4. Program: Resolve an Error15.5. Configure Debug, Verbose, and Progress Output15.6. Handle Warnings, Errors, and Terminating Errors15.7. Output Warnings, Errors, and Terminating Errors15.8. Analyze a Script’s Performance Profile
16. Environmental Awareness
16.0. Introduction16.1. View and Modify Environment Variables16.2. Modify the User or System Path16.3. Access Information About Your Command’s Invocation16.4. Program: Investigate the InvocationInfo Variable16.5. Find Your Script’s Name16.6. Find Your Script’s Location16.7. Find the Location of Common System Paths16.8. Get the Current Location16.9. Safely Build File Paths Out of Their Components16.10. Interact with PowerShell’s Global Environment16.11. Determine PowerShell Version Information16.12. Test for Administrative Privileges
17. Extend the Reach of PowerShell
17.0. Introduction17.1. Automate Programs Using COM Scripting Interfaces17.2. Program: Query a SQL Data Source17.3. Access Windows Performance Counters17.4. Access Windows API Functions17.5. Program: Invoke Simple Windows API Calls17.6. Define or Extend a .NET Class17.7. Add Inline C# to Your PowerShell Script17.8. Access a .NET SDK Library17.9. Create Your Own PowerShell Cmdlet17.10. Add PowerShell Scripting to Your Own Program
18. Security and Script Signing
18.0. Introduction18.1. Enable Scripting Through an Execution Policy18.2. Enable PowerShell Security Logging18.3. Disable Warnings for UNC Paths18.4. Sign a PowerShell Script, Module, or Formatting File18.5. Create a Self-Signed Certificate18.6. Manage PowerShell Security in an Enterprise18.7. Block Scripts by Publisher, Path, or Hash18.8. Verify the Digital Signature of a PowerShell Script18.9. Securely Handle Sensitive Information18.10. Securely Request Usernames and Passwords18.11. Start a Process as Another User18.12. Program: Run a Temporarily Elevated Command18.13. Securely Store Credentials on Disk18.14. Access User and Machine Certificates18.15. Program: Search the Certificate Store18.16. Add and Remove Certificates18.17. Manage Security Descriptors in SDDL Form18.18. Create a Task-Specific Remoting Endpoint18.19. Limit Interactive Use of PowerShell18.20. Detect and Prevent Code Injection Vulnerabilities18.21. Get the Cryptographic Hash of a File18.22. Capture and Validate Integrity of File Sets
19. Visual Studio Code
19.0. Introduction19.1. Debug a Script19.2. Connect to a Remote Computer19.3. Interact with Visual Studio Code Through Its Object Model19.4. Quickly Insert Script Snippets
Administrator Tasks
20. Files and Directories
20.0. Introduction20.1. Determine and Change the Current Location20.2. Get the Files in a Directory20.3. Find All Files Modified Before a Certain Date20.4. Clear the Content of a File20.5. Manage and Change the Attributes of a File20.6. Find Files That Match a Pattern20.7. Manage Files That Include Special Characters20.8. Program: Get Disk Usage Information20.9. Monitor a File for Changes20.10. Get the Version of a DLL or Executable20.11. Create a Directory20.12. Remove a File or Directory20.13. Rename a File or Directory20.14. Move a File or Directory20.15. Create and Map PowerShell Drives20.16. Access Long File and Directory Names20.17. Unblock a File20.18. Interact with Alternate Data Streams20.19. Program: Move or Remove a Locked File20.20. Get the ACL of a File or Directory20.21. Set the ACL of a File or Directory20.22. Program: Add Extended File Properties to Files20.23. Manage ZIP Archives
21. The Windows Registry
21.0. Introduction21.1. Navigate the Registry21.2. View a Registry Key21.3. Modify or Remove a Registry Key Value21.4. Create a Registry Key Value21.5. Remove a Registry Key21.6. Safely Combine Related Registry Modifications21.7. Add a Site to an Internet Explorer Security Zone21.8. Modify Internet Explorer Settings21.9. Program: Search the Windows Registry21.10. Get the ACL of a Registry Key21.11. Set the ACL of a Registry Key21.12. Work with the Registry of a Remote Computer21.13. Program: Get Registry Items from Remote Machines21.14. Program: Get Properties of Remote Registry Keys21.15. Program: Set Properties of Remote Registry Keys21.16. Discover Registry Settings for Programs
22. Comparing Data
22.0. Introduction22.1. Compare the Output of Two Commands22.2. Determine the Differences Between Two Files
23. Event Logs
23.0. Introduction23.1. List All Event Logs23.2. Get the Oldest Entries from an Event Log23.3. Find Event Log Entries with Specific Text23.4. Retrieve and Filter Event Log Entries23.5. Find Event Log Entries by Their Frequency23.6. Back Up an Event Log23.7. Create or Remove an Event Log23.8. Write to an Event Log23.9. Run a PowerShell Script for Windows Event Log Entries23.10. Clear or Maintain an Event Log23.11. Access Event Logs of a Remote Machine
24. Processes
24.0. Introduction24.1. List Currently Running Processes24.2. Launch the Application Associated with a Document24.3. Launch a Process24.4. Stop a Process24.5. Get the Owner of a Process24.6. Get the Parent Process of a Process24.7. Debug a Process
25. System Services
25.0. Introduction25.1. List All Running Services25.2. Manage a Running Service25.3. Configure a Service
26. Active Directory
26.0. Introduction26.1. Test Active Directory Scripts on a Local Installation26.2. Create an Organizational Unit26.3. Get the Properties of an Organizational Unit26.4. Modify Properties of an Organizational Unit26.5. Delete an Organizational Unit26.6. Get the Children of an Active Directory Container26.7. Create a User Account26.8. Program: Import Users in Bulk to Active Directory26.9. Search for a User Account26.10. Get and List the Properties of a User Account26.11. Modify Properties of a User Account26.12. Change a User Password26.13. Create a Security or Distribution Group26.14. Search for a Security or Distribution Group26.15. Get the Properties of a Group26.16. Find the Owner of a Group26.17. Modify Properties of a Security or Distribution Group26.18. Add a User to a Security or Distribution Group26.19. Remove a User from a Security or Distribution Group26.20. List a User’s Group Membership26.21. List the Members of a Group26.22. List the Users in an Organizational Unit26.23. Search for a Computer Account26.24. Get and List the Properties of a Computer Account
27. Enterprise Computer Management
27.0. Introduction27.1. Join a Computer to a Domain or Workgroup27.2. Remove a Computer from a Domain27.3. Rename a Computer27.4. Program: List Logon or Logoff Scripts for a User27.5. Program: List Startup or Shutdown Scripts for a Machine27.6. Deploy PowerShell-Based Logon Scripts27.7. Enable or Disable the Windows Firewall27.8. Open or Close Ports in the Windows Firewall27.9. Program: List All Installed Software27.10. Uninstall an Application27.11. Manage Computer Restore Points27.12. Reboot or Shut Down a Computer27.13. Determine Whether a Hotfix Is Installed27.14. Manage Scheduled Tasks on a Computer27.15. Retrieve Printer Information27.16. Retrieve Printer Queue Statistics27.17. Manage Printers and Print Queues27.18. Program: Summarize System Information27.19. Renew a DHCP Lease27.20. Assign a Static IP Address27.21. List All IP Addresses for a Computer27.22. List Network Adapter Properties
28. CIM and Windows Management Instrumentation
28.0. Introduction28.1. Access Windows Management Instrumentation and CIM Data28.2. Modify the Properties of a WMI or CIM Instance28.3. Invoke a Method on a WMI Instance or Class28.4. Program: Determine Properties Available to WMI and CIM Filters28.5. Search for the WMI or CIM Class to Accomplish a Task28.6. Use .NET to Perform Advanced WMI Tasks28.7. Convert a VBScript WMI Script to PowerShell
29. Remoting
29.0. Introduction29.1. Find Commands That Support Their Own Remoting29.2. Enable PowerShell Remoting on a Computer29.3. Enable SSH as a PowerShell Remoting Transport29.4. Interactively Manage a Remote Computer29.5. Invoke a Command on a Remote Computer29.6. Disconnect and Reconnect PowerShell Sessions29.7. Program: Remotely Enable PowerShell Remoting29.8. Program: Invoke a PowerShell Expression on a Remote Machine29.9. Test Connectivity Between Two Computers29.10. Limit Networking Scripts to Hosts That Respond29.11. Enable Remote Desktop on a Computer29.12. Configure User Permissions for Remoting29.13. Enable Remoting to Workgroup Computers29.14. Implicitly Invoke Commands from a Remote Computer29.15. Create Sessions with Full Network Access29.16. Pass Variables to Remote Sessions29.17. Manage and Edit Files on Remote Machines29.18. Configure Advanced Remoting Quotas and Options29.19. Invoke a Command on Many Computers29.20. Run a Local Script on a Remote Computer29.21. Determine Whether a Script Is Running on a Remote Computer
30. Transactions
30.0. Introduction30.1. Safely Experiment with Transactions30.2. Change Error Recovery Behavior in Transactions
31. Event Handling
31.0. Introduction31.1. Respond to Automatically Generated Events31.2. Create and Respond to Custom Events31.3. Create a Temporary Event Subscription31.4. Forward Events from a Remote Computer31.5. Investigate Internal Event Action State31.6. Use a Script Block as a .NET Delegate or Event Handler
References
PowerShell Language and Environment
Commands and ExpressionsCommentsHelp CommentsVariablesBooleansStringsNumbersArrays and ListsHashtables (Associative Arrays)XMLSimple OperatorsComparison OperatorsConditional StatementsLooping StatementsWorking with the .NET FrameworkWriting Scripts, Reusing FunctionalityManaging ErrorsFormatting OutputCapturing OutputCommon Customization Points
Regular Expression Reference
XPath Quick Reference
.NET String Formatting
String Formatting SyntaxStandard Numeric Format StringsCustom Numeric Format Strings
.NET DateTime Formatting
Custom DateTime Format Strings
Selected .NET Classes and Their Uses
WMI Reference
Selected COM Objects and Their Uses
Selected Events and Their Uses
Standard PowerShell Verbs
Index

Overview

How do you use PowerShell to navigate the filesystem, manage files and folders, or retrieve a web page? This introduction to the PowerShell language and scripting environment provides more than 400 task-oriented recipes to help you solve all kinds of problems. Intermediate to advanced system administrators will find more than 100 tried-and-tested scripts they can copy and use immediately.

Updated for PowerShell 5.1 and Open Source PowerShell up to 7.0 and beyond, this comprehensive cookbook includes hands-on recipes for common tasks and administrative jobs that you can apply whether you're on the client or server version of Windows. You also get quick references to technologies used in conjunction with PowerShell, including regular expressions, the XPath language, format specifiers, and frequently referenced .NET, COM, and WMI classes.

Learn how to use PowerShell on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019
Tour PowerShell's core features, including the command model, object-based pipeline, and ubiquitous scripting
Master fundamentals such as the interactive shell, pipeline, and object concepts
Perform common tasks that involve working with files, internet-connected scripts, user interaction, and more
Solve tasks in systems and enterprise management, such as working with Active Directory and the filesystem

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