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Show-Command
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NAME Show-Command
SYNOPSIS
Creates Windows PowerShell commands in a graphical command window.
SYNTAX
Show-Command [[-Name] <String>] [-ErrorPopup] [-Height <Double>] [-NoCommonParameter] [-PassThru] [-Width <Double>] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
The Show-Command cmdlet lets you create a Windows PowerShell command in a command window. You can use the features of the command window to run
the command or have it return the command to you. Show-Command is a very useful teaching and learning tool. Show-Command works on all command
types, including cmdlets, functions, workflows and CIM commands.
Without parameters, Show-Command displays a command window that lists all available commands in all installed modules. To find the commands in a
module, select the module from the Modules drop-down list. To select a command, click the command name.
To use the command window, select a command, either by using the Name or by clicking the command name in the Commands list. Each parameter set is
displayed on a separate tab. Asterisks indicate the mandatory parameters. To enter values for a parameter, type the value in the text box or
select the value from the drop-down box. To add a switch parameter, click to select the parameter check box.
When you're ready, you can click Copy to copy the command that you've created to the clipboard or click Run to run the command. You can also use
the PassThru parameter to return the command to the host program, such as the Windows PowerShell console. To cancel the command selection and
return to the view that displays all commands, press Ctrl and click the selected command.
In the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE), a variation of the Show-Command window is displayed by default. For information
about using this command window, see the Windows PowerShell ISE Help topics.
This cmdlet was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.
PARAMETERS
-ErrorPopup [<SwitchParameter>]
Indicates that the cmdlet displays errors in a pop-up window, in addition to displaying them at the command line. By default, when a command
that is run in a Show-Command window generates an error, the error is displayed only at the command line.
Also, when you run the command (by using the Run button in the Show-Command window), the ErrorPopup parameter returns the command results to
the current command, instead of running the command and returning its output to a new command. You can use this feature to save the command
results in a variable.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Height <Double>
Specifies the height of the Show-Command window in pixels. Enter a value between 300 and the number of pixels in the screen resolution. If the
value is too large to display the command window on the screen, Show-Command generates an error. The default height is 600 pixels. For a
Show-Command command that includes the Name parameter, the default height is 300 pixels.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Name <String>
Displays a command window for the specified command. Enter the name of one command, such as the name of a cmdlet, function, workflow, or CIM
command. If you omit this parameter, Show-Command displays a command window that lists all of the Windows PowerShell commands in all modules
installed on the computer.
Required? false
Position? 0
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-NoCommonParameter [<SwitchParameter>]
Indicates that this cmdlet omits the Common Parameters section of the command display. By default, the Common Parameters appear in an
expandable section at the bottom of the command window.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-PassThru [<SwitchParameter>]
Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
To run the command string, copy and paste it at the command prompt or save it in a variable and use the Invoke-Expression cmdlet to run the
string in the variable.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Width <Double>
Specifies the width of the Show-Command window in pixels. Enter a value between 300 and the number of pixels in the screen resolution. If the
value is too large to display the command window on the screen, Show-Command generates an error. The default width is 300 pixels.
Required? false
Position? named
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 Show-Command .
OUTPUTS
System.String, System.Object
When you use the PassThru parameter, Show-Command returns a command string. When you use the ErrorPopup parameter, Show-Command returns the
command output (any object).Otherwise, Show-Command does not generate any output.
NOTES
Show-Command * does not work in remote sessions.
Example 1: Open the Commands window
PS C:\\>Show-Command
This command displays the default view of the Show-Command window. The Commands window displays a list of all commands in all modules that are
installed on the computer.
Example 2: Open a cmdlet in the Commands window
PS C:\\>Show-Command -Name "Invoke-Command"
This command opens the Invoke-Command cmdlet display in the Show-Command window. You can use the Invoke-Command display to run Invoke-Command
commands.
Example 3: Open a cmdlet with specified parameters
PS C:\\>Show-Command -Name "Connect-PSSession" -Height 700 -Width 1000 -ErrorPopup
This command opens a Show-Command window for the Connect-PSSession cmdlet. It uses the Height and Width parameters to specify the dimension of the
command window and the ErrorPopup parameter to display the error command window.
When you click Run , the Connect-PSSession command runs, just as would if you typed the Connect-PSSession command at the command line.
Example 4: Specify new default parameter values for a cmdlet
PS C:\\>$PSDefaultParameterValues = @{"Show-Command:Height" = 700; "Show-Command:Width" = 1000; "Show-Command:ErrorPopup" = $True}
This command uses the $PSDefaultParameterValues automatic variable to set new default values for the Height , Width , and ErrorPopup parameters of
the Show-Command cmdlet. Now when you run a Show-Command command, the new defaults are applied automatically.
To use these default values in every Windows PowerShell session, add the $PSDefaultParameterValues variable to your Windows PowerShell profile.
For more information, see about_Profiles and about_PSDefaultParameterValueshttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=228266
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=228266).
Example 5: Send output to a grid view
PS C:\\>Show-Command Get-ChildItem | Out-GridView
This command shows how to use the Show-Command and Out-GridView cmdlets together.
The command uses the Show-Command cmdlet to open a command window for the Get-ChildItem cmdlet. When you click the Run button, the Get-ChildItem
command runs and generates output. The pipeline operator ( | ) sends the output of the Get-ChildItem command to the Out-GridView cmdlet, which
displays the Get-ChildItem output in an interactive window.
Example 6: Display a command that you create in the Commands window
PS C:\\>Show-Command -PassThru
Get-EventLog -LogName "Windows PowerShell" -Newest 5
This command shows the command that you created in the Show-Command window. The command uses the PassThru parameter, which returns the
Show-Command results in a string.
For example, if you use the Show-Command window to create a Get-EventLog command that gets the five newest events in the Windows PowerShell event
log, and then click OK , the command returns the following output.
Viewing the command string helps you to learn Windows PowerShell.
Example 7: Save a command to a variable
PS C:\\>$C = Show-Command -PassThru
This command displays the command string in the $C variable.
PS C:\\>$C
Get-EventLog -LogName "Windows PowerShell" -Newest 5
These commands use the Invoke-Expression cmdlet to run the string in the $C variable. The first command uses the full cmdlet name. The second
command uses the "iex" alias for the **Invoke-Expression** cmdlet. These commands are equivalent and you can use them interchangeably.The output
shows the five newest events in the Windows PowerShell event log.
PS C:\\>Invoke-Expression $C
PS C:\\>iex $C
Index Time EntryType Source InstanceID Message
----- ---- --------- ------ ---------- -------
11520 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 400 Engine state is changed from None to Available....
11519 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "Variable" is Started. ...
11518 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "Registry" is Started. ...
11517 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "Function" is Started. ...
11516 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "FileSystem" is Started. ...
This command shows how to run the command string that you get when you use the PassThru parameter of the Show-Command cmdlet. This strategy lets
you see the command and use it.
The first command uses the PassThru parameter of the Show-Command cmdlet. It saves the results of the command in the $C variable.
The command opens a Show-Command window. In this case, we use the Show-Command window to create a Get-EventLog command that gets the five newest
events in the Windows PowerShell event log. When you click OK , Show-Command returns the command string, which is saved in the $C variable.
Example 8: Save the output of a command to a variable
PS C:\\>$P = Show-Command Get-Process -ErrorPopup
The second command displays the value in the $P variable.
PS C:\\>$P
Handles NPM(K) PM(K) WS(K) VM(M) CPU(s) Id ProcessName
------- ------ ----- ----- ----- ------ -- -----------
473 33 94096 112532 709 2.06 4492 powershell
These commands use the ErrorPopup parameter of the Show-Command cmdlet to save the output of a command in a variable.
The first command runs the Show-Command cmdlet with the ErrorPopup parameter. In addition to displaying errors in a window, ErrorPopup returns
command output to the current command, instead of creating a new command.
When you run this command, the Show-Command window opens. You can use the window features to set parameter values. To run the command, click the
Run button in the Show-Command window.
RELATED LINKS
Online Version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=821862
SYNOPSIS
Creates Windows PowerShell commands in a graphical command window.
SYNTAX
Show-Command [[-Name] <String>] [-ErrorPopup] [-Height <Double>] [-NoCommonParameter] [-PassThru] [-Width <Double>] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
The Show-Command cmdlet lets you create a Windows PowerShell command in a command window. You can use the features of the command window to run
the command or have it return the command to you. Show-Command is a very useful teaching and learning tool. Show-Command works on all command
types, including cmdlets, functions, workflows and CIM commands.
Without parameters, Show-Command displays a command window that lists all available commands in all installed modules. To find the commands in a
module, select the module from the Modules drop-down list. To select a command, click the command name.
To use the command window, select a command, either by using the Name or by clicking the command name in the Commands list. Each parameter set is
displayed on a separate tab. Asterisks indicate the mandatory parameters. To enter values for a parameter, type the value in the text box or
select the value from the drop-down box. To add a switch parameter, click to select the parameter check box.
When you're ready, you can click Copy to copy the command that you've created to the clipboard or click Run to run the command. You can also use
the PassThru parameter to return the command to the host program, such as the Windows PowerShell console. To cancel the command selection and
return to the view that displays all commands, press Ctrl and click the selected command.
In the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE), a variation of the Show-Command window is displayed by default. For information
about using this command window, see the Windows PowerShell ISE Help topics.
This cmdlet was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.
PARAMETERS
-ErrorPopup [<SwitchParameter>]
Indicates that the cmdlet displays errors in a pop-up window, in addition to displaying them at the command line. By default, when a command
that is run in a Show-Command window generates an error, the error is displayed only at the command line.
Also, when you run the command (by using the Run button in the Show-Command window), the ErrorPopup parameter returns the command results to
the current command, instead of running the command and returning its output to a new command. You can use this feature to save the command
results in a variable.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Height <Double>
Specifies the height of the Show-Command window in pixels. Enter a value between 300 and the number of pixels in the screen resolution. If the
value is too large to display the command window on the screen, Show-Command generates an error. The default height is 600 pixels. For a
Show-Command command that includes the Name parameter, the default height is 300 pixels.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Name <String>
Displays a command window for the specified command. Enter the name of one command, such as the name of a cmdlet, function, workflow, or CIM
command. If you omit this parameter, Show-Command displays a command window that lists all of the Windows PowerShell commands in all modules
installed on the computer.
Required? false
Position? 0
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-NoCommonParameter [<SwitchParameter>]
Indicates that this cmdlet omits the Common Parameters section of the command display. By default, the Common Parameters appear in an
expandable section at the bottom of the command window.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-PassThru [<SwitchParameter>]
Returns an object representing the item with which you are working. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
To run the command string, copy and paste it at the command prompt or save it in a variable and use the Invoke-Expression cmdlet to run the
string in the variable.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Width <Double>
Specifies the width of the Show-Command window in pixels. Enter a value between 300 and the number of pixels in the screen resolution. If the
value is too large to display the command window on the screen, Show-Command generates an error. The default width is 300 pixels.
Required? false
Position? named
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 Show-Command .
OUTPUTS
System.String, System.Object
When you use the PassThru parameter, Show-Command returns a command string. When you use the ErrorPopup parameter, Show-Command returns the
command output (any object).Otherwise, Show-Command does not generate any output.
NOTES
Show-Command * does not work in remote sessions.
Example 1: Open the Commands window
PS C:\\>Show-Command
This command displays the default view of the Show-Command window. The Commands window displays a list of all commands in all modules that are
installed on the computer.
Example 2: Open a cmdlet in the Commands window
PS C:\\>Show-Command -Name "Invoke-Command"
This command opens the Invoke-Command cmdlet display in the Show-Command window. You can use the Invoke-Command display to run Invoke-Command
commands.
Example 3: Open a cmdlet with specified parameters
PS C:\\>Show-Command -Name "Connect-PSSession" -Height 700 -Width 1000 -ErrorPopup
This command opens a Show-Command window for the Connect-PSSession cmdlet. It uses the Height and Width parameters to specify the dimension of the
command window and the ErrorPopup parameter to display the error command window.
When you click Run , the Connect-PSSession command runs, just as would if you typed the Connect-PSSession command at the command line.
Example 4: Specify new default parameter values for a cmdlet
PS C:\\>$PSDefaultParameterValues = @{"Show-Command:Height" = 700; "Show-Command:Width" = 1000; "Show-Command:ErrorPopup" = $True}
This command uses the $PSDefaultParameterValues automatic variable to set new default values for the Height , Width , and ErrorPopup parameters of
the Show-Command cmdlet. Now when you run a Show-Command command, the new defaults are applied automatically.
To use these default values in every Windows PowerShell session, add the $PSDefaultParameterValues variable to your Windows PowerShell profile.
For more information, see about_Profiles and about_PSDefaultParameterValueshttp://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=228266
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=228266).
Example 5: Send output to a grid view
PS C:\\>Show-Command Get-ChildItem | Out-GridView
This command shows how to use the Show-Command and Out-GridView cmdlets together.
The command uses the Show-Command cmdlet to open a command window for the Get-ChildItem cmdlet. When you click the Run button, the Get-ChildItem
command runs and generates output. The pipeline operator ( | ) sends the output of the Get-ChildItem command to the Out-GridView cmdlet, which
displays the Get-ChildItem output in an interactive window.
Example 6: Display a command that you create in the Commands window
PS C:\\>Show-Command -PassThru
Get-EventLog -LogName "Windows PowerShell" -Newest 5
This command shows the command that you created in the Show-Command window. The command uses the PassThru parameter, which returns the
Show-Command results in a string.
For example, if you use the Show-Command window to create a Get-EventLog command that gets the five newest events in the Windows PowerShell event
log, and then click OK , the command returns the following output.
Viewing the command string helps you to learn Windows PowerShell.
Example 7: Save a command to a variable
PS C:\\>$C = Show-Command -PassThru
This command displays the command string in the $C variable.
PS C:\\>$C
Get-EventLog -LogName "Windows PowerShell" -Newest 5
These commands use the Invoke-Expression cmdlet to run the string in the $C variable. The first command uses the full cmdlet name. The second
command uses the "iex" alias for the **Invoke-Expression** cmdlet. These commands are equivalent and you can use them interchangeably.The output
shows the five newest events in the Windows PowerShell event log.
PS C:\\>Invoke-Expression $C
PS C:\\>iex $C
Index Time EntryType Source InstanceID Message
----- ---- --------- ------ ---------- -------
11520 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 400 Engine state is changed from None to Available....
11519 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "Variable" is Started. ...
11518 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "Registry" is Started. ...
11517 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "Function" is Started. ...
11516 Dec 16 16:37 Information PowerShell 600 Provider "FileSystem" is Started. ...
This command shows how to run the command string that you get when you use the PassThru parameter of the Show-Command cmdlet. This strategy lets
you see the command and use it.
The first command uses the PassThru parameter of the Show-Command cmdlet. It saves the results of the command in the $C variable.
The command opens a Show-Command window. In this case, we use the Show-Command window to create a Get-EventLog command that gets the five newest
events in the Windows PowerShell event log. When you click OK , Show-Command returns the command string, which is saved in the $C variable.
Example 8: Save the output of a command to a variable
PS C:\\>$P = Show-Command Get-Process -ErrorPopup
The second command displays the value in the $P variable.
PS C:\\>$P
Handles NPM(K) PM(K) WS(K) VM(M) CPU(s) Id ProcessName
------- ------ ----- ----- ----- ------ -- -----------
473 33 94096 112532 709 2.06 4492 powershell
These commands use the ErrorPopup parameter of the Show-Command cmdlet to save the output of a command in a variable.
The first command runs the Show-Command cmdlet with the ErrorPopup parameter. In addition to displaying errors in a window, ErrorPopup returns
command output to the current command, instead of creating a new command.
When you run this command, the Show-Command window opens. You can use the window features to set parameter values. To run the command, click the
Run button in the Show-Command window.
RELATED LINKS
Online Version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=821862