book

Windows PowerShell™ 3.0 Step by Step

by Ed Wilson

February 2013

Beginner

704 pages

21h 31m

English

Microsoft Press

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Who should read this bookAssumptionsWho should not read this bookOrganization of this bookFinding your best starting point in this bookConventions and features in this bookSystem requirementsCode samplesInstalling the code samplesAcknowledgmentsErrata and book supportWe want to hear from youStay in touch
Understanding Windows PowerShellUsing cmdletsInstalling Windows PowerShellDeploying Windows PowerShell to down-level operating systemsUsing command-line utilitiesSecurity issues with Windows PowerShellControlling execution of PowerShell cmdletsConfirming actionsSuspending confirmation of cmdletsWorking with Windows PowerShellAccessing Windows PowerShellConfiguring the Windows PowerShell consoleSupplying options for cmdletsWorking with the help optionsExploring commands: step-by-step exercisesChapter 1 quick reference
Understanding the basics of cmdletsUsing the Get-ChildItem cmdletObtaining a directory listingFormatting a directory listing using the Format-List cmdletUsing the Format-Wide cmdletFormatting a directory listing using Format-TableFormatting output with Out-GridViewLeveraging the power of Get-CommandSearching for cmdlets using wildcard charactersUsing the Get-Member cmdletUsing the Get-Member cmdlet to examine properties and methodsUsing the New-Object cmdletCreating and Using the wshShell ObjectUsing the Show-Command cmdletWindows PowerShell cmdlet naming helps you learnWindows PowerShell verb groupingWindows PowerShell verb distributionCreating a Windows PowerShell profileFinding all aliases for a particular objectWorking with cmdlets: step-by-step exercisesChapter 2 quick reference
Understanding PowerShell providersUnderstanding the alias providerUnderstanding the certificate providerSearching for specific certificatesFinding expiring certificatesUnderstanding the environment providerUnderstanding the filesystem providerUnderstanding the function providerUsing the registry provider to manage the Windows registryThe two registry drivesRetrieving registry valuesCreating new registry keysThe short way to create a new registry keySetting the default value for the keyUsing New-Item to create and assign a valueModifying the value of a registry property valueThe short way to change a registry property valueDealing with a missing registry propertyUnderstanding the variable providerExploring PowerShell providers: step-by-step exercisesChapter 3 quick reference
Understanding Windows PowerShell remotingClassic remotingWinRMCreating a remote Windows PowerShell sessionRunning a single Windows PowerShell commandUsing Windows PowerShell jobsUsing Windows PowerShell remoting: step-by-step exercisesChapter 4 quick reference
Why write Windows PowerShell scripts?Scripting fundamentalsRunning Windows PowerShell scriptsEnabling Windows PowerShell scripting supportTransitioning from command line to scriptRunning Windows PowerShell scriptsUnderstanding variables and constantsUse of variablesUse of constantsUsing the While statementConstructing the While statement in PowerShellUnderstanding expanding stringsUnderstanding literal stringsA practical example of using the While statementUsing special features of Windows PowerShellUsing the Do...While statementUsing the range operatorOperating over an arrayCasting to ASCII valuesUsing the Do...Until statementComparing the PowerShell Do...Until statement with VBScriptUsing the Windows PowerShell Do statementThe Do...While and Do...Until statements always run onceThe While statement is used to prevent unwanted executionThe For statementUsing the For statementUsing the Foreach statementUsing the Foreach statement from the Windows PowerShell consoleExiting the Foreach statement earlyUsing the Break statementUsing the Exit statementThe If statementUsing assignment and comparison operatorsEvaluating multiple conditionsThe Switch statementUsing the Switch statementDefining the default conditionUnderstanding matching with the Switch statementEvaluating an arrayControlling matching behaviorCreating multiple folders: step-by-step exercisesChapter 5 quick reference
Understanding functionsUsing functions to provide ease of code reuseIncluding functions in the Windows PowerShell environmentUsing dot-sourcingUsing dot-sourced functionsAdding help for functionsUsing a here-string object for helpUsing two input parametersUsing a type constraint in a functionUsing more than two input parametersUse of functions to encapsulate business logicUse of functions to provide ease of modificationUnderstanding filtersCreating a function: step-by-step exercisesChapter 6 quick reference

The [cmdletbinding] attributeEasy verbose messagesAutomatic parameter checksAdding support for the -whatif parameterAdding support for the -confirm parameterSpecifying the default parameter setThe parameter attributeThe mandatory parameter propertyThe position parameter propertyThe ParameterSetName parameter propertyThe ValueFromPipeline propertyThe HelpMessage propertyUnderstanding modulesLocating and loading modulesListing available modulesLoading modulesInstalling modulesCreating a per-user Modules folderWorking with the $modulePath variableCreating a module driveChecking for module dependenciesUsing a module from a shareCreating a moduleCreating an advanced function: step-by-step exercisesChapter 7 quick reference
Running the Windows PowerShell ISENavigating the Windows PowerShell ISEWorking with the script paneTab expansion and IntelliSenseWorking with Windows PowerShell ISE snippetsUsing Windows PowerShell ISE snippets to create codeCreating new Windows PowerShell ISE snippetsRemoving user-defined Windows PowerShell ISE snippetsUsing the Commands add-on: step-by-step exercisesChapter 8 quick reference
Six Different PowerShell profilesUnderstanding the six different Windows PowerShell profilesExamining the $profile variableUnraveling the different profilesUsing the $profile variable to refer to more than the current hostDetermining whether a specific profile existsCreating a new profileDesign considerations for profilesUsing one or more profilesUsing the All Users, All Hosts profileUsing your own fileGrouping similar functionality into a moduleWhere to store the profile moduleCreating a profile: step-by-step exercisesChapter 9 quick reference
Understanding the WMI modelWorking with objects and namespacesListing WMI providersWorking with WMI classesQuerying WMIObtaining service information: step-by-step exercisesChapter 10 quick reference
Alternate ways to connect to WMISelective data from all instancesSelecting multiple propertiesChoosing specific instancesUtilizing an operatorWhere is the where?Shortening the syntaxUsing the -property parameterUsing the -filter parameterWorking with software: step-by-step exercisesChapter 11 quick reference
Using WMI against remote systemsSupplying alternate credentials for the remote connectionStoring the credentials for a remote connectionUsing Windows PowerShell remoting to run WMIUsing CIM classes to query WMI classesUsing CIM to query remote WMI dataWorking with remote resultsReducing data via Windows PowerShell parametersRunning WMI jobsUsing Windows PowerShell remoting and WMI: Step-by-step exercisesChapter 12 quick reference
Using WMI cmdlets to execute instance methodsUsing the terminate method directlyUsing the Invoke-WmiMethod cmdletUsing the [wmi] type acceleratorUsing WMI to work with static methodsExecuting instance methods: step-by-step exercisesChapter 13 quick reference
Using the CIM cmdlets to explore WMI classesUsing the -classname parameterFinding WMI class methodsFiltering classes by qualifierRetrieving WMI instancesReducing returned properties and instancesCleaning up output from the commandWorking with associationsRetrieving WMI instances: step-by-step exercisesChapter 14 quick reference
Creating objects in Active DirectoryCreating an OUADSI providersLDAP namesBindingCreating usersWhat is user account control?Working with usersGeneral user informationCreating the address pageDeleting usersCreating multiple organizational units: step-by-step exercisesChapter 15 quick reference
Understanding the Active Directory moduleInstalling the Active Directory moduleGetting started with the Active Directory moduleUsing the Active Directory moduleFinding the FSMO role holdersDiscovering Active DirectoryRenaming Active Directory sitesManaging usersCreating a userFinding and unlocking Active Directory user accountsFinding disabled usersFinding unused user accountsUpdating Active Directory objects: step-by-step exercisesChapter 16 quick reference
Using the Active Directory module to deploy a new forestAdding a new domain controller to an existing domainAdding a read-only domain controllerDomain controller prerequisites: step-by-step exercisesChapter 17 quick reference
Understanding debugging in Windows PowerShellUnderstanding three different types of errorsWorking with syntax errorsWorking with run-time errorsWorking with logic errorsUsing the Set-PSDebug cmdletTracing the scriptWorking with trace level 1Working with trace level 2Stepping through the scriptEnabling strict modeUsing Set-PSDebug -StrictUsing the Set-StrictMode cmdletDebugging the scriptSetting breakpointsSetting a breakpoint on a line numberSetting a breakpoint on a variableSetting a breakpoint on a commandResponding to breakpointsListing breakpointsEnabling and disabling breakpointsDeleting breakpointsDebugging a function: step-by-step exercisesChapter 18 quick reference
Handling missing parametersCreating a default value for a parameterDetecting a missing value and assigning it in the scriptAssigning a value in the param statementMaking the parameter mandatoryLimiting choicesUsing PromptForChoice to limit selectionsUsing Test-Connection to identify computer connectivityUsing the -contains operator to examine contents of an arrayUsing the -contains operator to test for propertiesHandling missing rightsAttempt and failChecking for rights and exiting gracefullyHandling missing WMI providersIncorrect data typesOut-of-bounds errorsUsing a boundary-checking functionPlacing limits on the parameterUsing Try...Catch...FinallyCatching multiple errorsUsing PromptForChoice to limit selections: Step-by-step exercisesChapter 19 quick reference
Exploring the Exchange 2010 cmdletsWorking with remote Exchange serversConfiguring recipient settingsCreating the user and the mailboxReporting user settingsManaging storage settingsExamining the mailbox databaseManaging the mailbox databaseManaging Exchange loggingManaging auditingParsing the audit XML fileCreating user accounts: step-by-step exercisesChapter 20 quick reference
General script constructionInclude functions in the script that uses the functionUse full cmdlet names and full parameter namesUnderstanding the use of aliasesIf you must use an alias, only use canonical aliases in a scriptAlways use the description property when creating an aliasUse Get-Item to convert path strings to rich typesGeneral script readabilityFormatting your codeWorking with functionsCreating template filesFunctionsVariables, constants, and naming

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About the Author

Ed Wilson is a well-known scripting expert who delivers popular scripting workshops to Microsoft customers and employees worldwide. He's written several books on Windows scripting, including Windows PowerShell 2.0 Best Practices, Microsoft® Windows PowerShell Step By Step, and Microsoft VBScript Step by Step. Ed is a senior consultant at Microsoft Corporation and writes Hey, Scripting Guy!, one of the most popular TechNet blogs.