always felt like magic. I could cast a charm simply by typing a few characters on a keyboard. Naturally, my magic skills went from batch files to VBScript to PowerShell. Throughout it all, I've also had an internal decision tree regarding automation. Over the years, I've seen IT pros new to scripting and automation needlessly struggle. Often it is due to a deficiency in their decision tree. Today, I thought I'd help you nurture yours.

PowerShell Pipeline available on Substack.

PSScriptTools module. I wrote about that release here. This command is an alternative to Get-Member that includes more details. The other day I pushed a new version that makes it easier to identify properties that are enumerations. The function has...

was objects. We all know the importance of working with objects in PowerShell. Hopefully, you also know that the output you get on your screen from running a PowerShell command is not the whole story. Formatted presentation...

2024, although I'm already behind schedule. But let's get to it. I have a short tip today that you may find useful, especially if you write modules for your private use.

installation. This is something I actually have thought about and face all the time when I setup a new demo virtual machine. I had been meaning to build new tooling to meet this challenge

that this is the biggest hurdle for PowerShell beginners to overcome. But once they grasp that PowerShell is about working with objects in the pipeline, they recognize the value and begin finding it easier to write PowerShell code and use it interactively at a console prompt.

function in a hash table. With the help of splatting, you can use this PowerShell feature to simplify passing of parameters to functions.

transparent WPF form displaying a clock. Shortly after, someone posted a request for a countdown timer. Not an unreasonable request and one I finally got around to implementing.

automatically accept all EULA prompts for the SysInternals tools. I know there is a command-line switch I can use, but I never remember to use it. Setting the registry key appears to accept EULAs globally. Naturally,...

my reminders and events. I spend my days at a PowerShell prompt, and I wanted an easy way to keep track of upcoming events.

PowerShell modules to help me manage the chaos that is my work life. One area that always demands attention is managing my tasks and To-Dos. For several years I have been using the MyTasks module. This module stored tasks...

After you get through the first Month of Lunches book, what do you do next? The best way to learn PowerShell is to do it. But it might be challending trying to figure out what to do. I...

scripting and toolmaking. The book takes all off our years of experience, not only from writing PowerShell code, to teaching and conference presentations where we hear first hand what people struggle with.

that I started writing or updating but then got pushed to the back of the line. One of these projects is a PowerShell module I wrote as a teaching tool. The idea was to create short...