Problem
You want to automate a program or system task through its COM automation interface.
Solution
To instantiate and work with COM objects, use the NewObject cmdlet’s –ComObject parameter.
$shell = NewObject ComObject "Shell.Application" $shell.Windows() | FormatTable LocationName,LocationUrl
Discussion
Like WMI, COM automation interfaces have long been a standard tool for scripting and system administration. When an application exposes management or automation tasks, COM objects are the second most common interface (right after custom commandline tools).
PowerShell exposes COM objects like it exposes most other management objects in the system. Once you have access to a COM object, you work with its properties and methods in the same way that you work with methods and properties of other objects in PowerShell.
In addition to automation tasks, many COM objects exist entirely to improve the scripting experience in languages such as VBScript. One example of this is working with files, or sorting an array.
One thing to remember when working with these COM objects is that PowerShell often provides better alternatives to them! In many cases, PowerShell’s cmdlets, scripting language, or access to the .NET Framework provide the same or similar functionality to a COM object that you might be used to.
