How to use hex codes for color in Write-Host?

user_13826584 0
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In Write-Host you can set the foreground color like

Write-Host "test" -ForegroundColor Green

Can you use hex codes? Like

Write-Host "test" -ForegroundColor FFFFFF

If I want the foreground color to be a color not listed in

[System.Enum]::GetValues([System.ConsoleColor])

What do I do?

powershell
2 Answers

I suppose you can get into escape codes like psreadline. Run "get-psreadlineoptions" to see some of them. The docs for that command have a link to the codes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSI_escape_code#Colors_ In powershell 7 you can use "`e" for escape.

write-host "$([char]0x1b)[91mhi"

hi  # appears red


Command            "$([char]0x1b)[31m" red # 93 bright yellow
Comment            "$([char]0x1b)[32m" green
ContinuationPrompt "$([char]0x1b)[37m" white # 33 yellow
DefaultToken       "$([char]0x1b)[37m" white
Emphasis           "$([char]0x1b)[96m" bright cyan
Error              "$([char]0x1b)[91m" bright red
Keyword            "$([char]0x1b)[92m" bright green
Member             "$([char]0x1b)[97m" bright white
Number             "$([char]0x1b)[97m" bright white
Operator           "$([char]0x1b)[90m" bright black
Parameter          "$([char]0x1b)[90m" bright black
Selection          "$([char]0x1b)[30;47m" black on white # 35;43 magenta;yellow
String             "$([char]0x1b)[36m" cyan
Type               "$([char]0x1b)[37m" white
Variable           "$([char]0x1b)[92m" bright green

There's a module called Pansies that does it. It installs a new write-host. https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerShell/comments/hi0c0v/module_monday_pansies/ It supports xterm colors too, DodgerBlue, etc...

user_66549420

Another option could be to create a hashtable map of hex codes and console color names and use that:

$colorMap = [ordered]@{
    '000000' = 'Black'
    '140E88' = 'DarkBlue'
    '00640A' = 'DarkGreen'
    '008B87' = 'DarkCyan'
    '8B0000' = 'DarkRed'
    '820087' = 'DarkMagenta'
    'AAAA00' = 'DarkYellow'
    'A9A9A9' = 'Gray'
    '808080' = 'DarkGray'
    '0000FF' = 'Blue'
    '00FF00' = 'Green'
    '00FFFF' = 'Cyan'
    'FF0000' = 'Red'
    'FF00FF' = 'Magenta'
    'FFFF00' = 'Yellow'
    'FFFFFF' = 'White'
}

foreach($colorCode in $colorMap.Keys) {
    Write-Host "Testing color $colorCode" -ForegroundColor $colorMap[$colorCode]
}

Of course, using this you are restricted to the hex codes the $colorMap contains as key, otherwise an exception is thrown

user_98986430
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