Format PowerShell Output with an Easy-to-Use Table

re: Format PowerShell Output with an Easy-to-Use Table

Ed Wilson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:06:52 GMT

@shsScripting You need to use the WMI class win32_Service class to obtain the log on as portion. You cannot obtain the information from the Get-Service Windows PowerShell cmdlet. Here is an example gwmi win32_service | select name, startname

re: Format PowerShell Output with an Easy-to-Use Table

shscripting — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:47:30 GMT

How can you get the "Log On As" as part of the output? For example: get-service | Format-Table -property Name, DisplayName, Status, [log on as] -auto

re: Format PowerShell Output with an Easy-to-Use Table

ambrosis — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:27:30 GMT

Ahh, of course, that makes sense now.

Is there any way a script can detect whether "FT -auto" or "-FT" have been used, so I can have the script react accordingly by writing to host from the loop when -auto has been used?

re: Format PowerShell Output with an Easy-to-Use Table

IamMred — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:05:04 GMT

@ambrosis this is because when using -autosize parameter all of the information has to be collected and evaluated according to the size of the output prior to determining the number and size of columns. On the other hand, without using -autosize, each item that comes accross the pipeline is displayed to the table. Depending on how your function is written, and how you use your function this might generate one table of varying widths, or multiple tables with a single width. Learning how to work with the pipeline, and with output can offer some challenges ... and that is the reason for its inclusion in this years Scripting Games. Keep in mind, use of -autosize is not called for in all occasions. At times it will add a significant amount of overhead to a script especially when dealing with millions of objects.

re: Format PowerShell Output with an Easy-to-Use Table

ambrosis — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:45:23 GMT

I've noticed a difference to WHEN data is output depending on whether I use Forat-table or Format-Table -AutoSize.

I have a while loop within which is a call to a function that returns an object. If I run this script with "| FT" it outputs each object during as the functions is called, if I use "| FT -auto" it outputs the objects together once the while loop has completed! What gives?