Get-FormatData

NAME Get-FormatData



SYNOPSIS

Gets the formatting data in the current session.





SYNTAX

Get-FormatData [[-TypeName] <String[]>] [-PowerShellVersion <Version>] [<CommonParameters>]





DESCRIPTION

The Get-FormatData cmdlet gets the formatting data in the current session.



The formatting data in the session includes formatting data from Format.ps1xml formatting files, such as those in the $pshome directory,

formatting data for modules that you import into the session, and formatting data for commands that you import into your session by using the

Import-PSSession cmdlet.



You can use this cmdlet to examine the formatting data. Then, you can use the Export-FormatData cmdlet to serialize the objects, convert them to

XML, and save them in Format.ps1xml files.



For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.





PARAMETERS

-PowerShellVersion <Version>

@{Text=}



Required? false

Position? named

Default value None

Accept pipeline input? False

Accept wildcard characters? false



-TypeName <String[]>

Specifies the type names that this cmdlet gets for the formatting data. Enter the type names. Wildcards are permitted.



Required? false

Position? 0

Default value None

Accept pipeline input? False

Accept wildcard characters? false



<CommonParameters>

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: Verbose, Debug,

ErrorAction, ErrorVariable, WarningAction, WarningVariable,

OutBuffer, PipelineVariable, and OutVariable. For more information, see

about_CommonParameters (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113216).



INPUTS

None

You cannot pipe input to this cmdlet.





OUTPUTS

System.Management.Automation.ExtendedTypeDefinition







NOTES









Example 1: Get all formatting data



PS C:\\>Get-FormatData



This command gets all the formatting data in the session.

Example 2: Get formatting data by type name



PS C:\\>Get-FormatData -TypeName "Microsoft.Wsman*"



This command gets the formatting data items whose names begin with Microsoft.Wsman.

Example 3: Examine a formatting data object



PS C:\\>$F = Get-FormatData -TypeName helpinfoshort

PS C:\\>$F

TypeName FormatViewDefinition

-------- --------------------

HelpInfoShort {help , TableControl} PS C:\\>$F.FormatViewDefinition[0].control

Headers Rows

------- ----

{System.Management.Automation.TableControlColumnHeader, System.Manageme... {System.Management.Automation.TableControlRow} PS

C:\\>$F.FormatViewDefinition[0].control.headers

Label Alignment Width

----- --------- -----

Name Left 33

Category Left 9

Undefined 0



This example shows how to get a formatting data object and examine its properties.

Example 4: Get formatting data and export it



PS C:\\>$A = Get-FormatData

PS C:\\>Import-Module bitstransfer

PS C:\\>$B = Get-FormatData

PS C:\\>Compare-Object $A $B

InputObject SideIndicator

----------- -------------

Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management.BitsJob => PS C:\\>Get-FormatData *bits* | Export-FormatData -FilePath c:\\test\\bits.format.ps1xml

PS C:\\>Get-Content c:\\test\\bits.format.ps1xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><Configuration><ViewDefinitions>

<View><Name>Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management.BitsJob</Name>

...



This example shows how to use Get-FormatData and Export-FormatData to export the formatting data that is added by a module.



The first four commands use the Get-FormatData , Import-Module, and Compare-Object cmdlets to identify the format type that the BitsTransfer

module adds to the session.



The fifth command uses the Get-FormatData cmdlet to get the format type that the BitsTransfer module adds. It uses a pipeline operator (|) to send

the format type object to the Export-FormatData cmdlet, which converts it back to XML and saves it in the specified format.ps1xml file.



The final command shows an excerpt of the format.ps1xml file content.



RELATED LINKS

Online Version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=821790

Export-FormatData

Update-FormatData