Ebook: Learn PowerShell Scripting in a Month of Lunches

Summary

Packed with hands-on labs to reinforce what you're learning, Learn PowerShell Toolmaking in a Month of Lunches is the best way to learn PowerShell scripting and toolmaking. Just set aside one hour a day—lunchtime would be perfect—for each self-contained lesson. You'll move quickly through core scripting concepts and start working on four real-world, practical tools. Each chapter adds more functionality, including custom formatting, error handling, parameterized input, input validation, help files and documentation, and more.

About this Book

You don't have to be a software developer to build PowerShell tools. With this book, a PowerShell user is a step away from becoming a proficient toolmaker.Learn PowerShell Toolmaking in a Month of Lunchesis the best way to learn PowerShell scripting and toolmaking in just one hour a day. It's packed with hands-on labs to reinforce what you're learning. It's an easy-to-follow guide that covers core scripting concepts using four practical examples. Each chapter builds on the previous one as you add custom formatting, error handling, input validation, help files, and more.

Purchase of the print book comes with an offer of a free PDF, ePub, and Kindle eBook from Manning. Also available is all code from the book.

What's Inside


Build your own administrative tools Learn by doing with hands-on labs Make scripts that feel like native PowerShell cmdlets
This book does not assume you are a programmer. Experience using PowerShell as a command-line interface is helpful but not required.

About the Authors

Don Jonesis a PowerShell MVP, speaker, and trainer.Jeffery Hicksis a PowerShell MVP and an independent consultant, trainer, and author. Don and Jeff coauthoredLearn Windows PowerShell 3 in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition(Manning 2012) andPowerShell in Depth(Manning 2013).

Table of Contents

PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO TOOLMAKING
Before you begin PowerShell scripting overview PowerShell's scripting language Simple scripts and functions Scope PART 2 BUILDING AN INVENTORY TOOL Tool design guidelines Advanced functions, part 1 Advanced functions, part 2 Writing help Error handling Debugging techniques Creating custom format views Script and manifest modules Adding database access Interlude: creating a new tool 157 PART 3 ADVANCED TOOLMAKING TECHNIQUES Making tools that make changes

Creating a custom type extension

Creating PowerShell workflows

Troubleshooting pipeline input

Using object hierarchies for complex output Globalizing a function Crossing the line: utilizing the .NET Framework PART 4 CREATING TOOLS FOR DELEGATED ADMINISTRATION Creating a GUI tool, part 1: the GUI Creating a GUI tool, part 2: the code Creating a GUI tool, part 3: the output Creating proxy functions Setting up constrained removing endpoints Never the end