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Update-FormatData
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NAME Update-FormatData
SYNOPSIS
Updates the formatting data in the current session.
SYNTAX
Update-FormatData [[-AppendPath] <String[]>] [-Confirm] [-PrependPath <String[]>] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
The Update-FormatData cmdlet reloads the formatting data from formatting files into the current session. This cmdlet lets you update the
formatting data without restarting Windows PowerShell.
Without parameters, Update-FormatData reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously. You can use the parameters of Update-FormatData to
add new formatting files to the session.
Formatting files are text files in XML format with the format.ps1xml file name extension. The formatting data in the files defines the display of
Microsoft .NET Framework objects in the session.
When Windows PowerShell starts, it loads the format data from the formatting files in the Windows PowerShell installation directory ($pshome) into
the session. You can use Update-FormatData to reload the formatting data into the current session without restarting Windows PowerShell. This is
useful when you have added or changed a formatting file, but do not want to interrupt the session.
For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.
PARAMETERS
-AppendPath <String[]>
Specifies formatting files that this cmdlet adds to the session. The files are loaded after Windows PowerShell loads the built-in formatting
files.
When formatting .NET objects, Windows PowerShell uses the first formatting definition that it finds for each .NET type. If you use the
AppendPath parameter, Windows PowerShell searches the data from the built-in files before it encounters the formatting data that you are
adding.
Use this parameter to add a file that formats a .NET object that is not referenced in the built-in formatting files.
Required? false
Position? 0
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Confirm [<SwitchParameter>]
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-PrependPath <String[]>
Specifies formatting files that this cmdlet adds to the session. The files are loaded before Windows PowerShell loads the built-in formatting
files.
When formatting .NET objects, Windows PowerShell uses the first formatting definition that it finds for each .NET type. If you use the
PrependPath parameter, Windows PowerShell searches the data from the files that you are adding before it encounters the formatting data from
the built-in files.
Use this parameter to add a file that formats a .NET object that is also referenced in the built-in formatting files.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-WhatIf [<SwitchParameter>]
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
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
System.String
You can pipe a string that contains the append path to Update-FormatData .
OUTPUTS
None
The cmdlet does not return any output.
NOTES
Update-FormatData also updates the formatting data for commands in the session that were imported from modules. If the formatting file for a
module changes, you can run an Update-FormatData * command to update the formatting data for imported commands. You do not need to import the
module again.
*
Example 1: Reload previously loaded formatting files
PS C:\\>Update-FormatData
This command reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously.
Example 2: Reload formatting files and trace and log formatting files
PS C:\\>Update-FormatData -AppendPath "trace.format.ps1xml, log.format.ps1xml"
This command reloads the formatting files into the session, including two new files, Trace.format.ps1xml and Log.format.ps1xml.
Because the command uses the AppendPath parameter, the formatting data in the new files is loaded after the formatting data from the built-in
files.
The AppendPath parameter is used because the new files contain formatting data for objects that are not referenced in the built-in files.
Example 3: Edit a formatting file and reload it
PS C:\\>Update-FormatData -PrependPath "c:\\test\\NewFiles.format.ps1xml"
# Edit the NewFiles.format.ps1 file.
PS C:\\> Update-FormatData
This example shows how to reload a formatting file after you have edited it.
The first command adds the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file to the session. It uses the PrependPath parameter because the file contains formatting data
for objects that are referenced in the built-in files.
After adding the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file and testing it in these sessions, the author edits the file.
The second command uses the Update-FormatData cmdlet to reload the formatting files. Because the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file was previously
loaded, Update-FormatData automatically reloads it without using parameters.
RELATED LINKS
Online Version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=821869
Get-FormatData
Export-FormatData
SYNOPSIS
Updates the formatting data in the current session.
SYNTAX
Update-FormatData [[-AppendPath] <String[]>] [-Confirm] [-PrependPath <String[]>] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
The Update-FormatData cmdlet reloads the formatting data from formatting files into the current session. This cmdlet lets you update the
formatting data without restarting Windows PowerShell.
Without parameters, Update-FormatData reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously. You can use the parameters of Update-FormatData to
add new formatting files to the session.
Formatting files are text files in XML format with the format.ps1xml file name extension. The formatting data in the files defines the display of
Microsoft .NET Framework objects in the session.
When Windows PowerShell starts, it loads the format data from the formatting files in the Windows PowerShell installation directory ($pshome) into
the session. You can use Update-FormatData to reload the formatting data into the current session without restarting Windows PowerShell. This is
useful when you have added or changed a formatting file, but do not want to interrupt the session.
For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.
PARAMETERS
-AppendPath <String[]>
Specifies formatting files that this cmdlet adds to the session. The files are loaded after Windows PowerShell loads the built-in formatting
files.
When formatting .NET objects, Windows PowerShell uses the first formatting definition that it finds for each .NET type. If you use the
AppendPath parameter, Windows PowerShell searches the data from the built-in files before it encounters the formatting data that you are
adding.
Use this parameter to add a file that formats a .NET object that is not referenced in the built-in formatting files.
Required? false
Position? 0
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters? false
-Confirm [<SwitchParameter>]
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-PrependPath <String[]>
Specifies formatting files that this cmdlet adds to the session. The files are loaded before Windows PowerShell loads the built-in formatting
files.
When formatting .NET objects, Windows PowerShell uses the first formatting definition that it finds for each .NET type. If you use the
PrependPath parameter, Windows PowerShell searches the data from the files that you are adding before it encounters the formatting data from
the built-in files.
Use this parameter to add a file that formats a .NET object that is also referenced in the built-in formatting files.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value None
Accept pipeline input? False
Accept wildcard characters? false
-WhatIf [<SwitchParameter>]
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Required? false
Position? named
Default value False
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
System.String
You can pipe a string that contains the append path to Update-FormatData .
OUTPUTS
None
The cmdlet does not return any output.
NOTES
Update-FormatData also updates the formatting data for commands in the session that were imported from modules. If the formatting file for a
module changes, you can run an Update-FormatData * command to update the formatting data for imported commands. You do not need to import the
module again.
*
Example 1: Reload previously loaded formatting files
PS C:\\>Update-FormatData
This command reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously.
Example 2: Reload formatting files and trace and log formatting files
PS C:\\>Update-FormatData -AppendPath "trace.format.ps1xml, log.format.ps1xml"
This command reloads the formatting files into the session, including two new files, Trace.format.ps1xml and Log.format.ps1xml.
Because the command uses the AppendPath parameter, the formatting data in the new files is loaded after the formatting data from the built-in
files.
The AppendPath parameter is used because the new files contain formatting data for objects that are not referenced in the built-in files.
Example 3: Edit a formatting file and reload it
PS C:\\>Update-FormatData -PrependPath "c:\\test\\NewFiles.format.ps1xml"
# Edit the NewFiles.format.ps1 file.
PS C:\\> Update-FormatData
This example shows how to reload a formatting file after you have edited it.
The first command adds the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file to the session. It uses the PrependPath parameter because the file contains formatting data
for objects that are referenced in the built-in files.
After adding the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file and testing it in these sessions, the author edits the file.
The second command uses the Update-FormatData cmdlet to reload the formatting files. Because the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file was previously
loaded, Update-FormatData automatically reloads it without using parameters.
RELATED LINKS
Online Version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=821869
Get-FormatData
Export-FormatData