really<\/i> unusual and just talk about scripting today. How can you add a function to a Windows PowerShell script? Well, here\u2019s one way:<\/p>\nfunction multiplynumbers\n {$args[0] * $args[1]}\nmultiplynumbers 446 282\n<\/pre>\nAs you can see, there really isn\u2019t much to this process. To create a function we simply call the function<\/b> keyword followed by the name of the function; in this case, we\u2019re naming our function multiplynumbers<\/i>. Inside a pair of curly braces we then include the code we want the function to carry out. In this case that\u2019s pretty simple: all we\u2019re going to do is multiply the two values provided as function parameters. Hence this block of code:<\/p>\n{$args[0] * $args[1]}\n<\/pre>\nThat\u2019s a good point: the $args<\/b> variable typically does<\/i> represent the command-line arguments supplied when you start a script. In this case, however, $args serves a dual purpose. The variable \u2013 when used outside the function \u2013 still contains any command-line arguments used when the script was started. Inside the function, however, $args represents the parameters supplied when calling the function. As you might expect, $args[0]<\/b> represents the first parameter in the set while $args[1]<\/b> represents the second parameter. It\u2019s a tad bit confusing, but it works: the function uses the parameters passed to it, and the command-line arguments are still available.<\/p>\n
Speaking of parameters, to call the function all we have to do is specify the function name followed by those parameters. In this case, that means typing multiplynumbers<\/i> followed by the two numbers that we want to multiply:<\/p>\nmultiplynumbers 446 282\n<\/pre>\nAll of that results in a script that echoes back the following:<\/p>\n
125772\n<\/pre>\nPretty cool, huh?<\/p>\n
The main thing to watch out for here is that you need to define the function before you call it. Suppose we didn\u2019t do that, suppose we tried running this script instead:<\/p>\n
multiplynumbers 446 282\nfunction multiplynumbers\n {$args[0] * $args[1]}\n<\/pre>\nIs the preceding script going to multiply the numbers 446 and 282 for us? Nope. Instead, it\u2019s going to give us the following error message:<\/p>\n
The term 'multiplynumbers' is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable program, or script file.\nVerify the term and try again.\nAt C:\\scripts\\test.ps1:1 char:16\n+ multiplynumbers <<<< 446 282\n<\/pre>\nWhy the error message? One simple reason: the script called the function before the function had been defined. Define your functions first, right at the beginning of the script, and you\u2019ll avoid these kinds of problems.<\/p>\n
Now here\u2019s a neat trick for you. Instead of defining the function in your script you can define it at the command prompt. Try this: type the following at the Windows PowerShell command prompt and then press ENTER:<\/p>\n
function multiplynumbers {$args[0] * $args[1]}\n<\/pre>\nSo what, you ask? Well, believe it or not you now you have a function that you can call from any<\/i> script, without having to define the function within the script itself. That means the following single-line script will return the value 125772:<\/p>\nmultiplynumbers 446 282\n<\/pre>\nIn fact, you can even type the above command at the command prompt and you\u2019ll get back the correct answer. Give it a try and see for yourself. <\/p>\n
We told you that was a neat little trick.<\/p>\n
Of course, this function will last only as long as your current Windows PowerShell session. If you\u2019d like multiplynumbers<\/i> to be a permanent addition to Windows PowerShell then add the function to your Windows PowerShell profile. To do that<\/i>, type notepad $profile<\/b> to bring up your default profile, add the function call, and then save the profile. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s so easy even a Cougar could do it.<\/p>\n
That should get you started, TT. And you\u2019re right: many UW alums would<\/i> take the opportunity to gloat a little here, especially since \u2013 based on their abysmal performance a week ago \u2013 no one expected the Huskies to give the Cougars much of a battle, let alone win the game. In fact, this would typically be the time when Huskies would taunt the Cougars, usually by insinuating that the very best job a graduate of WSU could aspire to would be grocery bagger or fast food restaurant worker. But that won\u2019t happen today. After all, the Scripting Guys\u2019 boss doesn\u2019t bag groceries or work at a fast food restaurant; instead, he\u2019s a manager at Microsoft.<\/p>\n
Which, it goes without saying, is nowhere near<\/i> as good a job as bagging groceries. But when you\u2019re a graduate of WSU you pretty much have to take whatever job you can get, don\u2019t you?<\/p>\n
Go Huskies!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hey, Scripting Guy! How can I add a function to a Windows PowerShell script? — TT Hey, TT. You know, we\u2019re going to do something a little unusual today: we aren\u2019t going to mention the fact that the University of Washington defeated Washington State University in the annual Apple Cup football game. Granted, that\u2019s the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":595,"featured_media":87096,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[51,3,4,45],"class_list":["post-65993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scripting","tag-getting-started","tag-scripting-guy","tag-scripting-techniques","tag-windows-powershell"],"acf":[],"blog_post_summary":"
Hey, Scripting Guy! How can I add a function to a Windows PowerShell script? — TT Hey, TT. You know, we\u2019re going to do something a little unusual today: we aren\u2019t going to mention the fact that the University of Washington defeated Washington State University in the annual Apple Cup football game. Granted, that\u2019s the […]<\/p>\n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/595"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65993\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/87096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Hey,](\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2019\/02\/q-for-powertip.jpg\" "\\"Hey,")
<\/p>\n![\"Spacer\"](\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/scripting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2019\/05\/spacer.gif\")
![\"Hey,](\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2019\/02\/a-for-powertip.jpg\" "\\"Hey,")
![\"Script](\"http:\/\/img.microsoft.com\/library\/media\/1033\/technet\/images\/scriptcenter\/ad.jpg\" "\\"Script")
<\/a><\/p>\n