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Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner

by: Ford Jr., Jerry Lee

Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner

by: Ford Jr., Jerry Lee

ISBN 13:
9781598633542
ISBN 10:
1598633546
Edition: 1st
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 12/19/2006
Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR
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Summary

Microsoft has finally answered the prayers of system administrators and developers everywhere through the introduction of Windows PowerShell, a new scripting technology that enables the automation of system management tasks and the creation of system management tools. PowerShell runs on Windows XP, 2003, and Vista. Exchange Server 2007 and System Center Operations Manager 2007 will be built on Windows PowerShell. Unlike traditional Windows shell scripting, PowerShell scripting is object based and is designed to work with the .NET framework. Microsoft Windows PowerShell Programming for the Absolute Beginner teaches readers how to program using Microsoft's new PowerShell scripting language through the creation of computer games. No prior knowledge of programming in any language is required. Topics covered include the Windows PowerShell Command Line, object based scripting with .NET, writing PowerShell Scripts, working with variables, arrays and hashes, implementing conditional logic, using loops to process data, organizing scripts using functions, basic system administration, and much more.

Introduction	p. xiii
Introducing Windows Powershell	p. 3
Project Preview: The Knock Knock Joke Game	p. 4
Getting to Know Windows PowerShell	p. 7
A Little History Lesson	p. 7
Integration with .NET	p. 8
PowerShell Versus cmd.exe	p. 9
Installing and Configuring Windows PowerShell	p. 10
Interacting with the PowerShell Command Prompt	p. 12
Starting a New PowerShell Session	p. 13
Executing PowerShell Cmdlets	p. 13
Other Types of Commands	p. 16
A Short PowerShell Workout	p. 16
Windows PowerShell Scripting	p. 20
Simplifying PowerShell Script Execution	p. 20
Back to the Knock Knock Joke Game	p. 22
Designing the Game	p. 22
The Final Result	p. 26
Summary	p. 28
Interacting with the Windows PowerShell Command Line	p. 31
Project Preview: The Story of the Three Amigos	p. 32
Accessing Windows PowerShell	p. 35
Customizing the Windows PowerShell Working Environment	p. 36
Customizing Windows PowerShell Shortcuts	p. 36
Configuring the Windows Command Console	p. 38
Windows Command Console Customization Options	p. 38
Windows Command Console Editing Features	p. 43
Windows PowerShell Edit Enhancements	p. 44
Tab Completion	p. 44
The Get-History Cmdlet	p. 46
Navigating Hierarchical Data Stores	p. 47
Back to The Story of the Three Amigos	p. 52
Creating a New Script	p. 53
Declaring Script Variables	p. 54
Displaying the Introduction	p. 54
Providing Player Instructions	p. 55
Prompting the Player for Input	p. 56
Collecting Additional Inputs	p. 57
Displaying the Story's Opening	p. 58
Displaying the Rest of the Story	p. 59
Summary	p. 62
Object-Based Scripting with.NET	p. 63
Project Preview: The PowerShell Fortune Teller Game	p. 64
One Last PowerShell Customization Technique	p. 66
The Microsoft .NET Framework	p. 68
Key .NET Framework Components	p. 69
The .NET Class Library	p. 69
The Common Language Runtime	p. 70
Accessing .NET Framework Resources	p. 70
Executing Cmdlets	p. 75
Windows PowerShell Plumbing	p. 81
Working with Aliases	p. 84
Back to the PowerShell Fortune Teller Game	p. 87
Designing the Game	p. 87
Creating a New PowerShell Script	p. 88
Declaring and Initializing Variables	p. 88
Displaying the Welcome Screen	p. 89
Displaying Game Instructions	p. 90
Controlling Gameplay	p. 91
Displaying the Closing Screen	p. 93
Summary	p. 94
Working with Variables, Arrays, and Hashes	p. 99
Project Preview: The Seinfeld Trivia Quiz	p. 100
Windows PowerShell Language Features	p. 102
Windows PowerShell Reserved Words	p. 102
Escape Characters	p. 103
String Manipulation	p. 105
Storing and Retrieving Data	p. 107
Variables	p. 107
Arrays	p. 114
Associative Arrays	p. 118
Back to the Seinfeld Trivia Quiz	p. 121
Designing the Game	p. 121
The Final Result	p. 131
Summary	p. 131
Implementing Conditional Logic	p. 133
Project Preview: The Guess My Number Game	p. 134
Comparing Values	p. 136
Combining Pipelines and Operators	p. 137
Implementing Conditional Logic	p. 138
Comparing Data Using the if Statement	p. 139
Making Multiple Comparisons Using the switch Statement	p. 144
Windows PowerShell Operators	p. 146
Comparison Operators	p. 146
Logical Operators	p. 147
String Comparison Operators	p. 148
Back to the Guess My Number Game	p. 150
Designing the Game	p. 150
The Final Result	p. 157
Summary	p. 162
Using Loops to Process Data	p. 163
Project Preview: The Rock, Paper, Scissors Game	p. 164
Working with Loops	p. 166
Setting Up do while Loops	p. 167
Setting Up do until Loops	p. 168
Creating for Loops	p. 169
Creating foreach Loops	p. 172
Using while Loops	p. 175
Altering Loop Execution	p. 176
Using the break Command	p. 176
Using the continue Command	p. 177
Back to the Rock, Paper, Scissors Game	p. 178
Designing the Game	p. 179
The Final Result	p. 188
Summary	p. 188
Organizing Scripts Using Functions	p. 191
Project Preview: The PowerShell Hangman Game	p. 192
Changing Script Design Using Functions and Filters	p. 194
Improving Script Organization	p. 195
Creating Reusable Code	p. 195
Enhancing Script Organization with Functions	p. 196
Function Structure	p. 196
Processing Arguments	p. 198
Processing Incoming Data	p. 203
Returning a Result	p. 204
Restricting Variable Scope	p. 205
Replacing Functions with Filters	p. 207
Back to the PowerShell Hangman Game	p. 208
Creating a New Script	p. 209
Defining and Initializing Script-Level Variables	p. 209
Defining Custom Functions	p. 210
Prompting the Player to Start the Game	p. 212
Setting Up a Loop to Control Gameplay	p. 213
Selecting a Secret Word	p. 213
Setting Up a Loop to Process User Guesses	p. 214
Collecting and Validating User Input	p. 214
Displaying the Results of Each Guess	p. 216
Determining When the Game Is Over	p. 217
Challenging the Player to Play Another Game	p. 219
Summary	p. 220
Working with Files and Folders	p. 225
Project Preview: The PowerShell Tic-Tac-Toe Game	p. 226
Using the Power of Regular Expressions	p. 228
Matching Simple Patterns	p. 228
Matching Alternative Patterns	p. 229
Working with Regular Expression Characters	p. 229
Working with Quantifiers	p. 231
Matching Patterns Based on Ranges	p. 231
Administering Files and Folders	p. 233
Verifying File and Folder Existence	p. 233
Retrieving File and Folder Information	p. 234
Copying and Moving Files and Folders	p. 235
Deleting Files and Folders	p. 236
Renaming Files and Folders	p. 237
Searching Files	p. 237
Reading from and Writing to Files	p. 238
Creating Files and Folders	p. 238
Writing to Text Files	p. 239
Reformatting Cmdlet Output	p. 240
Reading from Text Files	p. 244
Erasing File Contents	p. 245
Saving Data Output as HTML	p. 245
Saving Data as an XML File	p. 245
Reading Data from an XML File	p. 247
Saving Data in a Comma-Separated Value File	p. 247
Reading Data from a Comma-Separated Value File	p. 248
Sending Output to the Printer	p. 249
Back to the PowerShell Tic-Tac-Toe Game	p. 250
Designing the Game	p. 250
The Final Result	p. 263
Summary	p. 264
Basic System Administration	p. 265
Project Preview: The PowerShell Blackjack Game	p. 266
Accessing and Administering System Resources	p. 268
Listing and Stopping Processes	p. 268
Administering Windows Services	p. 269
Accessing Event Logs	p. 274
Retrieving System Information Using WMI	p. 276
Taking Advantage of .NET Classes	p. 281
Taking Advantage of COM Objects	p. 281
Programmatically Interacting with the Windows Registry	p. 284
Back to the PowerShell Blackjack Game	p. 288
Creating a New Script File	p. 288
Defining and Creating New Variables	p. 289
Creating the Get-Permission Function	p. 289
Creating the Check-Registry Function	p. 291
Creating the Play-Game Function	p. 292
Creating the Deal-Hand Function	p. 292
Creating the Get-Card Function	p. 293
Creating the Get-ComputerHand Function	p. 293
Creating the Analyze-Results Function	p. 294
Creating the Get-PlayerHand Function	p. 295
Creating the Get-NewCard Function	p. 297
Adding Controlling Logic to the Main Processing Section	p. 297
Summary	p. 298
Debugging PowerShell Scripts	p. 301
Project Preview: The PowerShell Game Console	p. 302
Understanding PowerShell Errors	p. 303
Syntax Errors	p. 303
Runtime Errors	p. 304
Logical Errors	p. 305
Terminating Versus Non-Terminating Errors	p. 306
Dissecting the Structure of Error Messages	p. 306
Telling Windows PowerShell How to React to Errors	p. 307
Creating Trap Handlers	p. 308
Tracing Script Execution	p. 311
Displaying Output Status Information and Tracking Variable Values	p. 311
Using PowerShell's Debug Mode	p. 313
Back to the PowerShell Game Console	p. 316
Designing the Game	p. 316
The Final Result	p. 322
Summary	p. 322
What's on the Companion Website?	p. 325
What Next?	p. 327
Windows PowerShell IDEs	p. 328
Recommended Reading	p. 329
Locating Microsoft PowerShell Resources Online	p. 330
PowerShell Websites	p. 331
Windows PowerShell News Group	p. 332
PowerShell Blogs	p. 333
The Author's Website	p. 334
Glossary	p. 335
Index	p. 345
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner

Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner

9781598633542

1598633546

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

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Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner

Microsoft Windows Powershell Programming for the Absolute Beginner

9781598633542

1598633546

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

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