More Discover PowerShell – How about Help with PowerShell Variables?

Finally got this last function working in order and created a new module: “DiscoverPowershell” with all three Show-Help* functions:

1. Show-HelpPowerShellCommand – Meant to select one module at the time and then multiple commands.
2. Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopic – Multi-select can be applied.
3. Show-HelpPowerShellObject (New) – Multi-select can be applied.
Check out the first two functions on my previous blog.

In the module I tweak is just a little bit but the functionality stay the same. Basically, you can select multiple Item(s) in the Out-Gridview and display the results.

Here’s the link to download and install the module folder “DiscoverPowerShell“: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=7FD7082276C66197!30947&authkey=!AKkr99vUvdqDKCw&ithint=file%2c.zip

*Note: Module requirements: PowerShell V4 (or greater) on Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 2012 R2.

Here’s the third function: Show-HelpPowerShellObject

[sourcecode language=”powershell”]
function Show-HelpPowerShellObject
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Function to list all PowerShell Variable objects in your current session.

.DESCRIPTION
This function will display in the ‘Out-Gridview’ a list of all PowerShell Variable objects in your
session. Press the Crtl-Key and select the PowerShell variable you want to Display information.

.PARAMETER No Parameter(s) required.

.EXAMPLE
Show-HelpPowerShellObject
#>

[CmdletBinding()]
Param ()

[Array] $selItem = $null; [Array] $myObj = $null;
While ($selItem -eq $null)
{
$selItem = Get-Variable `
| Select name, @{ Label = ‘objectType’; Expression = { $_.GetType(); } }, value `
| Sort-Object Name | Out-GridView -PassThru -Title "Select the PSVariable Object";
If ($selItem -eq $null) { break };
[Array] $myObj = $null;
ForEach ($myObj in $selItem.Name)
{
((get-variable $myObj).Value) | get-member `
| Out-GridView -Title (‘Displaying Selected PSObject – $’ + "$myObj");
};
If ($myObj -eq $null) { break };
$selItem = $null;
}
};
[/sourcecode]

Copy/Paste code
Copy/Paste code
Multi-select items
Multi-select items
Selected items displayed and back to list
Selected items displayed and back to list

It’s all about having fun with PowerShell!!

FLPSUG Last meeting May 15th on “PowerShell Azure SQL Database”

FLPSUG Lync meeting Thursday May 15 2014 – Session: “PowerShell Working w/Microsoft Azure SQL Database” Speaker Maximo Trinidad (MVP) and Co-hosting Adnan Cartwright (MVP).

In this presentation I will be covering how to subscribe to Azure, setup PowerShell to connect to your subscription, use scripting to create a SQL Database Server and then use SMO with PowerShell push data to your SQL Azure tables. All this using PowerShell scripting plus showing some editor, scripting techniques, and tips to avoid issues when working and setting Azure with PowerShell. (live demo with Windows Azure). Thanks to Adnan for assisting me in this meeting.

Here’s the Powerpoint presentation, demo scripts, and link to the recorded video. The video is the full and unedited meeting: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=7FD7082276C66197!31206&authkey=!AIbxWUhyiUth7Dg&ithint=file%2c.zip

Video link: http://youtu.be/9-fMxXY7DcQ

Co-host Adnan Cartwright link: http://www.fisg.us/

 

Get a hold of PowerShell (WMF) v5.0 Preview

Windows Management Framework 5.0 May 2014

Again, this version is only available for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

On PowerShell  v5.0 Preview just released on May 14th.  This version has no problem with the Azure PowerShell cmdlets installation.  Check out what’s hot in version 5.0 Prewview:  DSC (Desired State Configuration), OneGet and PowerShellGet modules.

Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/powershell/archive/2014/05/14/windows-management-framework-5-0-preview-may-2014-is-now-available.aspx

Download at: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42936

PowerShellV5May2014

Also, Check out the new PowerShell “Script Browser & Script Analyzer 1.2” for ISE and Windows:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42525

This new ISE AddOn will create two shortcuts: one to open the Script Browser in ISE and the other as an individual Windows application.

Script Browser Icons
Script Browser Icons
Script Browser Windows Application
Script Browser Windows Application
Script Browser in ISE
Script Browser in ISE

Go and get them!

Quick Rundown – Microsoft Azure SQL Database Server and PowerShell

Azure SQL Database 
1. Web and Business editions are no longer available. Now there’s Basic, Standard, and Enterprise editions. (New)
2. There is a limit of 6 SQL Database Servers and up to 150 databases per subscription.
3. Create database from 1 GB up to 500GB of storage.
4. Database Throughput Unit(DTU) Service performance levels available: (New)

  • DTU Service Level:
    1  – Basic
    5 – S1
    25 – S2
    100 – P1
    200 – P2
    800 – P3

AzureSQLdb_DTU

For more information about Azure SQL Database Throughout Units Service, check out Scott Kline and Tobias Ternstrom on this link: http://channel9.msdn.com/Series/Windows-Azure-Storage-SQL-Database-Tutorials/Scott-Klein-Video-02

Quick tips when testing Azure SQL Database Server:
1. There’s no need to specify a storageaccount.
2. Start with “Basic” or “Standard” Service level.
3. Start with  1GB in size for testing.
4. Current Azure Portal version will create random database server names.

Observations on the “Preview” Azure Portal on Azure SQL Datbases:
1. It show the ability to group databases.
2. You can provide a SQL Database Server name (not random).

Upcoming Azure Portal (Preview)

Assign a Group and Name your Database Server
Assign a Group and Name your Database Server

Windows Management Framework 5.0 May 2014

On PowerShell  v5.0 Preview just released on May 14th.  This version has no problem with the Azure PowerShell cmdlets installation.

Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/powershell/archive/2014/05/14/windows-management-framework-5-0-preview-may-2014-is-now-available.aspx

Download at: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42936

Azure PowerShell cmdlets updated

Azure PowerShell cmdlet was updated to version 0.8.2 on 05/12/2014 with 390 commands.AzurePosh_082_05152014

 

 

It’s all about discovering and exploring with PowerShell

Nothing like discovering and exploring what’s already at your fingertip. All you need to get started with PowerShell is already loaded in your system. There are plenty help documentation to keep you busy for awhile.

It’s time to get serious with PowerShell.

Checkout this year TechEd PowerShell session with Don Jones and Jeffrey Snover:

Now, using two known commands: Out-Gridview and Get-help we can search for help information in a flash.  Here I’m providing two custom PowerShell functions that might help you in exploring and learning about PowerShell:

1. Show-HelpPowerShellCommand – Select the module and then which command(s) to display thedocumentation.
2. Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopic – Select the topic(s) to display the documentation.

Just copy/paste the code into a script file then load them in either PowerShell console or ISE.  To execute the command just type the function name: Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopic or Show-HelpPowerShellCommand.

[sourcecode language=”powershell”]
function Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopic
{
<# .SYNOPSIS Function to list all PowerShell About_* topic from the selected list. .DESCRIPTION This function will display in the ‘Out-Gridview’ a list of all PowerShell About_* topics installed in the system. Then, you can select one or multiples topic(s) available. Press the Crtl-Key and select the command(s) you want to get the help documentation. .PARAMETER No Parameter(s) required. .EXAMPLE Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopics #>

[CmdletBinding()]
Param ()

[Array] $Global:selAbout = $null;
While ($Global:selAbout -eq $null)
{
[Array] $Global:selAbout = $null;
$Global:selAbout = ((Get-Help About_* | Select-Object Name) `
| Out-GridView -PassThru -Title "Listing all PowerShell About_* topics");

if ($Global:selAbout -eq $null) { break };
foreach ($item in $Global:selAbout) { Get-Help $item.Name -ShowWindow };
$Global:selAbout = $null;
};
};
[/sourcecode]

Check the image samples of Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopic:

Loading Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopics
Loading Show-HelpAboutPowerShellTopics
Selecting multiple topics
Selecting multiple topics
Viewing results and back to topics listing
Viewing results and back to topics listing

[sourcecode language=”powershell”]
function Show-HelpPowerShellCommand
{
<# .SYNOPSIS Function to list all cmdlets from the selected module(s). .DESCRIPTION This function will display in the ‘Out-Gridview’ a list of all PowerShell modules installed in the system. Then, you can select one of the modules to list all commands available in another ‘Out-Gridview’ window. Press the Crtl-Key and select the command(s) you want to get the help documentation. .PARAMETER No Parameter(s) required. .EXAMPLE Show-HelpPowerShellCommand #>

[CmdletBinding()]
Param ()

[Array] $selItem = $null; [Array] $selCmdlet = $null;
While ($selItem -eq $null)
{
$selItem = get-module -ListAvailable | Select-Object -Unique name, version, path `
| Sort-Object Name | Out-GridView -PassThru;
If ($selItem -eq $null) { break };
[Array] $selCmdlet = $null;
$selCmdlet = (Get-Command -Module $selItem.Name) | Sort-Object Name `
| Out-GridView -PassThru -Title "Module: $($selItem.Name) Total cmdlets: $(((Get-Command -Module $selItem.Name) | Sort-Object Name).count)";
$selItem = $null;
ForEach ($cmd in $selCmdlet) { Get-Help $cmd.Name -ShowWindow; };
If ($selCmdlet -eq $null) { break };
}
};
[/sourcecode]

Loading Show-HelpPowerShellCommand
Loading Show-HelpPowerShellComman
Select one module first
Select one module first
Select cmdlet(s)
Select cmdlet(s)
View help and exit list
View help and exit list

Please notice that these functions will stay active until you click on ‘Cancel’ in either of the select Topics or Module list.

I’m hoping this will make it fun to use.