Windows PowerShell Cookbook

Larger Cover

for Windows, Exchange 2007, and MOM V3

By Lee Holmes

Publisher: O'Reilly Media

Final Release Date: October 2007

Pages: 592

This Cookbook by Windows PowerShell team developer Lee Holmes provides hundreds of tested scripts that you can use right away to get Microsoft's new tool working for you. More than 150 recipes, combined with a concise task-based introduction to the Windows PowerShell scripting language and environment, make it the perfect look-up guide when you encounter a thorny problem, or need a quick solution. The ideal companion to any tutorial or reference, this book meets the needs of system administrators at any level.

Microsoft has revolutionized the world of system management and command-line shells with its release of Windows PowerShell, and Lee Holmes gives you practical tools and inside advice that will make you a more productive user and administrator. You will be able to solve everything from automating routine tasks, working with files, event logs and other forms of structured data, to managing the users and resources of complex Windows networks. Each recipe includes a focused piece of code plus discussion of how and why it works, so that you can apply the solution to similar tasks.

You get an array of recipes covering PowerShell fundamentals, common tasks, and administrator tasks, including:

Pipelines, variables, objects, looping and flow control, strings and unstructured text, calculations and math

Simple files; structured files; Internet-enabled scripts; code reuse; lists, arrays and hashtables; user feedback; error management; environmental awareness; script signing; and more

Files and directories, registry manipulation, comparing data, event logs, process cmdlets, service cmdlets, Active Directory, enterprise computer management, and more

Those who administer Microsoft's Exchange 2007 and System Center Operations Manager (formerly MOM) will also benefit from this book, with separate chapters devoted to these servers. All Windows administrators will appreciate the appendices that include a PowerShell language quick reference, and a reference to the .NET, WMI and COM objects that PowerShell scripters will use often.

With working scripts, tutorials, and references all in one volume, Windows PowerShell Cookbook will turbocharge the productivity of any Windows administrator.

Tour
1. A Guided Tour of Windows PowerShell
  1. Introduction
  2. An Interactive Shell
  3. Structured Commands (Cmdlets)
  4. Deep Integration of Objects
  5. Administrators As First-Class Users
  6. Composable Commands
  7. Techniques to Protect You from Yourself
  8. Common Discovery Commands
  9. Ubiquitous Scripting
  10. Ad Hoc Development
  11. Bridging Technologies
  12. Namespace Navigation Through Providers
  13. Much, Much More
Fundamentals
1. Chapter 1 The Windows PowerShell Interactive Shell
  1. Introduction
  2. Run Programs, Scripts, and Existing Tools
  3. Run a PowerShell Command
  4. Customize Your Shell, Profile, and Prompt
  5. Find a Command to Accomplish a Task
  6. Get Help on a Command
  7. Program: Search Help for Text
  8. Invoke a PowerShell Script From Outside PowerShell
  9. Program: Retain Changes to Environment Variables Set by a Batch File
  10. Get the System Date and Time
  11. Determine the Status of the Last Command
  12. Measure the Duration of a Command
  13. Customize the Shell to Improve Your Productivity
  14. Program: Learn Aliases for Common Commands
  15. Access and Manage Your Console History
  16. Store the Output of a Command into a File
  17. Add Information to the End of a File
  18. Record a Transcript of Your Shell Session
  19. Display the Properties of an Item As a List
  20. Display the Properties of an Item As a Table
  21. Manage the Error Output of Commands
  22. Configure Debug, Verbose, and Progress Output
  23. Extend Your Shell with Additional Snapins
  24. Use Console Files to Load and Save Sets of Snapins
2. Chapter 2 Pipelines
  1. Introduction
  2. Filter Items in a List or Command Output
  3. Program: Simplify Most Where-Object Filters
  4. Program: Interactively Filter Lists of Objects
  5. Work with Each Item in a List or Command Output
  6. Automate Data-Intensive Tasks
3. Chapter 3 Variables and Objects
  1. Introduction
  2. Store Information in Variables
  3. Access Environment Variables
  4. Control Access and Scope of Variables and Other Items
  5. Work with .NET Objects
  6. Create an Instance of a .NET Object
  7. Program: Create Instances of Generic Objects
  8. Reduce Typing for Long Class Names
  9. Use a COM Object
  10. Learn About Types and Objects
  11. Get Detailed Documentation About Types and Objects
  12. Add Custom Methods and Properties to Objects
  13. Add Custom Methods and Properties to Types
4. Chapter 4 Looping and Flow Control
  1. Introduction
  2. Make Decisions with Comparison and Logical Operators
  3. Adjust Script Flow Using Conditional Statements
  4. Manage Large Conditional Statements with Switches
  5. Repeat Operations with Loops
  6. Add a Pause or Delay
5. Chapter 5 Strings and Unstructured Text
  1. Introduction
  2. Create a String
  3. Create a Multiline or Formatted String
  4. Place Special Characters in a String
  5. Insert Dynamic Information in a String
  6. Prevent a String from Including Dynamic Information
  7. Place Formatted Information in a String
  8. Search a String for Text or a Pattern
  9. Replace Text in a String
  10. Convert a String to Upper/Lowercase
  11. Trim a String
  12. Format a Date for Output
  13. Program: Convert Text Streams to Objects
  14. Generate Large Reports and Text Streams
6. Chapter 6 Calculations and Math
  1. Introduction
  2. Perform Simple Arithmetic
  3. Perform Complex Arithmetic
  4. Measure Statistical Properties of a List
  5. Work with Numbers As Binary
  6. Simplify Math with Administrative Constants
  7. Convert Numbers Between Bases
Common Tasks
1. Chapter 7 Simple Files
  1. Introduction
  2. Get the Content of a File
  3. Search a File for Text or a Pattern
  4. Parse and Manage Text-Based Logfiles
  5. Parse and Manage Binary Files
  6. Create a Temporary File
  7. Search and Replace Text in a File
2. Chapter 8 Structured Files
  1. Introduction
  2. Access Information in an XML File
  3. Perform an XPath Query Against an XML File
  4. Modify Data in an XML File
  5. Easily Import and Export Your Structured Data
  6. Store the Output of a Command in a CSV File
  7. Import Structured Data from a CSV File
  8. Use Excel to Manage Command Output
3. Chapter 9 Internet-Enabled Scripts
  1. Introduction
  2. Download a File from the Internet
  3. Download a Web Page from the Internet
  4. Program: Get-PageUrls
  5. Program: Connect-WebService
  6. Export Command Output As a Web Page
  7. Program: Send an Email
  8. Program: Interact with Internet Protocols
4. Chapter 10 Code Reuse
  1. Introduction
  2. Write a Script
  3. Write a Function
  4. Write a Script Block
  5. Return Data from a Script, Function, or Script Block
  6. Place Common Functions in a Library
  7. Access Arguments of a Script, Function, or Script Block
  8. Access Pipeline Input
  9. Write Pipeline-Oriented Scripts with Cmdlet Keywords
  10. Write a Pipeline-Oriented Function
5. Chapter 11 Lists, Arrays, and Hashtables
  1. Introduction
  2. Create an Array or List of Items
  3. Create a Jagged or Multidimensional Array
  4. Access Elements of an Array
  5. Visit Each Element of an Array
  6. Sort an Array or List of Items
  7. Determine Whether an Array Contains an Item
  8. Combine Two Arrays
  9. Find Items in an Array That Match a Value
  10. Remove Elements from an Array
  11. Find Items in an Array Greater or Less Than a Value
  12. Use the ArrayList Class for Advanced Array Tasks
  13. Create a Hashtable or Associative Array
  14. Sort a Hashtable by Key or Value
6. Chapter 12 User Interaction
  1. Introduction
  2. Read a Line of User Input
  3. Read a Key of User Input
  4. Program: Display a Menu to the User
  5. Display Messages and Output to the User
  6. Provide Progress Updates on Long-Running Tasks
  7. Write Culture-Aware Scripts
  8. Program: Invoke a Script Block with Alternate Culture Settings
  9. Access Features of the Host's User Interface
  10. Program: Add a Graphical User Interface to Your Script
7. Chapter 13 Tracing and Error Management
  1. Introduction
  2. View the Errors Generated by a Command
  3. Handle Warnings, Errors, and Terminating Errors
  4. Output Warnings, Errors, and Terminating Errors
  5. Debug a Script
  6. Collect Detailed Traces of a Script or Command
  7. Program: Analyze a Script's Performance Profile
8. Chapter 14 Environmental Awareness
  1. Introduction
  2. View and Modify Environment Variables
  3. Access Information About Your Command's Invocation
  4. Program: Investigate the InvocationInfo Variable
  5. Find Your Script's Name
  6. Find Your Script's Location
  7. Find the Location of Common System Paths
  8. Program: Search the Windows Start Menu
  9. Get the Current Location
  10. Safely Build File Paths Out of Their Components
  11. Interact with PowerShell's Global Environment
9. Chapter 15 Extend the Reach of Windows PowerShell
  1. Introduction
  2. Access Windows Management Instrumentation Data
  3. Program: Determine Properties Available to WMI Filters
  4. Program: Search for WMI Classes
  5. Use .NET to Perform Advanced WMI Tasks
  6. Convert a VBScript WMI Script to PowerShell
  7. Automate Programs Using COM Scripting Interfaces
  8. Program: Query a SQL Data Source
  9. Access Windows Performance Counters
  10. Program: Invoke Native Windows API Calls
  11. Program: Add Inline C# to Your PowerShell Script
  12. Access a .NET SDK Library
  13. Create Your Own PowerShell Cmdlet
  14. Add PowerShell Scripting to Your Own Program
10. Chapter 16 Security and Script Signing
  1. Introduction
  2. Enable Scripting Through an Execution Policy
  3. Sign a PowerShell Script or Formatting File
  4. Program: Create a Self-Signed Certificate
  5. Manage PowerShell Security in an Enterprise
  6. Verify the Digital Signature of a PowerShell Script
  7. Securely Handle Sensitive Information
  8. Securely Request Usernames and Passwords
  9. Program: Start a Process As Another User
  10. Securely Store Credentials on Disk
  11. Access User and Machine Certificates
  12. Program: Search the Certificate Store
Administrator Tasks
1. Chapter 17 Files and Directories
  1. Introduction
  2. Find All Files Modified Before a Certain Date
  3. Clear or Remove a File
  4. Manage and Change the Attributes of a File
  5. Get the Files in a Directory
  6. Find Files That Match a Pattern
  7. Manage Files That Include Special Characters
  8. Program: Get Disk Usage Information
  9. Determine the Current Location
  10. Monitor a File for Changes
  11. Program: Get the MD5 or SHA1 Hash of a File
  12. Create a Directory
  13. Remove a File or Directory
  14. Rename a File or Directory
  15. Move a File or Directory
  16. Get the ACL of a File or Directory
  17. Set the ACL of a File or Directory
  18. Program: Add Extended File Properties to Files
  19. Program: Create a Filesystem Hard Link
  20. Program: Create a ZIP Archive
2. Chapter 18 The Windows Registry
  1. Introduction
  2. Navigate the Registry
  3. View a Registry Key
  4. Modify or Remove a Registry Key Value
  5. Create a Registry Key Value
  6. Remove a Registry Key
  7. Add a Site to an Internet Explorer Security Zone
  8. Modify Internet Explorer Settings
  9. Program: Search the Windows Registry
  10. Get the ACL of a Registry Key
  11. Set the ACL of a Registry Key
  12. Work with the Registry of a Remote Computer
  13. Program: Get Registry Items from Remote Machines
  14. Program: Get Properties of Remote Registry Keys
  15. Program: Set Properties of Remote Registry Keys
  16. Discover Registry Settings for Programs
3. Chapter 19 Comparing Data
  1. Introduction
  2. Compare the Output of Two Commands
  3. Determine the Differences Between Two Files
  4. Verify Integrity of File Sets
4. Chapter 20 Event Logs
  1. Introduction
  2. List All Event Logs
  3. Get the Newest Entries from an Event Log
  4. Find Event Log Entries with Specific Text
  5. Retrieve a Specific Event Log Entry
  6. Find Event Log Entries by Their Frequency
  7. Back Up an Event Log
  8. Create or Remove an Event Log
  9. Write to an Event Log
  10. Access Event Logs of a Remote Machine
5. Chapter 21 Processes
  1. Introduction
  2. List Currently Running Processes
  3. Launch a Process
  4. Stop a Process
  5. Program: Invoke a PowerShell Expression on a Remote Machine
6. Chapter 22 System Services
  1. Introduction
  2. List All Running Services
  3. Manage a Running Service
  4. Access Services on a Remote Machine
7. Chapter 23 Active Directory
  1. Introduction
  2. Test Active Directory Scripts on a Local Installation
  3. Create an Organizational Unit
  4. Get the Properties of an Organizational Unit
  5. Modify Properties of an Organizational Unit
  6. Get the Children of an Active Directory Container
  7. Create a User Account
  8. Search for a User Account
  9. Get and List the Properties of a User Account
  10. Modify Properties of a User Account
  11. Create a Security or Distribution Group
  12. Search for a Security or Distribution Group
  13. Get the Properties of a Group
  14. Find the Owner of a Group
  15. Modify Properties of a Security or Distribution Group
  16. Add a User to a Security or Distribution Group
  17. Remove a User from a Security or Distribution Group
  18. List a User's Group Membership
  19. List the Members of a Group
  20. List the Users in an Organizational Unit
  21. Search for a Computer Account
  22. Get and List the Properties of a Computer Account
8. Chapter 24 Enterprise Computer Management
  1. Introduction
  2. Program: List Logon or Logoff Scripts for a User
  3. Program: List Startup or Shutdown Scripts for a Machine
  4. Enable or Disable the Windows Firewall
  5. Open or Close Ports in the Windows Firewall
  6. Program: List All Installed Software
  7. Uninstall an Application
  8. Manage Scheduled Tasks on a Computer
  9. Retrieve Printer Information
  10. Retrieve Printer Queue Statistics
  11. Manage Printers and Print Queues
  12. Determine Whether a Hotfix Is Installed
  13. Program: Summarize System Information
  14. Renew a DHCP Lease
  15. Assign a Static IP Address
  16. List All IP Addresses for a Computer
  17. List Network Adapter Properties
9. Chapter 25 Manage an Exchange 2007 Server
  1. Introduction
  2. Experiment with Exchange Management Shell
  3. Automate Wizard-Guided Tasks
  4. Manage Exchange Users
  5. Manage Mailboxes
  6. Manage Distribution Groups
  7. Manage Transport Rules
  8. Manage Outlook Web Access
10. Chapter 26 Manage an Operations Manager 2007 Server
  1. Introduction
  2. Experiment with the Command Shell
  3. Manage Operations Manager Agents
  4. Schedule a Maintenance Window
  5. Get, Install, and Uninstall Management Packs
  6. Enable or Disable Rules
  7. List and Start Tasks
  8. Manage Alerts
References
1. Appendix PowerShell Language and Environment
  1. Commands and Expressions
  2. Comments
  3. Variables
  4. Booleans
  5. Strings
  6. Numbers
  7. Arrays and Lists
  8. Hashtables (Associative Arrays)
  9. XML
  10. Simple Operators
  11. Comparison Operators
  12. Conditional Statements
  13. Looping Statements
  14. Working with the .NET Framework
  15. Writing Scripts, Reusing Functionality
  16. Managing Errors
  17. Formatting Output
  18. Capturing Output
  19. Tracing and Debugging
  20. Common Customization Points
2. Appendix Regular Expression Reference
3. Appendix PowerShell Automatic Variables
4. Appendix Standard PowerShell Verbs
5. Appendix Selected .NET Classes and Their Uses
6. Appendix WMI Reference
7. Appendix Selected COM Objects and Their Uses
8. Appendix .NET String Formatting
  1. String Formatting Syntax
  2. Standard Numeric Format Strings
  3. Custom Numeric Format Strings
9. Appendix .NET DateTime Formatting
  1. Custom DateTime Format Strings

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Title:

Windows PowerShell Cookbook

By:

Lee Holmes

Publisher:

O'Reilly Media

Formats:

Print
Ebook
Safari Books Online

Print:

October 2007

Ebook:

December 2008

Pages:

592

Print ISBN:

978-0-596-52849-2

| ISBN 10:

0-596-52849-3

Ebook ISBN:

978-0-596-15857-6

| ISBN 10:

0-596-15857-2

Table of Contents

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About the Author

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3/9/2009

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Jump start for Pros

By Harry

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Windows PowerShell Cookbook:

A definitive jump start for IT Pros.

I have background with vbscript, c# and this book helped me NOT to through a powershell tutorial..really a jump start/on the job.

Thanks to the author.

3/28/2008

(2 of 3 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Currently a must-have PowerShell book.

By Anonymous

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Windows PowerShell Cookbook:

...worth it for the appendicies alone, this is the definitive reference for PowerShell 1.0. There are a few other good books, but this is the one you'll keep coming back to.

Take a look at the official PowerShell blog...the architect of the language has a "Tower of Power" of all the PowerShell books in the marketplace. Well, he forgot one book in his photo, because it was on his desk...with tons of post-its marking important pages.

That was this book. It's not perfect (i.e. it could be more depth in the real-world Exchange admin examples, but that's a whole 'nother book in itself), but it's pretty great. Even great for an "only" book because going through the examples by hand is the best way to learn the language and environment.

1/12/2008

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

PowerShell - one step further down the road

By Rolf

from Undisclosed

Comments about oreilly Windows PowerShell Cookbook:

Hello,

In the last month I have read many books and articles about PowerShell.

Many have one thing in common. From a certain point on, when it comes down to "how to solve your problems", some of them lack this information.

They are all good books to understand PowerShell, but this one, Lee Holmes Cookbook, gives you this additional piece of information.

The five different parts

Tour, Fundamentals, Common Tasks, Administrator Tasks and the References give the "new to scripting person" as well as the "scripting dinosaur" a collection of information they can use on a daily basis.

Many of the recipes reference or build on top of each other.

It can happen that you pick one special recipe e.g. "Create a Registry Key Value". It is, as usual in PowerShell, a one-liner. But you will not be successful in using this script without the information of the chapter "Navigate the Registry".

One more thing that makes this book different to many others is the very useful last part, the Reference. Much of the basics you need to be more successful with PowerShell are collected here.

Especially for the "I'm not a developer"-fraction of the scripting administrators like me ;-)

Having this book on your shelf or better on your desk is a "must have" for all PowerShell users.

Best regards from the

PowerShell Usergroup Germany/Swiss/Austria

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Tour

A Guided Tour of Windows PowerShell

Fundamentals

Chapter 1 The Windows PowerShell Interactive Shell

Chapter 2 Pipelines

Chapter 3 Variables and Objects

Chapter 4 Looping and Flow Control

Chapter 5 Strings and Unstructured Text

Chapter 6 Calculations and Math

Common Tasks

Chapter 7 Simple Files

Chapter 8 Structured Files

Chapter 9 Internet-Enabled Scripts

Chapter 10 Code Reuse

Chapter 11 Lists, Arrays, and Hashtables

Chapter 12 User Interaction

Chapter 13 Tracing and Error Management

Chapter 14 Environmental Awareness

Chapter 15 Extend the Reach of Windows PowerShell

Chapter 16 Security and Script Signing

Administrator Tasks

Chapter 17 Files and Directories

Chapter 18 The Windows Registry

Chapter 19 Comparing Data

Chapter 20 Event Logs

Chapter 21 Processes

Chapter 22 System Services

Chapter 23 Active Directory

Chapter 24 Enterprise Computer Management

Chapter 25 Manage an Exchange 2007 Server

Chapter 26 Manage an Operations Manager 2007 Server

References

Appendix PowerShell Language and Environment

Appendix Regular Expression Reference

Appendix PowerShell Automatic Variables

Appendix Standard PowerShell Verbs

Appendix Selected .NET Classes and Their Uses

Appendix WMI Reference

Appendix Selected COM Objects and Their Uses

Appendix .NET String Formatting

Appendix .NET DateTime Formatting

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