- \n
- Script Analyzer<\/a>
Download a free tool for examining your script<\/li>\n- Script Browser<\/a>
Browse the TechNet Script Repository from the Windows PowerShell ISE<\/li>\n- Module Browser<\/a>
Access modules in the PowerShell Gallery<\/li>\n- Snippets<\/a>
Get sample code in the Windows PowerShell ISE<\/li>\n- Remote Text File Editing<\/a>
Bring file editing to the Windows PowerShell ISE<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nToday, I’m talking about a free add-on called the Script Analyzer.<\/p>\n
In the past, I’ve written some scripts that literally “just worked,” but I still wondered if there was something I missed. More recently I wrote a couple of modules for the PowerShell Gallery. A requirement before uploading them was to run them through the Script Analyzer.<\/p>\n
“What’s the Script Analyzer?” I asked myself as I scratched the few hairs on my head. “I don’t see a Script Analyzer anywhere.”<\/p>\n
As it turns out, it’s a free add-on to the PowerShell ISE that allows you to scan through your script or module and get you as close to best practices as possible. It’s also incredibly easy-to-use.<\/p>\n
To get this add-on, simply launch the PowerShell ISE, click Add-ons<\/b>, and select Get Script Analyzer Add-on Tool<\/b> from the menu.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/0358.1.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nThis will launch your browser to download and install the actual tool.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/3060.2.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen you download and install this tool, you’ll get not one, but two cool new features. The Script Analyzer and the Script Browser. I’ll talk about the Script Browser tomorrow.<\/p>\n
When it is installed, you can access the Script Analyzer from the Tools<\/b> menu on the right side of the ISE. If you don’t see it, restart the PowerShell ISE and press Alt<\/b>+Shift<\/b>+V<\/b> at least once to ensure the Add-on tools menu is displayed.<\/p>\n
It’s also very easy-to-use. Select a script or module you’re working on in the ISE. Here’s one called Untitled as an example:<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/5543.3.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nI then click the Scan Script<\/b> button and wait a few seconds (or maybe a minute). The time is dependent on the size and complexity of your script or module.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/4456.4.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen the scan completes, it presents results and suggestions. This scan detected a couple minor issues:<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/4214.5.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nThis does not mean your script is garbage or doesn’t work. It is simply making suggestions based on best practices. I can immediately double-click a line number and it will take me to the issue in question. For a new user of the Script Analyzer, the problem is that it doesn’t explain what that error means. For that, I click the little gear icon to view the options.<\/p>\n
This brings up a menu of all the types of items that the Script Analyzer is looking for and why.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/67815.6.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nClicking the rule presents a detailed explanation of why it’s being trapped. So again, it’s not an error so much as it’s being flagged as “not quite a best practice.” If this was a vendor script that has been digitally signed and you wanted to ignore a particular rule, you can clear that check box and re-scan the script.<\/p>\n
As you can see in the previous image, there is a link called Suggest a new Script Analyzer Rule<\/b> that you can use if you see something it’s not trapping you think it should be.<\/p>\n
If I click Cancel<\/b> and go back to the script, I can edit the line in question.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/34048.7.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nRunning a new scan will either identify further issues or reveal that all is good.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/msdnshared.blob.core.windows.net\/media\/TNBlogsFS\/prod.evol.blogs.technet.com\/CommunityServer.Blogs.Components.WeblogFiles\/00\/00\/00\/76\/18\/2728.8.PNG\" "\\"Image")
<\/a><\/p>\nIt’s not a perfect solution. There are many things it still misses (for example, unreferenced variables and lack of Help for cmdlets). But it is a decent and free solution from Microsoft to get you going in your scripting quest.<\/p>\n
Stop by tomorrow when I’ll take a look at the other add-on we downloaded, the Script Browser in the ISE.<\/p>\n
I invite you to follow the Scripting Guys on Twitter<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>. If you have any questions, send email to them at scripter@microsoft.com<\/a>, or post your questions on the Official Scripting Guys Forum<\/a>. See you tomorrow. Until then, always remember that with great PowerShell comes great responsibility.<\/p>\n
Sean Kearney, <\/b>Honorary Scripting Guy, Cloud and Datacenter Management MVP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Summary: Sean Kearney introduces a free tool for examining your script. Honorary Scripting Guy, Sean Kearney, is here. This week I’m going to introduce you to my favorite Windows PowerShell ISE features. Note This is a five-part series that includes the following posts about features in the Windows PowerShell ISE: Script AnalyzerDownload a free tool […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":596,"featured_media":87096,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[56,662,154,45],"class_list":["post-75971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scripting","tag-guest-blogger","tag-script-analyzer","tag-sean-kearney","tag-windows-powershell"],"acf":[],"blog_post_summary":"
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- Script Browser<\/a>