Default Cmdlet Output vs Get-member Properties

PowerShell Help
1

Hi,

I am trying to get an idea behind the scenes of default output vs get-member property results.

Eg: 

Test-Connection -ComputerName   – gives following ouput

Source   Destination  IPV4Address  IPV6Address  Bytes Time(ms)




Test-Connection  | Get-Member -MemberType Property

   TypeName: System.Management.ManagementObject#root\cimv2\Win32_PingStatus

Name                           MemberType Definition
----                           ---------- ----------
Address                        Property   string Address {get;set;}
BufferSize                     Property   uint32 BufferSize {get;set;}
NoFragmentation                Property   bool NoFragmentation {get;set;}
PrimaryAddressResolutionStatus Property   uint32 PrimaryAddressResolutionStatus {get;set;}
ProtocolAddress                Property   string ProtocolAddress {get;set;}
ProtocolAddressResolved        Property   string ProtocolAddressResolved {get;set;}
RecordRoute                    Property   uint32 RecordRoute {get;set;}
ReplyInconsistency             Property   bool ReplyInconsistency {get;set;}
ReplySize                      Property   uint32 ReplySize {get;set;}
ResolveAddressNames            Property   bool ResolveAddressNames {get;set;}
ResponseTime                   Property   uint32 ResponseTime {get;set;}
ResponseTimeToLive             Property   uint32 ResponseTimeToLive {get;set;}
RouteRecord                    Property   string[] RouteRecord {get;set;}
RouteRecordResolved            Property   string[] RouteRecordResolved {get;set;}
SourceRoute                    Property   string SourceRoute {get;set;}
SourceRouteType                Property   uint32 SourceRouteType {get;set;}
StatusCode                     Property   uint32 StatusCode {get;set;}
Timeout                        Property   uint32 Timeout {get;set;}
..
..

I have to cut few results due to length, but the point is i couldn't find the default output properties (except 2) in the GM list. What am i missing here? Appreciate your wisdom and time!

Thanks,
Harsha
2

You have to understand how the formatting system works - it constructs the default display, and can provide different column headers than the underlying property names. It can also create on-the-fly calculated properties. It may be easier to run your command and pipe it to

| Format-list *

As you’ll then bypass the default view and just get the raw dump, a la Get-Member, but including property values. There’s a whole chapter in “Learn Windows PowerShell in a Month of Lunches” on this, as it’s one of the many common “gotchas” people run into with PowerShell.

3

Don,
Thanks for prompt reply. I see what you are saying. So, the default output is entirely upto Microsoft Powershell Team to give viewers a quick meaningful results by calculating and formatting.

The time I realized to learn powershell, most people recommended your “Learn Windows Powershell in a Month of Lunches” book, It was awesome so far. Day-5 is in the progress…

Anyways, Thank you so much. It would be wise to wait till completion of entire book and post Questions.