Month: December 2013

Two Great PowerShell Community Tools for Visual Studio

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Here’s a shout out of two great tools you should try if you want (or planning) to integrate your PowerShell scripts into a Visual Studio solution.  Specially, if you’re using SQL Data BI Tools for Visual Studio or just build apps with Visual Studio full version.

  1. “PowerShell Tools for Visual Studio” by Adam Driscoll (PowerShell MVP) – http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/c9eb3ba8-0c59-4944-9a62-6eee37294597
  2. “StudioShell” by Christopher Beefarino (PowerShell MVP) – http://studioshell.codeplex.com/

In my laptop I have both the SQL Data BI tools for Visual Studio 2012 (VS shell), and the full version of Visual Studio 2013.  One thing to point out, only the “PowerShell Tools for Visual Studio” will install in both versions: 2012, and 2013.  But, when using both at the same time, then you have both full editor features to write scripts and a practical PowerShell prompt so you can test one-liners.

PowerShell Tools loaded in both VS2012 and VS2013
PowerShell Tools loaded in both VS2012 and VS2013

You can create either a PowerShell solution by adding a new PowerShell Project, or simple adding “a new item” to your existing solution.

Sample showing PowerShell project
Sample showing PowerShell project

Now we can work with Visual Studio and PowerShell from the cloud if we want.  Here’s an image of my physical laptop and my Surface 2 connected to my Windows Azure VM running Windows Server 2012 R2 with Visual Studio 2013 installed.

Sample showing a "Cloud" sample thru a Surface and "On Premise" laptop.
Sample showing a “Cloud” sample thru a Surface and “On Premise” laptop.

Notice when creating scripts Intellisense is available and you can execute the code from withing Visual Studio.

Intellisense is available.
Intellisense is available.
Executing PowerShell script from Visual Studio.
Executing PowerShell script from Visual Studio.

Next you may want to pay attention to Microsoft Team Foundation server either on-premise or cloud options.  So you can build your solution and do some source code versioning.

Team Foundation Server
Team Foundation Server

Everything is about trying and evaluating these great community tools.  Give them your honest feedback so they can keep making enhancements and increase their value.

 Additional Information

Here’s some other important updates for Visual Studio 2012: Visual Studio 2012 Team Explorer 8/2/2012 – http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30656 Visual Studio 2012 Update 4 11/12/2013 – http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39305

Happy PowerShelling!!

IT Palooza South Florida Great Success – PowerShell Rules!

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Great event on 12/12/2013 in South Florida with most IT Community User Groups showcasing their stuff. It was full of people and friends.

Florida PowerShell User Group represented!
Florida PowerShell User Group represented!
List of community IT User Groups
List of community IT User Groups
At Nova University, Davie FL.
At Nova Southeastern University, Davie FL.

Thanks to Nova Southeastern University and organizers (specially Alex Funkhouser) for having me as a speaker present a little bit of PowerShell.

Me with Microsoft IT Pro Evangelist Blain Barton.
Me with Microsoft IT Pro Evangelist Blain Barton.
Sharing table with Microsoft.
Sharing table with Microsoft.

Also, thanks to all who attended my session on “Integrating PowerShell in SSIS Script Task“. It was a great to pass some knowledge and see everyone participating.

Thank You!

PowerShell Community Tools loaded in SQL Data Tools BI.
PowerShell Community Tools loaded in SQL Data Tools BI.

Here’s the presentation (fully loaded):

This presentation contains LOTS of goodies in it.

1. It contains a .NET console solution.
2. SSIS solution (no-NONsense).
3. Sample PowerShell scripts
4. Sample .NET code both C# and VB.NET (code snippets)

All this material so you can study it. Take your time and make it your own.

This folder (C:\TempSSIS) need to be copied to the root of the C:\ drive.

Things to pay attention too. Here’s some other important updates for Visual Studio 2012:
1. Visual Studio 2012 Team Explorer 8/2/2012 – http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30656
2. Visual Studio 2012 Update 4 11/12/2013 – http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39305

Don’t forget to Team Foundation Online (free up to 5 users): http://www.visualstudio.com/products/visual-studio-online-overview-vs

Plus two PowerShell community tools you should consider using with Visual Studio:
1. “PowerShell Tools for Visual Studio” by Adam Driscoll (PowerShell MVP) – http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/c9eb3ba8-0c59-4944-9a62-6eee37294597
2. “StudioShell” by Christopher Beefarino (PowerShell MVP) – http://studioshell.codeplex.com/

Keep learning PowerShell!