{"id":215,"date":"2014-12-11T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2014-12-11T00:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.technet.microsoft.com\/heyscriptingguy\/2014\/12\/11\/use-a-powershell-function-to-determine-miles-to-go\/"},"modified":"2019-02-18T10:36:38","modified_gmt":"2019-02-18T17:36:38","slug":"use-a-powershell-function-to-determine-miles-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/use-a-powershell-function-to-determine-miles-to-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Use a PowerShell Function to Determine Miles to Go"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary<\/b>: Microsoft Scripting Guy, Ed Wilson, talks about a Windows PowerShell function to determine miles remaining to meet challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft Scripting Guy, Ed Wilson, is here. If you are friends with me on Facebook, you know that in October I accepted a challenge to run a hundred miles before January 31, 2015. I was doing really well until I was knocked out of the action by surgery. The other day the doctor gave me a clearance to begin exercising again. Now, I need to know how many miles I need to do, per day, to complete the 100-mile challenge.<\/p>\n

When I was on the treadmill this morning, I decided that this was the perfect challenge for Windows PowerShell—determining how many miles to run a day (well, not actually running the miles…Jeffery Hicks aside, Windows PowerShell looks pretty strange on a pair of running shoes).<\/p>\n

The <\/span>Get-Miles<\/b> Windows PowerShell function is really simple. I did not even add any Help to it because I will be using it for the next month or so, and then it will have outlived its usefulness.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how does it work?<\/p>\n

The first thing I do is use the Function<\/b> <\/i>keyword to tell Windows PowerShell I want to create a function. Next, I assign a name. I like to use Verb-Noun naming conventions when creating function names because it promotes function discoverability.<\/p>\n

I create a single input parameter. This input parameter is my total mileage that I have run to date. Obviously, this will change on a daily basis (or at least I hope it will change on a daily basis). When I run, I always run complete miles. So it will be something like 1, 2, 3, or 4 miles. I do not do partial miles, so I cast my input type as an integer. Here is my script so far:<\/p>\n

Function Get-Miles {<\/p>\n

    Param ([int]$miles)<\/p>\n

Everything else in the function is automatic because I know the following information:<\/p>\n