TOPIC
about_Windows_PowerShell_ISE
SHORT DESCRIPTION
Describes the features and system requirements of Windows PowerShell
Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE).
LONG DESCRIPTION
Windows PowerShell ISE is a host application for Windows PowerShell.
In Windows PowerShell ISE, you can run commands and write, test, and debug
scripts in a single Windows-based graphical user interface. Its features
include multiline editing, tab completion, syntax coloring, selective
execution, context-sensitive Help, and support for right-to-left languages.
Notes: Because this feature requires a user interface, it does not work on
Server Core installations of Windows Server.
Window PowerShell ISE is built on the Windows Presentation
Foundation (WPF). If the graphical elements of Windows PowerShell
ISE do not render correctly on your system, you might resolve the
problem by adding or adjusting the graphics rendering settings on
your system. This might be required if the computer has an older
video driver or you are using virtualization software. For more
information, see "Graphics Rendering Registry Settings" in the MSDN
library at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=144711.
Running Interactive Commands
You can run any Windows PowerShell expression or command in Windows
PowerShell ISE. You can use cmdlets, providers, snap-ins, and modules as
you would use them in the Windows PowerShell console.
You can type or paste interactive commands in the Command pane. To run the
commands, you can use buttons, menu items, and keyboard shortcuts.
You can use the multiline editing feature to type or paste several lines
of code into the Command pane at once. When you press the UP ARROW key to
recall the previous command, all the lines in the command are recalled.
When you type commands, press SHIFT+ENTER to make a new blank line appear
under the current line.
Viewing Output
The results of commands and scripts are displayed in the Output pane. You
can move or copy the results from the Output pane by using keyboard
shortcuts or the Output toolbar, and you can paste the results in other
programs. You can also clear the Output pane by clicking the Clear Output
button or by typing one of the following commands:
clear-host
cls
Writing Scripts and Functions
In the Script pane, you can open, compose, edit, and run scripts. The
Script pane lets you edit scripts by using buttons and keyboard shortcuts.
You can also copy, cut, and paste text between the Script pane and the
Command pane.
You can use the selective run feature to run all or part of a script. To
run part of a script, select the text you want to run, and then click the
Run Script button. Or, press F5.
Debugging Scripts
You can use the Windows PowerShell ISE debugger to debug a Windows
PowerShell script or function. When you debug a script, you can use menu
items and shortcut keys to perform many of the same tasks that you would
perform in the Windows PowerShell console. For example, to set a line
breakpoint in a script, right-click the line of code, and then click
Toggle Breakpoint.
You can also use the Windows PowerShell debugger cmdlets in the Command
pane just as you would use them in the console.
Tab Completion
Windows PowerShell ISE has tab completion for cmdlet names, parameter
names, and Microsoft .NET Framework static types. To use tab completion,
type the beginning of the name, and then press the TAB key.
Getting Help
Windows PowerShell ISE includes a searchable compiled Help file that
describes Windows PowerShell ISE and Windows PowerShell. This Help file
includes all the Help that is available from the Get-Help cmdlet. To view
the Help file in Windows PowerShell ISE, use the Help menu. Or, press F1.
The Help is context sensitive. For example, if you type Invoke-Item and
then press F1, the Help file opens to the Help topic for the Invoke-Item
cmdlet.
And, you can use the Get-Help cmdlet in Windows PowerShell as you would in
the Windows PowerShell console.
Customizing the View
You can use Windows PowerShell ISE features to move and to resize the
Command pane, the Output pane, and the Script pane. You can show and hide
the Script pane, and you can change the text size in all the panes.
You can also use the $Host variable to change some aspects of the
appearance of Windows PowerShell ISE, including the window title and the
foreground and background colors in the Output pane. In addition, Windows
PowerShell ISE has its own custom host variable, $psgHost. You can use
this variable to customize Windows PowerShell ISE, including adding menus
and menu items.
Windows PowerShell ISE Profile
Windows PowerShell ISE has its own Windows PowerShell profile,
Microsoft.PowerShellISE_profile.ps1. In this profile, you can store
functions, aliases, variables, and commands that you use in Windows
PowerShell ISE.
Items in the Windows PowerShell AllHosts profiles (CurrentUser\AllHosts
and AllUsers\AllHosts) are also available in Windows PowerShell ISE, just
as they are in any Windows PowerShell host program. However, the items
in your Windows PowerShell console profiles are not available in Windows
PowerShell ISE.
Instructions for moving and reconfiguring your profiles are available in
Windows PowerShell ISE Help and in about_Profiles.
System Requirements
-Operating Systems:
- Windows 7
- Windows Server 2008
- Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2
- Windows Vista with Service Pack 1
- Windows XP with Service Pack 2
- Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0
- Windows PowerShell remoting requires Windows Remote Management 2.0.
Notes
- The Get-WinEvent cmdlet requires Windows Vista and later versions of
Windows and the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.
- The Export-Counter cmdlet runs only in Windows 7.
Starting Windows PowerShell ISE
- To start Windows PowerShell ISE, click Start, point to All Programs,
point to Windows PowerShell, and then click Windows PowerShell ISE.
- In the Windows PowerShell console, Cmd.exe, or in the Run box,
type "powershell_ise.exe".
SEE ALSO
about_Profiles
Get-Help