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Powershell Core 6.2 Cookbook
Powershell Core 6.2 Cookbook

Powershell Core 6.2 Cookbook: Leverage command-line shell scripting to effectively manage your enterprise environment

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Profile Icon Jan-Hendrik Peters
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€32.99
Paperback Apr 2019 372 pages 1st Edition
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€17.99 €26.99
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€32.99
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Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Jan-Hendrik Peters
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€32.99
Paperback Apr 2019 372 pages 1st Edition
eBook
€17.99 €26.99
Paperback
€32.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at €18.99p/m
eBook
€17.99 €26.99
Paperback
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Powershell Core 6.2 Cookbook

Reading and Writing Output

Working with output and data is the most common thing you'll be doing in PowerShell. From generating data for reports, to quickly reviewing a system's status, to the bulk-insertion of values into a database table: everything has to do with data and output.

We'll cover a lot of ground in this chapter and, with simple recipes, you'll see how to access the certificate stores, the registry on a Windows machine and the filesystem on any OS. You'll also learn how to properly work with variables.

In this chapter, we'll cover the following recipes:

  • Working with output
  • Storing data
  • Read-only and constant variables
  • Variable scoping
  • The six streams
  • Stream redirection
  • Working with the filesystem provider
  • Working with the registry provider
  • Working with the certificate provider
  • Creating your own provider
  • NTFS alternate data streams
...

Technical requirements

Working with output

This very basic recipe shows you the ropes when it comes to gathering simple output from a local system. In order to retrieve output, we usually use cmdlets with the verb Get. You'll notice, however, that other cmdlets that create, change, or remove items can also sometimes return data to work with.

Getting ready

To get ready, you need to have PowerShell Core installed. This recipe works on any operating system capable of running PowerShell Core.

How to do it...

Let's perform the following steps:

  1. Open PowerShell.
  2. Execute Get-UICulture, followed...

Storing data

Having data on the output might be fine for some administrators but, with PowerShell, we want to interact with our data. This recipe will show you that the information you see on your screen has a lot more to offer by having a first look at objects in the context of PowerShell scripting.

Using variables, you can store a reference to one or more objects in order to access them later on. Not only is it convenient while interactively working on the command line, but it might also mean that your scripts execute faster since the data isn't retrieved unnecessarily.

In this recipe, we'll see that the output you can observe isn't at all what it seems.

How to do it...

Install and open PowerShell Core on...

Read-only and constant variables

On occasion, you might want to use read-only or constant variables in your code. This recipe will show you how to create variables with specific options, such as read-only or constant, and why you would use those. You will also see some important automatic variables that are, incidentally, also constants.

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core and execute the following steps:

  1. Try to execute the following code block:
$true = $false
$pid = 0
$Error = "I don't make mistakes!"
  1. Execute the next cmdlet to see why Step 1 didn't work as intended:
Get-Variable | Where-Object -Property Options -like *Constant*
  1. You can create your own read-only and constant variables...

Variable scoping

Scopes are important in your day-to-day scripting and they control the visibility of your variables, functions, and aliases. While PowerShell does a great job of handling scopes automatically in a way that feels very natural to the user, you can also use scopes implicitly in your scripts.

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core and execute the following steps:

  1. Execute the following code block:
$outerScope = 'Variable outside function'

function Foo
{
Write-Host $outerScope
$outerScope = 'Variable inside function'
Write-Host $outerScope
}

Foo
Write-Host $outerScope

You should see the following output:

  1. Modify the code a little bit to use scope modifiers like private, script...

The six streams

PowerShell has radically changed the way we automate, by not providing us with exit codes like many have grown used to. Instead, PowerShell exclusively uses different streams to convey output, errors, warnings, and more. Mastering those streams enables you to write more powerful and versatile scripts.

Working with the six streams happens to be so common that cmdlets support the so-called common parameters that all cmdlets share. In this recipe, you will be working with streams like Output, Error, Warning, Verbose, Debug and Information.

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core and execute the following steps:

  1. Try the following cmdlets and observe the result:
# This command will return both an error...

Stream redirection

While it isn't used very often with PowerShell, stream redirection is used now and then for different purposes. External applications, especially, tend to confuse the error and the output stream. This obstacle can be overcome quite easily with stream redirection.

In the last recipe, you learned about stream numbers. All numbered streams can be redirected with the redirection operators, > and >>. This recipe will show you how and when to use the redirection operators instead of the common parameters like ErrorAction or Verbose.

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core and execute the following steps:

  1. All streams can be redirected, thereby creating a new file, as in the following example...

Working with the filesystem provider

PowerShell is extended by different providers that allow access to different data stores. The most ubiquitous one, however, is the filesystem provider. We use it automatically in many scripts and while working interactively on the command line.

This recipe introduces PowerShell providers and shows you what the filesystem provider can and can't do.

Getting ready

Install and start PowerShell Core. If you want to map a CIFS share, ensure that you can connect to one.

How to do it...

Let's perform the following steps:

  1. As soon...

Working with the registry provider

The registry provider is a Windows-only provider that allows access to the local registry of a host. All local hives can be navigated like a filesystem, with the usual provider cmdlets.

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core on Windows and execute the following steps:

  1. Execute the following code to list items in the local machine registry hive:
# Like the filesystem, the local registry hives can be browsed.
# ACLs apply, so AccessDenied errors aren't uncommon
Get-ChildItem HKLM:\SOFTWARE
  1. Since there're no additional filters, you don't have much control over Get-ChildItem, which only returns registry keys and displays their values. Trying to enumerate values this...

Working with the certificate provider

Like the registry provider, the certificate provider is Windows-only. It allows you to access your certificate stores for the computer and user accounts, with some additional filtering methods available to you.

As with the registry provider, there are some things to consider.

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core on a Windows host and execute the following steps:

  1. Use the provider cmdlet to list certificate stores and certificates inside a store:
# Another Windows-only provider, allowing access to local cert stores
Get-PSProvider -PSProvider Certificate

# Again, the default cmdlets apply
# List all certificate stores
Get-ChildItem -Path Cert:\CurrentUser

# List all certificates...

Creating your own provider

Creating your own provider can be a very useful (and fun) skill to learn as well. The PowerShell module SHiPS enables you to map any existing data structure in order to access it as a drive. At the moment, SHiPS only supports the Get-Item and Get-ChildItem cmdlets to retrieve data.

SHiPS is used, for example, with PowerShell in Azure Cloud Shell (https://shell.azure.com), as well as with the popular lab automation module, AutomatedLab (https://github.com/automatedlab/automatedlab).

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core and execute the following steps:

  1. In order to be able to develop your own provider, you need to install SHiPS from the gallery first. Alternatively, you can follow the...

NTFS iternate data streams

While not exactly related to the streams such as output and error, which we've seen so far, there's a special type of stream that's quite interesting to play around with: the NTFS alternate data stream. This recipe is specific to NTFS-formatted volumes and will show you why the Unblock-File cmdlet exists in the first place.

How to do it...

Install and start PowerShell Core and execute the following steps:

  1. Download a file to play around with:
# To get started, download any file to an NTFS-formatted volume.
# This lab assumes that you're storing downloads in $home\Downloads
$downloadRoot = "~\Downloads"

# Download any file, for example a release of the popular lab automation...
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Key benefits

  • A recipe-based guide to help you build effective administrative solutions
  • Gain hands-on experience with the newly added features of PowerShell Core
  • Manage critical business environments with professional scripting practices

Description

This book will follow a recipe-based approach and start off with an introduction to the fundamentals of PowerShell, and explaining how to install and run it through simple examples. Next, you will learn how to use PowerShell to access and manipulate data and how to work with different streams as well. You will also explore the object model which will help with regard to PowerShell function deployment. Going forward, you will get familiar with the pipeline in its different use cases. The next set of chapters will deal with the different ways of accessing data in PowerShell. You will also learn to automate various tasks in Windows and Linux using PowerShell Core, as well as explore Windows Server. Later, you will be introduced to Remoting in PowerShell Core and Just Enough Administration concept. The last set of chapters will help you understand the management of a private and public cloud with PowerShell Core. You will also learn how to access web services and explore the high-performance scripting methods. By the end of this book, you will gain the skills to manage complex tasks effectively along with increasing the performance of your environment.

Who is this book for?

This book will be for windows administrators who want to enhance their PowerShell scripting skills to the next level. System administrators wanting to automate common to complex tasks with PowerShell scripts would benefit from this book. Prior understanding on PowerShell would be necessary.

What you will learn

  • Leverage cross-platform interaction with systems
  • Make use of the PowerShell recipes for frequent tasks
  • Get a better understanding of the inner workings of PowerShell
  • Understand the compatibility of built-in Windows modules with PowerShell Core
  • Learn best practices associated with PowerShell scripting
  • Avoid common pitfalls and mistakes
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Table of Contents

13 Chapters
Introduction to PowerShell Core Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Reading and Writing Output Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Working with Objects Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Mastering the Pipeline Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Importing, Using, and Exporting Data Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Windows and Linux Administration Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Windows Server Administration Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Remoting and Just Enough Administration Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Using PowerShell for Hyper-V and Azure Stack Management Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Using PowerShell with Azure and Google Cloud Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Accessing Web Services Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
High-Performance Scripting Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Other Books You May Enjoy Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
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