Format-custom PowerShell Command

Windows PowerShell is a powerful command-line shell and scripting language designed for system administrators and users to automate system tasks. One of the most useful commands in Windows PowerShell is the Format-Custom command. This command allows users to format the output of any command to their own specifications. In this article, we will discuss the syntax, parameters, inputs, outputs, examples, and tips for using the Format-Custom command.

Syntax of the Format-Custom Command

The syntax of the Format-Custom command is as follows:

Format-Custom [-Property ] [-View ] [-InputObject ] [-Depth ] [-GroupBy ] [-GroupByLabel ] [-GroupByValue ] [-ShowError] [-ExcludeProperty ] [-Force] [-Width ] [-AutoSize] [-HideTableHeaders] [-NoElement] [-ShowTotal] [-TotalLabel ] [-As ] [-DisplayError] [-ErrorAction ] [-ErrorVariable ] [-OutVariable ] [-OutBuffer ]

Parameters of the Format-Custom Command

The parameters of the Format-Custom command are as follows:

  • Property – This parameter specifies the properties of the object to be formatted.
  • View – This parameter specifies the view of the output.
  • InputObject – This parameter specifies the object to be formatted.
  • Depth – This parameter specifies the maximum number of levels of nested objects to be included in the output.
  • GroupBy – This parameter specifies the properties to be used to group the output.
  • GroupByLabel – This parameter specifies the label to be used for the group.
  • GroupByValue – This parameter specifies the value to be used for the group.
  • ShowError – This parameter specifies whether errors should be displayed in the output.
  • ExcludeProperty – This parameter specifies the properties to be excluded from the output.
  • Force – This parameter specifies whether the command should be executed even if errors occur.
  • Width – This parameter specifies the width of the output.
  • AutoSize – This parameter specifies whether the output should be automatically sized.
  • HideTableHeaders – This parameter specifies whether the table headers should be hidden.
  • NoElement – This parameter specifies whether the output should be displayed as a single element.
  • ShowTotal – This parameter specifies whether the total number of objects should be displayed in the output.
  • TotalLabel – This parameter specifies the label to be used for the total number of objects.
  • As – This parameter specifies the output format.
  • DisplayError – This parameter specifies whether errors should be displayed in the output.
  • ErrorAction – This parameter specifies the action to be taken if an error occurs.
  • ErrorVariable – This parameter specifies the variable to be used to store any errors that occur.
  • OutVariable – This parameter specifies the variable to be used to store the output.
  • OutBuffer – This parameter specifies the maximum number of objects to be stored in the output buffer.

Inputs for the Format-Custom Command

The inputs for the Format-Custom command are as follows:

  • The object to be formatted.
  • The properties of the object to be formatted.
  • The view of the output.
  • The maximum number of levels of nested objects to be included in the output.
  • The properties to be used to group the output.
  • The label to be used for the group.
  • The value to be used for the group.
  • The properties to be excluded from the output.
  • The width of the output.
  • The output format.
  • The action to be taken if an error occurs.
  • The variable to be used to store any errors that occur.
  • The variable to be used to store the output.
  • The maximum number of objects to be stored in the output buffer.

Outputs of the Format-Custom Command

The outputs of the Format-Custom command are as follows:

  • A formatted output.
  • An error message, if an error occurs.
  • The output stored in the specified variable, if specified.

Examples of the Format-Custom Command

The following are some examples of the Format-Custom command:

  • To format the output of the Get-Process command as a table with the ProcessName, CPU, and Handles properties, use the following command:

    Get-Process | Format-Custom -Property ProcessName, CPU, Handles -View Table

  • To format the output of the Get-Process command as a list with the ProcessName, CPU, and Handles properties, use the following command:

    Get-Process | Format-Custom -Property ProcessName, CPU, Handles -View List

  • To format the output of the Get-Process command as a table with the ProcessName, CPU, and Handles properties, and group the output by the ProcessName property, use the following command:

    Get-Process | Format-Custom -Property ProcessName, CPU, Handles -View Table -GroupBy ProcessName

  • To format the output of the Get-Process command as a table with the ProcessName, CPU, and Handles properties, and group the output by the ProcessName property, and display the total number of processes, use the following command:

    Get-Process | Format-Custom -Property ProcessName, CPU, Handles -View Table -GroupBy ProcessName -ShowTotal

Tips for Using the Format-Custom Command

The following are some tips for using the Format-Custom command:

  1. Use the Property parameter to specify the properties of the object to be formatted.
  2. Use the View parameter to specify the view of the output.
  3. Use the Depth parameter to specify the maximum number of levels of nested objects to be included in the output.
  4. Use the GroupBy parameter to specify the properties to be used to group the output.
  5. Use the GroupByLabel parameter to specify the label to be used for the group.
  6. Use the GroupByValue parameter to specify the value to be used for the group.
  7. Use the ExcludeProperty parameter to specify the properties to be excluded from the output.
  8. Use the Width parameter to specify the width of the output.
  9. Use the AutoSize parameter to specify whether the output should be automatically sized.
  10. Use the HideTableHeaders parameter to specify whether the table

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