Powershell Expert

PowerShell Expert

Develop production-quality PowerShell scripts, tools, and GUIs using Microsoft best practices and the PowerShell ecosystem.

Quick Reference

Script Structure

#Requires -Version 5.1

<#
.SYNOPSIS
    Brief description.
.DESCRIPTION
    Detailed description.
.PARAMETER Name
    Parameter description.
.EXAMPLE
    Example-Usage -Name 'Value'
#>

[CmdletBinding()]
param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory, ValueFromPipeline)]
    [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
    [string[]]$Name,

    [switch]$Force
)

begin {
    # One-time setup
}

process {
    foreach ($item in $Name) {
        # Per-item processing
    }
}

end {
    # Cleanup
}

Function Template

function Verb-Noun {
    [CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess)]
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory, Position = 0)]
        [string]$Name,

        [Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName)]
        [Alias('CN')]
        [string]$ComputerName = $env:COMPUTERNAME,

        [switch]$PassThru
    )

    process {
        if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess($Name, 'Action')) {
            # Implementation
            if ($PassThru) { Write-Output $result }
        }
    }
}

Workflow

1. Script Development

Follow naming and parameter conventions:

• Verb-Noun format with approved verbs (Get-Verb)
• Strong typing with validation attributes
• Pipeline support via ValueFromPipeline
• -WhatIf/-Confirm for destructive operations

See best-practices.md for complete guidelines.

2. GUI Development

Windows Forms for simple dialogs, WPF/XAML for complex interfaces:

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form -Property @{
    Text          = 'Title'
    Size          = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(400, 300)
    StartPosition = 'CenterScreen'
}

See gui-development.md for controls, events, and templates.

3. PowerShell Gallery Integration

Search and install modules using PSResourceGet:

# Search gallery
Find-PSResource -Name 'ModuleName' -Repository PSGallery

# Install module
Install-PSResource -Name 'ModuleName' -Scope CurrentUser -TrustRepository

Use scripts/Search-Gallery.ps1 for enhanced search.

See powershellget.md for full cmdlet reference.

Key Patterns

Error Handling

try {
    $result = Get-Content -Path $Path -ErrorAction Stop
}
catch [System.IO.FileNotFoundException] {
    Write-Error "File not found: $Path"
    return
}
catch {
    throw
}

Splatting for Readability

$params = @{
    Path        = $sourcePath
    Destination = $destPath
    Recurse     = $true
    Force       = $true
}
Copy-Item @params

Pipeline Best Practices

# Stream output immediately
foreach ($item in $collection) {
    Process-Item $item | Write-Output
}

# Accept pipeline input
param(
    [Parameter(ValueFromPipeline)]
    [string[]]$InputObject
)
process {
    foreach ($obj in $InputObject) {
        # Process each
    }
}

Module Recommendations

When recommending modules, search the PowerShell Gallery:

Live Verification

You MUST verify information against live sources when accuracy is critical. Do not rely solely on training data for module availability or cmdlet syntax.

Tools to use:

• WebFetch: Retrieve and parse specific documentation URLs (PowerShell Gallery pages, Microsoft Docs)
• WebSearch: Find correct URLs when the exact path is unknown or to verify module existence

When Verification is Required

Step 1: Verify Module on PowerShell Gallery

When recommending or checking a module, use the WebFetch tool to verify it exists:

WebFetch call:

• URL: https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/{ModuleName}
• Prompt: Extract: module name, latest version, last updated date, total downloads, and whether it shows any deprecation warning or 'unlisted' status

If WebFetch returns 404 or error: The module likely doesn't exist. Use the WebSearch tool to confirm:

• Query: {ModuleName} PowerShell module site:powershellgallery.com

Step 2: Verify Cmdlet Syntax (When Needed)

Microsoft Docs URLs vary by module. Use the WebSearch tool to find the correct documentation page:

WebSearch call:

• Query: {Cmdlet-Name} cmdlet site:learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell

Then use WebFetch on the returned URL with prompt:

• Prompt: Extract the complete cmdlet syntax, required vs optional parameters, and PowerShell version requirements

Step 3: Fallback Strategies

If the WebFetch or WebSearch tools are unavailable or return errors:

1. For module verification: Execute Search-Gallery.ps1 from this skill:

   ~/.claude/skills/powershell-expert/scripts/Search-Gallery.ps1 -Name 'ModuleName'

2. For cmdlet syntax: Suggest the user run locally:

   Get-Help Cmdlet-Name -Full
   Get-Command Cmdlet-Name -Syntax

3. Clearly state uncertainty: If verification fails, tell the user:

"I wasn't able to verify this against live documentation. Please confirm

the module exists by running: Find-PSResource -Name 'ModuleName'"

Verification Examples

Good (verified with live data):

"The ImportExcel module (v7.8.10, updated Oct 2024, 17M+ downloads)

provides Export-Excel for creating spreadsheets without Excel installed."

Bad (unverified claim):

"Use the Excel-Tools module to export data." ← May not exist!

Documentation Resources

• PowerShell Docs: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/
• Module Browser: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/
• PowerShell Gallery: https://www.powershellgallery.com
• GitHub Docs: https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/PowerShell-Docs

References

• [best-practices.md](references/best-practices.md) - Naming, parameters, pipeline, error handling, code style
• [gui-development.md](references/gui-development.md) - Windows Forms, WPF, controls, events, templates
• [powershellget.md](references/powershellget.md) - Find, install, update, publish modules

PowerShell Best Practices Reference

Table of Contents

1. Naming Conventions 2. Parameter Design 3. Pipeline Support 4. Error Handling 5. Output Patterns 6. Code Style

---

Naming Conventions

Cmdlet/Function Names

• Verb-Noun format: Always use approved verbs from Get-Verb
• Pascal Case: Capitalize first letter of verb and all noun terms
• Singular Nouns: Even for cmdlets operating on multiple items
• Specific Nouns: Use product-specific nouns, not generic terms

# Good
Get-SQLServer
New-AzureStorageAccount
Remove-UserSession

# Bad
Get-Server           # Too generic
Get-Servers          # Plural noun
get-sqlserver        # Wrong case

Parameter Names

• Pascal Case: ErrorAction, not errorAction
• Singular Names: Unless parameter always accepts arrays
• Standard Names: Use established parameter names with aliases

param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory)]
    [string]$Name,

    [Alias('ComputerName', 'CN')]
    [string]$Server,

    [string[]]$Tags  # Plural - accepts array
)

Variable Names

• $PascalCase for script/global scope
• $camelCase acceptable for local scope
• Descriptive names over abbreviations

---

Parameter Design

Use Strong Typing

param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory)]
    [ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()]
    [string]$Name,

    [ValidateRange(1, 100)]
    [int]$Count = 10,

    [ValidateSet('Debug', 'Info', 'Warning', 'Error')]
    [string]$LogLevel = 'Info',

    [switch]$Force,

    [nullable[bool]]$Enabled  # Three states: true, false, unspecified
)

Parameter Sets

[CmdletBinding(DefaultParameterSetName = 'ByName')]
param(
    [Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'ByName', Position = 0)]
    [string]$Name,

    [Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'ByID')]
    [int]$ID,

    [Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'ByObject', ValueFromPipeline)]
    [PSObject]$InputObject
)

Common Parameters to Support

Path Parameters

param(
    [Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'Path')]
    [SupportsWildcards()]
    [string[]]$Path,

    [Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'LiteralPath')]
    [Alias('PSPath')]
    [string[]]$LiteralPath
)

---

Pipeline Support

Accept Pipeline Input

param(
    [Parameter(ValueFromPipeline)]
    [string[]]$Name,

    [Parameter(ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName)]
    [Alias('FullName')]
    [string]$Path
)

process {
    foreach ($item in $Name) {
        # Process each item immediately
        Write-Output $result
    }
}

Write Objects Immediately

# Good - stream output
foreach ($item in $collection) {
    $result = Process-Item $item
    Write-Output $result
}

# Bad - buffer then output
$results = @()
foreach ($item in $collection) {
    $results += Process-Item $item
}
$results

---

Error Handling

Use Try/Catch with Specific Errors

try {
    $result = Get-Content -Path $Path -ErrorAction Stop
}
catch [System.IO.FileNotFoundException] {
    Write-Error "File not found: $Path"
    return
}
catch [System.UnauthorizedAccessException] {
    Write-Error "Access denied: $Path"
    return
}
catch {
    Write-Error "Unexpected error: $_"
    throw
}

Terminating vs Non-Terminating Errors

# Terminating - stops execution
throw "Critical error occurred"
$PSCmdlet.ThrowTerminatingError($errorRecord)

# Non-terminating - continues execution
Write-Error "Problem with item: $item"
$PSCmdlet.WriteError($errorRecord)

Feedback Methods

# Warnings - potential unintended consequences
Write-Warning "File will be overwritten"

# Verbose - detailed operational info (requires -Verbose)
Write-Verbose "Processing file: $Path"

# Debug - troubleshooting info (requires -Debug)
Write-Debug "Variable state: $($var | ConvertTo-Json)"

# Progress - long-running operations
Write-Progress -Activity "Processing" -Status "Item $i of $total" -PercentComplete (($i / $total) * 100)

---

Output Patterns

Return Typed Objects

# Create custom objects with type name
[PSCustomObject]@{
    PSTypeName = 'MyModule.ServerInfo'
    Name       = $server.Name
    Status     = $server.Status
    IPAddress  = $server.IP
}

PassThru Pattern

function Set-ItemProperty {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
        [string]$Name,
        [string]$Value,
        [switch]$PassThru
    )

    # Modify the item
    $item.Property = $Value

    if ($PassThru) {
        Write-Output $item
    }
}

ShouldProcess Pattern

function Remove-Item {
    [CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess, ConfirmImpact = 'High')]
    param([string]$Path)

    if ($PSCmdlet.ShouldProcess($Path, 'Delete')) {
        # Perform deletion
    }
}

---

Code Style

Avoid Aliases in Scripts

# Good
Get-ChildItem | Where-Object { $_.Length -gt 1MB } | ForEach-Object { $_.Name }

# Bad
gci | ? { $_.Length -gt 1MB } | % { $_.Name }

Use Explicit Parameter Names

# Good
Get-Process -Name 'notepad' -ComputerName 'Server01'

# Bad (positional)
Get-Process 'notepad' 'Server01'

Splatting for Readability

$params = @{
    Path        = $sourcePath
    Destination = $destPath
    Recurse     = $true
    Force       = $true
    ErrorAction = 'Stop'
}
Copy-Item @params

Line Continuation

# Good - natural breaks after operators
Get-Process |
    Where-Object { $_.CPU -gt 100 } |
    Sort-Object CPU -Descending |
    Select-Object -First 10

# Avoid backticks for continuation

Comment-Based Help

function Get-ServerStatus {
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
        Gets the status of specified servers.

    .DESCRIPTION
        Retrieves operational status including CPU, memory,
        and network information from remote servers.

    .PARAMETER Name
        The server name(s) to query.

    .EXAMPLE
        Get-ServerStatus -Name 'Server01'

        Gets status for Server01.

    .EXAMPLE
        'Server01', 'Server02' | Get-ServerStatus

        Gets status for multiple servers via pipeline.
    #>
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory, ValueFromPipeline)]
        [string[]]$Name
    )
    # Implementation
}

PowerShell GUI Development Reference

Table of Contents

1. Windows Forms Basics 2. Common Controls 3. Layout Patterns 4. Event Handling 5. WPF with XAML 6. GUI Templates

Note: GUI development works on Windows platforms only.

---

Windows Forms Basics

Required Assemblies

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing

Form Creation Pattern

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form -Property @{
    Text            = 'Application Title'
    Size            = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(400, 300)
    StartPosition   = 'CenterScreen'
    FormBorderStyle = 'FixedDialog'
    MaximizeBox     = $false
    MinimizeBox     = $false
    Topmost         = $true
}

Form Properties Reference

Display and Result Handling

# Modal dialog - blocks until closed
$result = $form.ShowDialog()

if ($result -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK) {
    # Process OK action
}
elseif ($result -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::Cancel) {
    # Process Cancel action
}

# Non-modal - returns immediately
$form.Show()

---

Common Controls

Button

$button = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button -Property @{
    Location     = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 10)
    Size         = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(100, 30)
    Text         = 'Click Me'
    DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK
}
$form.Controls.Add($button)
$form.AcceptButton = $button  # Enter key triggers this button

TextBox

# Single-line
$textBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox -Property @{
    Location  = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 50)
    Size      = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200, 20)
    MaxLength = 100
}

# Multi-line
$textArea = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox -Property @{
    Location   = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 80)
    Size       = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(300, 150)
    Multiline  = $true
    ScrollBars = 'Vertical'
    WordWrap   = $true
}

# Password field
$passwordBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox -Property @{
    Location    = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 240)
    Size        = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200, 20)
    PasswordChar = '*'
}

Label

$label = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label -Property @{
    Location  = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 10)
    Size      = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(280, 20)
    Text      = 'Enter your name:'
    AutoSize  = $true
}

ComboBox (Dropdown)

$comboBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox -Property @{
    Location      = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 40)
    Size          = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200, 20)
    DropDownStyle = 'DropDownList'  # Read-only selection
}
$comboBox.Items.AddRange(@('Option 1', 'Option 2', 'Option 3'))
$comboBox.SelectedIndex = 0

ListBox

$listBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ListBox -Property @{
    Location      = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 70)
    Size          = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200, 100)
    SelectionMode = 'MultiExtended'  # Allow multiple selection with Ctrl/Shift
}
$listBox.Items.AddRange(@('Item 1', 'Item 2', 'Item 3'))

CheckBox

$checkBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox -Property @{
    Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 180)
    Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200, 20)
    Text     = 'Enable feature'
    Checked  = $true
}

RadioButton

$groupBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox -Property @{
    Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 210)
    Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200, 80)
    Text     = 'Select Option'
}

$radio1 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.RadioButton -Property @{
    Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 20)
    Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(150, 20)
    Text     = 'Option A'
    Checked  = $true
}

$radio2 = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.RadioButton -Property @{
    Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 45)
    Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(150, 20)
    Text     = 'Option B'
}

$groupBox.Controls.AddRange(@($radio1, $radio2))

DateTimePicker

$datePicker = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.DateTimePicker -Property @{
    Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 300)
    Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(200, 20)
    Format   = 'Short'
    Value    = Get-Date
}

MonthCalendar

$calendar = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.MonthCalendar -Property @{
    Location          = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 10)
    ShowTodayCircle   = $true
    MaxSelectionCount = 1
}
# Get selected date: $calendar.SelectionStart

ProgressBar

$progressBar = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ProgressBar -Property @{
    Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 330)
    Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(300, 20)
    Minimum  = 0
    Maximum  = 100
    Value    = 0
    Style    = 'Continuous'  # or 'Marquee' for indeterminate
}

DataGridView

$dataGrid = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.DataGridView -Property @{
    Location          = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 10)
    Size              = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(400, 200)
    AutoSizeColumnsMode = 'Fill'
    ReadOnly          = $true
    AllowUserToAddRows = $false
}

# Bind data
$data = Get-Process | Select-Object Name, CPU, WorkingSet -First 10
$dataGrid.DataSource = [System.Collections.ArrayList]@($data)

---

Layout Patterns

Anchoring (Resize Handling)

$textBox.Anchor = [System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles]::Top -bor
                  [System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles]::Left -bor
                  [System.Windows.Forms.AnchorStyles]::Right

# Anchors: Top, Bottom, Left, Right
# Combine with -bor for multiple anchors

Docking

$panel.Dock = [System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle]::Top  # Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Fill

TableLayoutPanel

$tableLayout = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel -Property @{
    Location    = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 10)
    Size        = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(380, 200)
    ColumnCount = 2
    RowCount    = 3
}
$tableLayout.ColumnStyles.Add((New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle('Percent', 30)))
$tableLayout.ColumnStyles.Add((New-Object System.Windows.Forms.ColumnStyle('Percent', 70)))

$tableLayout.Controls.Add($label, 0, 0)   # Column 0, Row 0
$tableLayout.Controls.Add($textBox, 1, 0) # Column 1, Row 0

---

Event Handling

Button Click

$button.Add_Click({
    [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show('Button clicked!', 'Info')
})

Form Events

$form.Add_Load({
    # Runs when form loads
    $textBox.Focus()
})

$form.Add_Shown({
    # Runs after form is displayed
    $textBox.Select()
})

$form.Add_FormClosing({
    param($sender, $e)
    $result = [System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox]::Show(
        'Are you sure?', 'Confirm', 'YesNo', 'Question'
    )
    if ($result -eq 'No') {
        $e.Cancel = $true
    }
})

TextBox Events

$textBox.Add_TextChanged({
    # Validate input as user types
    $button.Enabled = $textBox.Text.Length -gt 0
})

$textBox.Add_KeyDown({
    param($sender, $e)
    if ($e.KeyCode -eq 'Enter') {
        # Handle Enter key
    }
})

Timer for Background Updates

$timer = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Timer
$timer.Interval = 1000  # 1 second

$timer.Add_Tick({
    $label.Text = "Time: $(Get-Date -Format 'HH:mm:ss')"
})

$timer.Start()
# Don't forget: $timer.Stop() when done

---

WPF with XAML

Basic WPF Pattern

Add-Type -AssemblyName PresentationFramework

[xml]$xaml = @"
<Window xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        Title="WPF Application" Height="300" Width="400"
        WindowStartupLocation="CenterScreen">
    <Grid Margin="10">
        <Grid.RowDefinitions>
            <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
            <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
            <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
        </Grid.RowDefinitions>

        <Label Grid.Row="0" Content="Enter text:"/>
        <TextBox Grid.Row="1" x:Name="InputText" Margin="0,5"/>
        <StackPanel Grid.Row="2" Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Right">
            <Button x:Name="OKButton" Content="OK" Width="75" Margin="5"/>
            <Button x:Name="CancelButton" Content="Cancel" Width="75" Margin="5"/>
        </StackPanel>
    </Grid>
</Window>
"@

$reader = New-Object System.Xml.XmlNodeReader $xaml
$window = [Windows.Markup.XamlReader]::Load($reader)

# Get controls by name
$inputText = $window.FindName('InputText')
$okButton = $window.FindName('OKButton')
$cancelButton = $window.FindName('CancelButton')

# Add event handlers
$okButton.Add_Click({
    $script:result = $inputText.Text
    $window.DialogResult = $true
    $window.Close()
})

$cancelButton.Add_Click({
    $window.DialogResult = $false
    $window.Close()
})

# Show dialog
$null = $window.ShowDialog()

WPF Advantages over WinForms

• Better styling and theming
• Data binding support
• MVVM pattern compatibility
• Vector graphics support
• Modern controls (ribbon, etc.)

---

GUI Templates

Input Dialog Template

function Show-InputDialog {
    param(
        [string]$Title = 'Input',
        [string]$Prompt = 'Enter value:',
        [string]$DefaultValue = ''
    )

    Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
    Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing

    $form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form -Property @{
        Text            = $Title
        Size            = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(350, 150)
        StartPosition   = 'CenterScreen'
        FormBorderStyle = 'FixedDialog'
        MaximizeBox     = $false
        MinimizeBox     = $false
    }

    $label = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label -Property @{
        Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 15)
        Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(320, 20)
        Text     = $Prompt
    }

    $textBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox -Property @{
        Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10, 40)
        Size     = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(310, 20)
        Text     = $DefaultValue
    }

    $okButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button -Property @{
        Location     = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(160, 75)
        Size         = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(75, 23)
        Text         = 'OK'
        DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK
    }
    $form.AcceptButton = $okButton

    $cancelButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button -Property @{
        Location     = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(245, 75)
        Size         = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(75, 23)
        Text         = 'Cancel'
        DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::Cancel
    }
    $form.CancelButton = $cancelButton

    $form.Controls.AddRange(@($label, $textBox, $okButton, $cancelButton))
    $form.Add_Shown({ $textBox.Select() })

    if ($form.ShowDialog() -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK) {
        return $textBox.Text
    }
    return $null
}

File Browser Template

function Show-FileBrowser {
    param(
        [string]$Title = 'Select File',
        [string]$Filter = 'All files (*.*)|*.*',
        [string]$InitialDirectory = [Environment]::GetFolderPath('Desktop'),
        [switch]$MultiSelect
    )

    Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

    $dialog = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.OpenFileDialog -Property @{
        Title            = $Title
        Filter           = $Filter
        InitialDirectory = $InitialDirectory
        Multiselect      = $MultiSelect
    }

    if ($dialog.ShowDialog() -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK) {
        if ($MultiSelect) {
            return $dialog.FileNames
        }
        return $dialog.FileName
    }
    return $null
}

# Usage
$file = Show-FileBrowser -Title 'Select Script' -Filter 'PowerShell (*.ps1)|*.ps1|All (*.*)|*.*'

Folder Browser Template

function Show-FolderBrowser {
    param(
        [string]$Description = 'Select folder',
        [string]$RootFolder = 'Desktop'
    )

    Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

    $dialog = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog -Property @{
        Description = $Description
        RootFolder  = $RootFolder
    }

    if ($dialog.ShowDialog() -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK) {
        return $dialog.SelectedPath
    }
    return $null
}

PowerShellGet & Gallery Reference

Table of Contents

1. Overview 2. Setup 3. Finding Modules 4. Installing Modules 5. Managing Modules 6. Publishing Modules

---

Overview

PowerShell Gallery (https://www.powershellgallery.com) is the central repository for PowerShell modules, scripts, and DSC resources.

PSResourceGet (Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet) is the modern replacement for PowerShellGet:

• Ships with PowerShell 7.4+
• Faster and more reliable than legacy PowerShellGet
• Uses *-PSResource cmdlet naming

Legacy vs Modern Cmdlets

---

Setup

Check Installed Version

Get-Module -Name PowerShellGet -ListAvailable
Get-Module -Name Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet -ListAvailable

Install/Update PSResourceGet

# Install modern PSResourceGet
Install-Module -Name Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet -Force

# Or update if already installed
Update-Module -Name Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet

Configure Repository

# View registered repositories
Get-PSResourceRepository

# Register PSGallery if not present
Register-PSResourceRepository -PSGallery

# Set repository priority (lower = higher priority)
Set-PSResourceRepository -Name PSGallery -Priority 50

---

Finding Modules

Basic Search

# Search by name
Find-PSResource -Name 'Az.Compute'

# Search with wildcards
Find-PSResource -Name 'Az.*'

# Search by tag
Find-PSResource -Tag 'Azure', 'Cloud'

Find-PSResource Parameters

Version Range Syntax (NuGet)

Search Examples

# Find all versions
Find-PSResource -Name 'Pester' -Version '*'

# Find specific version range
Find-PSResource -Name 'Az' -Version '[5.0,7.0)' -Prerelease

# Find by command name
Find-PSResource -CommandName 'Invoke-RestMethod'

# Find DSC resources
Find-PSResource -DscResourceName 'File' -Repository PSGallery

# Include dependencies
Find-PSResource -Name 'Az.Accounts' -IncludeDependencies

---

Installing Modules

Basic Installation

# Install latest stable
Install-PSResource -Name 'Az.Compute'

# Install specific version
Install-PSResource -Name 'Pester' -Version '5.0.0'

# Install prerelease
Install-PSResource -Name 'Az' -Prerelease

# Install for current user only
Install-PSResource -Name 'PSReadLine' -Scope CurrentUser

# Install for all users (requires admin)
Install-PSResource -Name 'PSReadLine' -Scope AllUsers

Install-PSResource Parameters

Trusted Repository

# Trust PSGallery to avoid prompts
Set-PSResourceRepository -Name PSGallery -Trusted

# Or use -TrustRepository per install
Install-PSResource -Name 'Module' -TrustRepository

---

Managing Modules

List Installed Modules

# All installed
Get-InstalledPSResource

# Filter by name
Get-InstalledPSResource -Name 'Az.*'

# Specific version
Get-InstalledPSResource -Name 'Pester' -Version '5.0.0'

Update Modules

# Update specific module
Update-PSResource -Name 'Az.Compute'

# Update all
Update-PSResource -Name '*'

# Include prerelease updates
Update-PSResource -Name 'Module' -Prerelease

Uninstall Modules

# Uninstall specific version
Uninstall-PSResource -Name 'Pester' -Version '4.0.0'

# Uninstall all versions
Uninstall-PSResource -Name 'Pester' -Version '*'

# Skip dependency check
Uninstall-PSResource -Name 'Module' -SkipDependencyCheck

Save Modules (Download without install)

# Save to path for offline use
Save-PSResource -Name 'Az.Compute' -Path 'C:\OfflineModules'

# Include dependencies
Save-PSResource -Name 'Az' -Path 'C:\OfflineModules' -IncludeXml

---

Publishing Modules

Prepare Module

# Module manifest requirements
@{
    RootModule        = 'MyModule.psm1'
    ModuleVersion     = '1.0.0'
    GUID              = 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx'
    Author            = 'Your Name'
    Description       = 'Module description'
    PowerShellVersion = '5.1'
    FunctionsToExport = @('Get-MyFunction', 'Set-MyFunction')
    Tags              = @('Utility', 'Automation')
    LicenseUri        = 'https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT'
    ProjectUri        = 'https://github.com/user/project'
}

Publish

# Get API key from https://www.powershellgallery.com/account/apikeys
$apiKey = 'your-api-key'

# Publish module
Publish-PSResource -Path './MyModule' -ApiKey $apiKey -Repository PSGallery

# Dry run (validate without publishing)
Publish-PSResource -Path './MyModule' -ApiKey $apiKey -WhatIf

---

Common Patterns

Install if Missing

function Ensure-Module {
    param([string]$Name, [string]$MinVersion)

    $installed = Get-InstalledPSResource -Name $Name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

    if (-not $installed -or ($MinVersion -and $installed.Version -lt $MinVersion)) {
        Install-PSResource -Name $Name -Scope CurrentUser -TrustRepository
    }

    Import-Module $Name
}

Ensure-Module -Name 'Az.Compute' -MinVersion '5.0.0'

Bulk Install from List

$modules = @(
    @{ Name = 'Pester'; Version = '5.0.0' }
    @{ Name = 'PSReadLine' }
    @{ Name = 'Az.Accounts' }
)

foreach ($mod in $modules) {
    $params = @{
        Name            = $mod.Name
        Scope           = 'CurrentUser'
        TrustRepository = $true
    }
    if ($mod.Version) { $params.Version = $mod.Version }

    Install-PSResource @params
}

Search Gallery for Popular Modules

# Find most downloaded modules (sort by download count not available via cmdlet)
# Use web API or browse powershellgallery.com/stats/packages

# Find recently updated
Find-PSResource -Name '*' -Repository PSGallery |
    Sort-Object PublishedDate -Descending |
    Select-Object -First 20

---

Useful Links

• PowerShell Gallery: https://www.powershellgallery.com
• Gallery Status: https://aka.ms/psgallery-status
• Gallery Issues: https://aka.ms/psgallery-issues
• Module Browser: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/
• PSResourceGet Docs: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.psresourceget/