Above all else, the design of Windows PowerShell places priority on its use as an efficient and powerful interactive shell. Even its scripting language plays a critical role in this effort, as it too heavily favors interactive use.
What surprises most people when they first launch PowerShell is its similarity to the command prompt that has long existed as part of Windows. Familiar tools continue to run. Familiar commands continue to run. Even familiar hotkeys are the same. Supporting this familiar user interface, though, is a powerful engine that lets you accomplish once cumbersome administrative and scripting tasks with ease.
These help topics introduces PowerShell from the perspective of its interactive shell.
Help Category:
- How to Run Programs, Scripts, and Existing Tools in Windows PowerShell
- Run a PowerShell Command in Windows PowerShell
- How to Customize Windows Shell, Profile, and Prompt
- Find a Windows PowerShell Command to Accomplish a Task
- Get Windows PowerShell Help on a Command
- Program: Search Help for Text in Windows PowerShell
- Invoke a PowerShell Script From Outside PowerShell
- Program: Retain Changes to Environment Variables Set by a Batch File in Windows PowerShell
- How to Get the System Date and Time in Windows PowerShell
- Determine the Status of the Last Windows PowerShell Command
- Measure the Duration of a Windows PowerShell Command Problem
- Customize the Windows Shell to Improve Your Productivity
- Program: Learn Aliases for Common Windows Shell Commands
- Access and Manage Your Console History in Windows PowerShell
- Store the Output of a Windows PowerShell Command into a File
- Add Information to the End of a File in Windows PowerShell
- How to Record a Transcript of Your in Windows PowerShell Session
- Display the Properties of an Item As a List in Windows PowerShell
- Display the Properties of an Item As a Table in Windows PowerShell
- Manage the Error Output of Windows PowerShell Commands
- Windows PowerShell Configure Debug, Verbose, and Progress Output
- Extend Your Windows PowerShell with Additional Snapins
- Use Console Files to Load and Save Sets of Snapins in Windows PowerShell
- Pipelines in Windows PowerShell
- Filter Items in a List or Windows PowerShell Command Output
- Program: Simplify Most Where-Object Filters in Windows PowerShell
- Program: Interactively Filter Lists of Objects in Windows PowerShell
- Work with Each Item in a List or Windows PowerShell Command Output
- Automate Windows PowerShell Data-Intensive Tasks
- Variables and Objects in Windows PowerShell
- Store Information in Variables in Windows PowerShell
- Access Arguments of a Script, Function, or Script Block in Windows PowerShell
- Access Elements of an Array
- Access Environment Variables in Windows PowerShell
- Access Event Logs of a Remote Machine in Windows PowerShell
- Access Features of the Host’s User Interface
- Access Information About Your Command’s Invocation
- Access Information in an XML File
- Access Pipeline Input in Windows PowerShell
- Access Services on a Windows PowerShell Remote Machine
- Access User and Machine Certificates
- Access Windows Management Instrumentation Data
- Access Windows Performance Counters
- Access a .NET SDK Library
- Add Custom Methods and Properties to Objects
- Add Custom Methods and Properties to Types
- Add PowerShell Scripting to Your Own Program
- Add a PowerShell User to a Security or Distribution Group
- Add a Site to an Internet Explorer Security Zone
- Adjust Script Flow Using Conditional Statements in Windows PowerShell
- Assign a Static IP Address in Windows PowerShell
- Automate Programs Using COM Scripting Interfaces Problem
- Automate Wizard-Guided Tasks
- Back Up an Event Log
- Calculations and Math in Windows PowerShell
- Clear or Remove a File from PowerShell
- Collect Detailed Traces of a Script or Command
- Combine Two Arrays
- Compare the Output of Two Commands
- Comparing Datain Windows PowerShell
- Control Access and Scope of Variables and Other Items in Windows PowerShell
- Convert Numbers Between Bases in Windows PowerShell
- Convert a String to Upper/Lowercase in Windows PowerShell
- Convert a VBScript WMI Script to PowerShell
- Create Your Own PowerShell Cmdlet
- Create a Directory in PowerShell
- Create a Hashtable or Associative Array
- Create a Jagged or Multidimensional Array
- Create a Multiline or Formatted String in Windows PowerShell
- Create a Registry Key Value
- Create a Security or Distribution Group in Windows PowerShell
- Create a String in PowerShell
- Create a Temporary File in Windows PowerShell
- Create a User Account in PowerShell
- Create an Array or List of Items
- Create an Instance of a .NET Object
- Create an Organizational Unit in Windows PowerShell
- Create or Remove an Event Log
- Debug a Script in Windows PowerShell
- Determine Whether a Hotfix Is Installed in Windows PowerShell
- Determine Whether an Array Contains an Item
- Determine the Current Location
- Determine the Differences Between Two Files
- Discover Registry Settings for Programs in Windows PowerShell
- Display Messages and Output to the User in PowerShell
- Download a File from the Internet
- Download a Web Page from the Internet
- Easily Import and Export Your Structured Data
- Enable PowerShell Scripting Through an Execution Policy
- Enable or Disable Rules
- Enable or Disable the Windows Firewall
- Environmental Awareness in Windows PowerShell
- Event Logs in Windows PowerShell
- Experiment with Exchange Management Shell
- Experiment with the Command Shell
- Extend the Reach of Windows PowerShell
- Files and Directories of Windows PowerShell
- Find All Files Modified Before a Certain Date
- Find Event Log Entries by Their Frequency
- Find Event Log Entries with Specific Text
- Find Files That Match a Pattern in PowerShell
- Find Items in an Array Greater or Less Than a Value
- Find Items in an Array That Match a Value
- Find Your Script’s Location in PowerShell
- Find Your Script’s Name in PowerShell
- Find the Location of Common System Paths in PowerShell
- Find the Owner of a Group in Windows PowerShell
- Get Detailed Documentation About Types and Objects in .NET Framework
- Get and List the Properties of a Computer Account
- Get and List the Properties of a PowerShell User Account
- Get the ACL of a File or Directory in PowerShell
- Get the ACL of a Registry Key
- Get the Children of an Active Directory Container in PowerShell
- Get the Content of a File in Windows PowerShell
- Get the Current Location in Windows PowerShell
- Get the Files in a Directory in Windows PowerShell
- Get the Newest Entries from an Event Log
- Get the Properties of a Group in Windows PowerShell
- Get the Properties of an Organizational Unit from Windows PowerShell
- Get, Install, and Uninstall Management Packs
- Handle Warnings, Errors, and Terminating Errors
- How to Format a Date for Output in Windows PowerShell
- How to Parse and Manage Text-Based Logfiles in Windows PowerShell
- How to Search a File for Text or a Pattern in Windows PowerShell
- How to Search and Replace Text in a File in Windows PowerShell
- Import Structured Data from a CSV File
- Interact with PowerShell’s Global Environment
- Internet-Enabled Scripts
- Launch a Windows PowerShell Process
- Learn About Types and Objects
- List All Event Logs
- List All IP Addresses for a Computer
- List All Running PowerShell Services
- List Currently Running Windows PowerShell Processes
- List Network Adapter Properties
- List a Windows PowerShell User’s Group Membership
- List and Start Tasks
- List the Members of a Group in Windows PowerShell
- List the PowerShell Users in an Organizational Unit
- Make Decisions with Comparison and Logical Operators in Windows PowerShell
- Manage Alerts
- Manage Distribution Groups
- Manage Exchange Users
- Manage Files That Include Special Characters in PowerShell
- Manage Large Conditional Statements with Switches in Windows PowerShell
- Manage Mailboxes
- Manage Operations Manager Agents
- Manage Outlook Web Access
- Manage PowerShell Security in an Enterprise
- Manage Printers and Print Queues
- Manage Scheduled Tasks on a Computer
- Manage Transport Rules
- Manage a Running PowerShell Service
- Manage an Exchange 2007 Server
- Manage and Change the Attributes of a File
- Measure Statistical Properties of a List in Windows PowerShell
- Modify Internet Explorer Settings
- Modify PowerShell Properties of a Security or Distribution Group
- Modify Properties of a Windows PowerShell User Account
- Modify Properties of an Organizational Unit in PowerShell
- Modify or Remove a Registry Key Value
- Monitor a File for Changes
- Move a File or Directory in PowerShell
- Navigate the Registry
- Open or Close Ports in the Windows Firewall
- Output Warnings, Errors, and Terminating Errors in PowerShell
- Parse and Manage Binary Files in Windows PowerShell
- Perform Complex Arithmetic in Windows PowerShell
- Perform Simple Arithmetic in Windows PowerShell
- Place Common Functions in a Library in Windows PowerShell
- Place Formatted Information in a String in Windows PowerShell
- Place Special Characters in a String in PowerShell
- Prevent a String from Including Dynamic Information in Windows PowerShell
- Program: Add Extended File Properties to Files in PowerShell
- Program: Add Inline C# to Your PowerShell Script
- Program: Add a Graphical User Interface to Your Script
- Program: Analyze a Script’s Performance Profile
- Program: Convert Text Streams to Objects in Windows PowerShell
- Program: Create Instances of Generic Objects .NET Framework
- Program: Create a Filesystem Hard Link
- Program: Create a Self-Signed Certificate in PowerShell
- Program: Create a ZIP Archive
- Program: Determine Properties Available to WMI Filters
- Program: Display a Menu to the User
- Program: Get Disk Usage Information
- Program: Get Properties of Remote Registry Keys
- Program: Get Registry Items from Remote Machines
- Program: Get the MD5 or SHA1 Hash of a File
- Program: Get-PageUrls
- Program: Import PowerShell Users in Bulk to Active Directory
- Program: Investigate the InvocationInfo Variable
- Program: Invoke Native Windows API Calls
- Program: Invoke a PowerShell Expression on a Remote Machine
- Program: Invoke a Script Block with Alternate Culture Settings
- Program: List All Installed Software in PowerShell
- Program: List Logon or Logoff Scripts for a Windows PowerShell User
- Program: List Startup or Shutdown Scripts for a Machine
- Program: Query a SQL Data Source
- Program: Search for WMI Classes
- Program: Search the Certificate Store
- Program: Search the Windows Registry
- Program: Search the Windows Start Menu in PowerShell
- Program: Send an Email in Windows PowerShell
- Program: Set Properties of Remote Registry Keys
- Program: Start a Process As Another User in PowerShell
- Program: Summarize System Information in Windows PowerShell
- Provide Progress Updates on Long-Running Tasks in PowerShell
- Read a Key of User Input in Windows PowerShell
- Read a Line of User Input in Windows PowerShell
- Reduce Typing for Long Class Names
- Remove Elements from an Array
- Remove a File or Directory in PowerShell
- Remove a Registry Key
- Remove a Windows PowerShell User from a Security or Distribution Group
- Rename a File or Directory in PowerShell
- Renew a DHCP Lease
- Replace Text in a String in Windows PowerShell
- Retrieve Printer Information
- Retrieve Printer Queue Statistics
- Retrieve a Specific Event Log Entry
- Return Data from a Script, Function, or Script Block in Windows PowerShell
- Safely Build File Paths Out of Their Components
- Schedule a Maintenance Window
- Search a String for Text or a Pattern in Windows PowerShell
- Search for a Computer Account
- Search for a Security or Distribution Group in PowerShell
- Search for a Windows PowerShell User Account
- Securely Handle Sensitive Information in Windows PowerShell
- Securely Request Usernames and Passwords in PowerShell
- Securely Store Credentials on Disk in Windows PowerShell
- Security and Script Signing of Windows PowerShell
- Set the ACL of a File or Directory in PowerShell
- Set the ACL of a Registry Key
- Sign a PowerShell Script or Formatting File
- Sort a Hashtable by Key or Value in Windows PowerShell
- Sort an Array or List of Items
- Stop a Windows PowerShell Process
- Store the Output of a Command in a CSV File
- Structured Files in Windows PowerShell
- Test Active Directory Scripts on a Local Installation
- The Windows Registry
- Tracing and Error Management in Windows PowerShell
- Trim a String in Windows PowerShell
- Uninstall an Application from PowerShell
- Use .NET to Perform Advanced WMI Tasks
- Use Excel to Manage Command Output
- Use a COM Object
- Verify Integrity of File Sets
- Verify the Digital Signature of a PowerShell Script
- View a Registry Key
- View and Modify Environment Variables in PowerShell
- View the Errors Generated by a Command
- Visit Each Element of an Array
- Windows PowerShell Active Directory
- Windows PowerShell Enterprise Computer Management
- Windows PowerShell Processes
- Windows PowerShell System Services
- Windows PowerShell User Interaction
- Work with .NET Objects
- Work with Numbers As Binary in Windows PowerShell
- Work with the Registry of a Remote Computer
- Write Culture-Aware Scripts in PowerShell
- Write Pipeline-Oriented Scripts with Cmdlet Keywords
- Write a Function in Windows PowerShell
- Write a Pipeline-Oriented Function in Windows PowerShell
- Write a Script Block in Windows PowerShell
- Write a Script in PowerShell
- Write to an Event Log in Windows PowerShell
