Category: PowerShell

There’s tons of information about PowerShell Modules on the internet.  Then I realized, in my PowerShell Modules, How do I create Aliases for my functions?  I couldn’t find any information on the internet about Aliases in modules.  So, thanks to Ed Wilson (Microsoft Script Center), he gave me a hint in one of his articles: http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2010/02/21/hey-scripting-guy-february-21-2010.aspx

I’m assuming you already know how to create a module *psm1 file. Well, don’t worry!  The following sample script will get you started.  And, if you want to convert a PowerShell script to a Module file, is as simple as copy the *ps1 to *psm1 file.  Basically, that’s it!!

So, before I created my module file, I first created a PowerShell script “HelloWorld.ps1” which contains the following code:

## NAME: HelloWorld.ps1
Function Show-HelloWorld {
 [CmdletBinding()]
   Param($arg)
           Write-Host "Hello World!!.." $arg
};Set-Alias shw Show-HelloWorld -Description "Sample Hello World in module"

After verifying that my function works, then I copy/rename my PowerShell script to PowerShell module file “HelloWorld.psm1” and saved it in my new module folder name “HelloWorld”.

Now, here’s what I found when creating my Aliases for my module:

1. In the *psm1 file, I could use either: Set-Alias or New-Alias but not both when buidling my manifest.  One catch, I discovered, if I use the ‘-Description’ parameter in either Cmdlets, the function description won’t load with the module.  (its a possible bug)
2. The last line in the *psm1 file need to have the Cmdlet “Export-ModuleMember” (a shown below) to include the Aliases.
3. I think is a good practice to named you PS Module script the same way your Module folder.
4. Create the Module folder name and place the module *psm1 file in it.

Here’s sample script code:

## PS Module Name: HelloWorld.psm1
Function Show-HelloWorld {
 [CmdletBinding()]
   Param($arg)    ?
   Write-Host "Hello World!!.." $arg
};
#-- Set-Alias will work but can't be New-Alias
#Set-Alias shw Show-HelloWorld -Description "Sample Hello World in module"
New-Alias -Name shw -value Show-HelloWorld -Description "Sample Hello World in module"

#-- Need to be included at the end of your *psm1 file.
export-modulemember -alias * -function *

Now, we need to create our new module folder under our users documents “..\WindowsPowerShell\Modules” called “HelloWorld”.   Using our PowerShell console, we need to create our PowerShell manifest *psd1 file using the following line and pressing enter to all other prompts:

New-ModuleManifest -Path 'C:\Users\YourName\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\HelloWorld\HelloWorld.psd1' -ModuleToProcess 'C:\Users\YourName\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\HelloWorld\HelloWorld.psm1'

PS C:\Users\Max> New-ModuleManifest -Path 'C:\Users\max\Documents\Win...
' -ModuleToProcess 'C:\Users\max\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\...

cmdlet New-ModuleManifest at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
NestedModules[0]:
Author:
CompanyName:
Copyright:
Description:
TypesToProcess[0]:
FormatsToProcess[0]:
RequiredAssemblies[0]:
FileList[0]:

Keep in mind, to start using New-ModuleManifest, you only need to use two parameters: “-path” – location to store your manifest file and “-ModuleToProcess” – location of your module file.

Don’t be afraid to skip the prompts, you can always go back into your recently build manifest file *psd1 and manually filled the information.  After successfully running the “New-ModuleManifest” and created the manifest file “HelloWorld.psd1”, I can proceed to load our new module using “Import-Module HelloWorld”.  If there were any errors, I would need to go back to file my *psm1 module file.

I’m are ready to test the new “HelloWorld” module executing the “Import-Module HelloWorld” im the PowerShell Console:

Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

PS C:\Users\Max> New-ModuleManifest -Path 'C:\Users\max\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\HelloWorld\HelloWorld.psd1'
-ModuleToProcess 'C:\Users\max\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\HelloWorld\HelloWorld.psm1'

cmdlet New-ModuleManifest at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
NestedModules[0]:
Author:
CompanyName:
Copyright:
Description:
TypesToProcess[0]:
FormatsToProcess[0]:
RequiredAssemblies[0]:
FileList[0]:
PS C:\Users\Max>
PS C:\Users\Max> Import-Module HelloWorld
PS C:\Users\Max> Get-Alias Shw

CommandType     Name                                                Definition
-----------     ----                                                ----------
Alias           shw                                                 Show-HelloWorld

PS C:\Users\Max> shw
Hello World!!..
PS C:\Users\Max> shw Max
Hello World!!.. Max
PS C:\Users\Max>

Now, I can either use my new Cmdlet function “Show-HelloWorld” or just use the Alias “shw” to execute my function.  That’s it!!  I’ve just created, loaded and tested a new module in our PowerShell Console.  There’s room to grow here!! 

Remember, Don’t TAP OUT!!  Happy PowerShelling!!

I’m finally making the move from Live.Spaces to WordPress. There’s a lot going on with PowerShell that sometimes it’s hard to keep up. The good thing about it is that everyone have finally realized that they need to catch up or they going to stay behind the pack. There’s more to come. Stay tuned!