Windows PowerShell is a powerful scripting language that allows users to automate tasks and manage Windows systems. The Sort-Object command is one of the most commonly used commands in PowerShell. It is used to sort objects in a list or array according to specified criteria. This article will provide an overview of the Sort-Object command, including its syntax, parameters, inputs, outputs, examples, and tips.
Syntax of Sort-Object Command
The syntax of the Sort-Object command is as follows:
Sort-Object [-InputObject] <PSObject[]> [-Property] <String[]> [-Descending] [-Unique] [-CaseSensitive] [-Culture <String>] [-IgnoreCase] [-TotalCount <Int32>] [-InputObject <PSObject[]>] [-ExcludeProperty <String[]>] [-AsString] [-LiteralPath <String[]>] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-Authentication <AuthenticationMechanism>] [-CertificateThumbprint <String[]>] [-ComputerName <String[]>] [-UseTransaction] [-Include <String[]>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Filter <String>] [-Path <String[]>] [-Recurse] [-Force] [-Stream] [-Depth <Int32>] [-ErrorAction <ActionPreference>] [-ErrorVariable <String>] [-OutVariable <String>] [-OutBuffer <Int32>] [-WarningAction <ActionPreference>] [-WarningVariable <String>] [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]
Parameters of Sort-Object Command
The Sort-Object command has several parameters that can be used to customize the sorting process. The following table provides a brief overview of these parameters:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| -InputObject | The objects to be sorted. |
| -Property | The property to be used for sorting. |
| -Descending | Sort the objects in descending order. |
| -Unique | Return only unique objects. |
| -CaseSensitive | Perform a case-sensitive sort. |
| -Culture | The culture to be used for sorting. |
| -IgnoreCase | Perform a case-insensitive sort. |
| -TotalCount | The maximum number of objects to be returned. |
| -ExcludeProperty | The properties to be excluded from the sorting process. |
| -AsString | Sort the objects as strings. |
| -LiteralPath | The path to the objects to be sorted. |
| -Credential | The credentials to be used for authentication. |
| -Authentication | The authentication mechanism to be used. |
| -CertificateThumbprint | The thumbprint of the certificate to be used for authentication. |
| -ComputerName | The name of the computer to be used for authentication. |
| -UseTransaction | Use a transaction for the sorting process. |
| -Include | The objects to be included in the sorting process. |
| -Exclude | The objects to be excluded from the sorting process. |
| -Filter | The filter to be used for the sorting process. |
| -Path | The path to the objects to be sorted. |
| -Recurse | Recursively search the specified path for objects to be sorted. |
| -Force | Force the sorting process to continue even if an error is encountered. |
| -Stream | Stream the sorted objects to the output. |
| -Depth | The maximum depth of the search for objects to be sorted. |
| -ErrorAction | The action to be taken if an error is encountered. |
| -ErrorVariable | The variable to be used to store any errors encountered. |
| -OutVariable | The variable to be used to store the output of the sorting process. |
| -OutBuffer | The maximum number of objects to be stored in the output buffer. |
| -WarningAction | The action to be taken if a warning is encountered. |
| -WarningVariable | The variable to be used to store any warnings encountered. |
| -WhatIf | Simulate the sorting process without actually performing it. |
| -Confirm | Prompt the user for confirmation before performing the sorting process. |
Inputs for Sort-Object Command
The Sort-Object command requires two inputs: the objects to be sorted, and the property to be used for sorting. The objects to be sorted can be specified using the -InputObject parameter, and the property to be used for sorting can be specified using the -Property parameter. The -Property parameter can be used to sort the objects according to a single property, or multiple properties.
Outputs of Sort-Object Command
The Sort-Object command produces a sorted list of objects as its output. The output can be stored in a variable using the -OutVariable parameter, or streamed to the output using the -Stream parameter.
Examples of Sort-Object Command
The following examples demonstrate the use of the Sort-Object command:
- To sort a list of objects according to their name property, use the