What’s in your PowerShell `profile.ps1` file?

Viewed 28483

What essential things (functions, aliases, start up scripts) do you have in your profile?

26 Answers

I often find myself needing needing some basic agregates to count/sum some things., I've defined these functions and use them often, they work really nicely at the end of a pipeline :

#
# useful agregate
#
function count
{
    BEGIN { $x = 0 }
    PROCESS { $x += 1 }
    END { $x }
}

function product
{
    BEGIN { $x = 1 }
    PROCESS { $x *= $_ }
    END { $x }
}

function sum
{
    BEGIN { $x = 0 }
    PROCESS { $x += $_ }
    END { $x }
}

function average
{
    BEGIN { $max = 0; $curr = 0 }
    PROCESS { $max += $_; $curr += 1 }
    END { $max / $curr }
}

To be able to get time and path with colors in my prompt :

function Get-Time { return $(get-date | foreach { $_.ToLongTimeString() } ) }
function prompt
{
    # Write the time 
    write-host "[" -noNewLine
    write-host $(Get-Time) -foreground yellow -noNewLine
    write-host "] " -noNewLine
    # Write the path
    write-host $($(Get-Location).Path.replace($home,"~").replace("\","/")) -foreground green -noNewLine
    write-host $(if ($nestedpromptlevel -ge 1) { '>>' }) -noNewLine
    return "> "
}

The following functions are stolen from a blog and modified to fit my taste, but ls with colors is very nice :

# LS.MSH 
# Colorized LS function replacement 
# /\/\o\/\/ 2006 
# http://mow001.blogspot.com 
function LL
{
    param ($dir = ".", $all = $false) 

    $origFg = $host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor 
    if ( $all ) { $toList = ls -force $dir }
    else { $toList = ls $dir }

    foreach ($Item in $toList)  
    { 
        Switch ($Item.Extension)  
        { 
            ".Exe" {$host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor = "Yellow"} 
            ".cmd" {$host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor = "Red"} 
            ".msh" {$host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor = "Red"} 
            ".vbs" {$host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor = "Red"} 
            Default {$host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor = $origFg} 
        } 
        if ($item.Mode.StartsWith("d")) {$host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor = "Green"}
        $item 
    }  
    $host.ui.rawui.foregroundColor = $origFg 
}

function lla
{
    param ( $dir=".")
    ll $dir $true
}

function la { ls -force }

And some shortcuts to avoid really repetitive filtering tasks :

# behave like a grep command
# but work on objects, used
# to be still be allowed to use grep
filter match( $reg )
{
    if ($_.tostring() -match $reg)
        { $_ }
}

# behave like a grep -v command
# but work on objects
filter exclude( $reg )
{
    if (-not ($_.tostring() -match $reg))
        { $_ }
}

# behave like match but use only -like
filter like( $glob )
{
    if ($_.toString() -like $glob)
        { $_ }
}

filter unlike( $glob )
{
    if (-not ($_.tostring() -like $glob))
        { $_ }
}

This iterates through a scripts PSDrive and dot-sources everything that begins with "lib-".

### ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Load function / filter definition library
### ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Get-ChildItem scripts:\lib-*.ps1 | % { 
      . $_
      write-host "Loading library file:`t$($_.name)"
    }

To setup my Visual Studio build environment from PowerShell I took the VsVars32 from here. and use it all the time.

###############################################################################
# Exposes the environment vars in a batch and sets them in this PS session
###############################################################################
function Get-Batchfile($file) 
{
    $theCmd = "`"$file`" & set" 
    cmd /c $theCmd | Foreach-Object {
        $thePath, $theValue = $_.split('=')
        Set-Item -path env:$thePath -value $theValue
    }
}


###############################################################################
# Sets the VS variables for this PS session to use
###############################################################################
function VsVars32($version = "9.0")
{
    $theKey = "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\VisualStudio\" + $version
    $theVsKey = get-ItemProperty $theKey
    $theVsInstallPath = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($theVsKey.InstallDir)
    $theVsToolsDir = [System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($theVsInstallPath)
    $theVsToolsDir = [System.IO.Path]::Combine($theVsToolsDir, "Tools")
    $theBatchFile = [System.IO.Path]::Combine($theVsToolsDir, "vsvars32.bat")
    Get-Batchfile $theBatchFile
    [System.Console]::Title = "Visual Studio " + $version + " Windows Powershell"
}

start-transcript. This will write out your entire session to a text file. Great for training new hires on how to use Powershell in the environment.

My prompt contains:

$width = ($Host.UI.RawUI.WindowSize.Width - 2 - $(Get-Location).ToString().Length)
$hr = New-Object System.String @('-',$width)
Write-Host -ForegroundColor Red $(Get-Location) $hr

Which gives me a divider between commands that's easy to see when scrolling back. It also shows me the current directory without using horizontal space on the line that I'm typing on.

For example:

C:\Users\Jay ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] PS>

# ----------------------------------------------------------
# msdn search for win32 APIs.
# ----------------------------------------------------------

function Search-MSDNWin32
{

    $url = 'http://search.msdn.microsoft.com/?query=';

    $url += $args[0];

    for ($i = 1; $i -lt $args.count; $i++) {
        $url += '+';
        $url += $args[$i];
    }

    $url += '&locale=en-us&refinement=86&ac=3';

    Open-IE($url);
}

# ----------------------------------------------------------
# Open Internet Explorer given the url.
# ----------------------------------------------------------

function Open-IE ($url)
{    
    $ie = new-object -comobject internetexplorer.application;

    $ie.Navigate($url);

    $ie.Visible = $true;
}

Here's my not so subtle profile


    #==============================================================================
# Jared Parsons PowerShell Profile (jaredp@rantpack.org) 
#==============================================================================

#==============================================================================
# Common Variables Start
#==============================================================================
$global:Jsh = new-object psobject 
$Jsh | add-member NoteProperty "ScriptPath" $(split-path -parent $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Definition) 
$Jsh | add-member NoteProperty "ConfigPath" $(split-path -parent $Jsh.ScriptPath)
$Jsh | add-member NoteProperty "UtilsRawPath" $(join-path $Jsh.ConfigPath "Utils")
$Jsh | add-member NoteProperty "UtilsPath" $(join-path $Jsh.UtilsRawPath $env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE)
$Jsh | add-member NoteProperty "GoMap" @{}
$Jsh | add-member NoteProperty "ScriptMap" @{}

#==============================================================================

#==============================================================================
# Functions 
#==============================================================================

# Load snapin's if they are available
function Jsh.Load-Snapin([string]$name) {
    $list = @( get-pssnapin | ? { $_.Name -eq $name })
    if ( $list.Length -gt 0 ) {
        return; 
    }

    $snapin = get-pssnapin -registered | ? { $_.Name -eq $name }
    if ( $snapin -ne $null ) {
        add-pssnapin $name
    }
}

# Update the configuration from the source code server
function Jsh.Update-WinConfig([bool]$force=$false) {

    # First see if we've updated in the last day 
    $target = join-path $env:temp "Jsh.Update.txt"
    $update = $false
    if ( test-path $target ) {
        $last = [datetime] (gc $target)
        if ( ([DateTime]::Now - $last).Days -gt 1) {
            $update = $true
        }
    } else {
        $update = $true;
    }

    if ( $update -or $force ) {
        write-host "Checking for winconfig updates"
        pushd $Jsh.ConfigPath
        $output = @(& svn update)
        if ( $output.Length -gt 1 ) {
            write-host "WinConfig updated.  Re-running configuration"
            cd $Jsh.ScriptPath
            & .\ConfigureAll.ps1
            . .\Profile.ps1
        }

        sc $target $([DateTime]::Now)
        popd
    }
}

function Jsh.Push-Path([string] $location) { 
    go $location $true 
}
function Jsh.Go-Path([string] $location, [bool]$push = $false) {
    if ( $location -eq "" ) {
        write-output $Jsh.GoMap
    } elseif ( $Jsh.GoMap.ContainsKey($location) ) {
        if ( $push ) {
            push-location $Jsh.GoMap[$location]
        } else {
            set-location $Jsh.GoMap[$location]
        }
    } elseif ( test-path $location ) {
        if ( $push ) {
            push-location $location
        } else {
            set-location $location
        }
    } else {
        write-output "$loctaion is not a valid go location"
        write-output "Current defined locations"
        write-output $Jsh.GoMap
    }
}

function Jsh.Run-Script([string] $name) {
    if ( $Jsh.ScriptMap.ContainsKey($name) ) {
        . $Jsh.ScriptMap[$name]
    } else {
        write-output "$name is not a valid script location"
        write-output $Jsh.ScriptMap
    }
}


# Set the prompt
function prompt() {
    if ( Test-Admin ) { 
        write-host -NoNewLine -f red "Admin "
    }
    write-host -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor Green $(get-location)
    foreach ( $entry in (get-location -stack)) {
        write-host -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor Red '+';
    }
    write-host -NoNewLine -ForegroundColor Green '>'
    ' '
}

#==============================================================================

#==============================================================================
# Alias 
#==============================================================================
set-alias gcid      Get-ChildItemDirectory
set-alias wget      Get-WebItem
set-alias ss        select-string
set-alias ssr       Select-StringRecurse 
set-alias go        Jsh.Go-Path
set-alias gop       Jsh.Push-Path
set-alias script    Jsh.Run-Script
set-alias ia        Invoke-Admin
set-alias ica       Invoke-CommandAdmin
set-alias isa       Invoke-ScriptAdmin
#==============================================================================

pushd $Jsh.ScriptPath

# Setup the go locations
$Jsh.GoMap["ps"]        = $Jsh.ScriptPath
$Jsh.GoMap["config"]    = $Jsh.ConfigPath
$Jsh.GoMap["~"]         = "~"

# Setup load locations
$Jsh.ScriptMap["profile"]       = join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "Profile.ps1"
$Jsh.ScriptMap["common"]        = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibraryCommon.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["svn"]           = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibrarySubversion.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["subversion"]    = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibrarySubversion.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["favorites"]     = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibraryFavorites.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["registry"]      = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibraryRegistry.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["reg"]           = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibraryRegistry.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["token"]         = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibraryTokenize.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["unit"]          = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibraryUnitTest.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["tfs"]           = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "LibraryTfs.ps1")
$Jsh.ScriptMap["tab"]           = $(join-path $Jsh.ScriptPath "TabExpansion.ps1")

# Load the common functions
. script common
. script tab
$global:libCommonCertPath = (join-path $Jsh.ConfigPath "Data\Certs\jaredp_code.pfx")

# Load the snapin's we want
Jsh.Load-Snapin "pscx"
Jsh.Load-Snapin "JshCmdlet" 

# Setup the Console look and feel
$host.UI.RawUI.ForegroundColor = "Yellow"
if ( Test-Admin ) {
    $title = "Administrator Shell - {0}" -f $host.UI.RawUI.WindowTitle
    $host.UI.RawUI.WindowTitle = $title;
}

# Call the computer specific profile
$compProfile = join-path "Computers" ($env:ComputerName + "_Profile.ps1")
if ( -not (test-path $compProfile)) { ni $compProfile -type File | out-null }
write-host "Computer profile: $compProfile"
. ".\$compProfile"
$Jsh.ScriptMap["cprofile"] = resolve-path ($compProfile)

# If the computer name is the same as the domain then we are not 
# joined to active directory
if ($env:UserDomain -ne $env:ComputerName ) {
    # Call the domain specific profile data
    write-host "Domain $env:UserDomain"
    $domainProfile = join-path $env:UserDomain "Profile.ps1"
    if ( -not (test-path $domainProfile))  { ni $domainProfile -type File | out-null }
    . ".\$domainProfile"
}

# Run the get-fortune command if JshCmdlet was loaded
if ( get-command "get-fortune" -ea SilentlyContinue ) {
    get-fortune -timeout 1000
}

# Finished with the profile, go back to the original directory
popd

# Look for updates
Jsh.Update-WinConfig

# Because this profile is run in the same context, we need to remove any 
# variables manually that we don't want exposed outside this script

apropos.

Although I think this has been superseded by a recent or upcoming release.

############################################################################## 
## Search the PowerShell help documentation for a given keyword or regular 
## expression.
## 
## Example:
##    Get-HelpMatch hashtable
##    Get-HelpMatch "(datetime|ticks)"
############################################################################## 
function apropos {

    param($searchWord = $(throw "Please specify content to search for"))

    $helpNames = $(get-help *)

    foreach($helpTopic in $helpNames)
    {
       $content = get-help -Full $helpTopic.Name | out-string
       if($content -match $searchWord)
       { 
          $helpTopic | select Name,Synopsis
       }
    }
}

I keep a little bit of everything. Mostly, my profile sets up all the environment (including calling scripts to set up my .NET/VS and Java development environment).

I also redefine the prompt() function with my own style (see it in action), set up several aliases to other scripts and commands. and change what $HOME points to.

Here's my complete profile script.

i add this function so that i can see disk usage easily:

function df {
    $colItems = Get-wmiObject -class "Win32_LogicalDisk" -namespace "root\CIMV2" `
    -computername localhost

    foreach ($objItem in $colItems) {
        write $objItem.DeviceID $objItem.Description $objItem.FileSystem `
            ($objItem.Size / 1GB).ToString("f3") ($objItem.FreeSpace / 1GB).ToString("f3")

    }
}
Set-PSDebug -Strict 

You will benefit i you ever searched for a stupid Typo eg. outputting $varsometext instead $var sometext

############################################################################## 
# Get an XPath Navigator object based on the input string containing xml
function get-xpn ($text) { 
    $rdr = [System.IO.StringReader] $text
    $trdr = [system.io.textreader]$rdr
    $xpdoc = [System.XML.XPath.XPathDocument] $trdr
    $xpdoc.CreateNavigator()
}

Useful for working with xml, such as output from svn commands with --xml.

This creates a scripts: drive and adds it to your path. Note, you must create the folder yourself. Next time you need to get back to it, just type "scripts:" and hit enter, just like any drive letter in Windows.

$env:path += ";$profiledir\scripts"
New-PSDrive -Name Scripts -PSProvider FileSystem -Root $profiledir\scripts

This will add snapins you have installed into your powershell session. The reason you may want to do something like this is that it's easy to maintain, and works well if you sync your profile across multiple systems. If a snapin isn't installed, you won't see an error message.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Add third-party snapins

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

$snapins = @(
    "Quest.ActiveRoles.ADManagement",
    "PowerGadgets",
    "VMware.VimAutomation.Core",
    "NetCmdlets"
)
$snapins | ForEach-Object { 
  if ( Get-PSSnapin -Registered $_ -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue ) {
    Add-PSSnapin $_
  }
}

I put all my functions and aliases in separate script files and then dot source them in my profile:

. c:\scripts\posh\jdh-functions.ps1

The function to view the entire history of typed command (Get-History, and his alias h show default only 32 last commands):

function ha {
    Get-History -count $MaximumHistoryCount
}

You can see my PowerShell profile at http://github.com/jamesottaway/windowspowershell

If you use Git to clone my repo into your Documents folder (or whatever folder is above 'WindowsPowerShell' in your $PROFILE variable), you'll get all of my goodness.

The main profile.ps1 sets the subfolder with the name Addons as a PSDrive, and then finds all .ps1 files underneath that folder to load.

I quite like the go command, which stores a dictionary of shorthand locations to visit easily. For example, go vsp will take me to C:\Visual Studio 2008\Projects.

I also like overriding the Set-Location cmdlet to run both Set-Location and Get-ChildItem.

My other favourite is being able to do a mkdir which does Set-Location xyz after running New-Item xyz -Type Directory.

$MaximumHistoryCount=1024 
function hist {get-history -count 256 | %{$_.commandline}}

New-Alias which get-command

function guidConverter([byte[]] $gross){ $GUID = "{" + $gross[3].ToString("X2") + `
$gross[2].ToString("X2") + $gross[1].ToString("X2") + $gross[0].ToString("X2") + "-" + `
$gross[5].ToString("X2") + $gross[4].ToString("X2") + "-" + $gross[7].ToString("X2") + `
$gross[6].ToString("X2") + "-" + $gross[8].ToString("X2") + $gross[9].ToString("X2") + "-" +` 
$gross[10].ToString("X2") + $gross[11].ToString("X2") + $gross[12].ToString("X2") + `
$gross[13].ToString("X2") + $gross[14].ToString("X2") + $gross[15].ToString("X2") + "}" $GUID }
Related