Format-table PowerShell Command

The Format-Table command in Windows PowerShell is an incredibly useful tool for formatting and displaying data in a tabular format. It is a powerful command that can be used to quickly and easily create tables with data from a variety of sources. This article will provide an overview of the command, its syntax, parameters, inputs, outputs, examples, and tips for using it effectively.

Overview of Format-Table

The Format-Table command is a cmdlet in Windows PowerShell that is used to format data into a tabular format. It can be used to create tables from a variety of sources, including the output of other cmdlets, objects, and text files. It is a powerful tool for displaying data in a concise and organized manner.

Syntax of Format-Table

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

  • Format-Table [[-Property] <Object[]>] [-AutoSize] [-Wrap] [-HideTableHeaders] [-GroupBy <Object[]>] [-ShowTableHeaders] [-View <String>] [-InputObject <PSObject>] [-ExcludeProperty <Object[]>] [-Force] [-LiteralPath <String[]>] [-OutVariable <String>] [-Paging <SwitchParameter>] [-PassThru] [-Width <Int32[]>] [-As <String>] [-Delimiter <String>] [-NoElement] [-Expand <String>] [-Separator <String>] [-GroupBy <Object[]>] [-ShowError] [-ErrorAction <ActionPreference>] [-ErrorVariable <String>] [-OutBuffer <Int32>] [-Verbose] [-Debug] [-WarningAction <ActionPreference>] [-WarningVariable <String>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

Parameters of Format-Table

The Format-Table command has several parameters that can be used to customize the output of the command. The most commonly used parameters are:

  • -Property: This parameter is used to specify the properties that will be included in the table. It can be used to select specific properties or to select all properties.
  • -AutoSize: This parameter is used to automatically adjust the width of the columns in the table to fit the data.
  • -Wrap: This parameter is used to wrap long lines of text in the table.
  • -HideTableHeaders: This parameter is used to hide the table headers.
  • -GroupBy: This parameter is used to group the data in the table by a specified property.
  • -ShowTableHeaders: This parameter is used to show the table headers.
  • -View: This parameter is used to specify the view of the table.
  • -InputObject: This parameter is used to specify the input object for the table.
  • -ExcludeProperty: This parameter is used to exclude properties from the table.
  • -Force: This parameter is used to force the command to run even if errors are encountered.
  • -LiteralPath: This parameter is used to specify the path to the file that contains the data for the table.
  • -OutVariable: This parameter is used to specify the variable that will contain the output of the command.
  • -Paging: This parameter is used to enable paging of the output.
  • -PassThru: This parameter is used to pass the output of the command to the next command in the pipeline.
  • -Width: This parameter is used to specify the width of the columns in the table.
  • -As: This parameter is used to specify the format of the output.
  • -Delimiter: This parameter is used to specify the delimiter used to separate the columns in the table.
  • -NoElement: This parameter is used to prevent the output from being displayed as an array.
  • -Expand: This parameter is used to expand the output of the command.
  • -Separator: This parameter is used to specify the separator used to separate the columns in the table.
  • -GroupBy: This parameter is used to group the data in the table by a specified property.
  • -ShowError: This parameter is used to show errors encountered by the command.
  • -ErrorAction: This parameter is used to specify the action to take if an error is encountered.
  • -ErrorVariable: This parameter is used to specify the variable that will contain the errors encountered by the command.
  • -OutBuffer: This parameter is used to specify the size of the output buffer.
  • -Verbose: This parameter is used to enable verbose output.
  • -Debug: This parameter is used to enable debugging output.
  • -WarningAction: This parameter is used to specify the action to take if a warning is encountered.
  • -WarningVariable: This parameter is used to specify the variable that will contain the warnings encountered by the command.
  • -WhatIf: This parameter is used to simulate the command and display the results without actually running the command.
  • -Confirm: This parameter is used to prompt the user for confirmation before running the command.

Inputs of Format-Table

The Format-Table command can take a variety of inputs, including the output of other cmdlets, objects, and text files. It is a powerful tool for displaying data in a concise and organized manner.

Outputs of Format-Table

The output of the Format-Table command is a table with the specified data. The table can be customized using the parameters described above. The output can be saved to a file or displayed on the screen.

Examples of Format-Table

The following examples demonstrate how to use the Format-Table command:

  • To display the output of the Get-Process cmdlet in a table, use the following command:
    • Get-Process | Format-Table
  • To display the output of the Get-Process cmdlet in a table with only the Name and CPU properties, use the following command:
    • Get-Process | Format-Table Name, CPU
  • To display the output of the Get-Process cmdlet in a table with the Name and CPU properties and automatically adjust the column widths, use the following command:
    • Get-Process | Format-Table Name, CPU -AutoSize
  • To display the output of the Get-Process cmdlet in a table with the Name and CPU properties and group the data by

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