This is what I did:
“I’d have you “GUI function” simply output computer names to the pipeline, so that they could be piped to another command without the interim text files, but that’s your decision”
But I screwed up at first probably due to lack of sleep. I got it working now.
Here is that GUI that I am using by the way:
function Show-InputGUI([string]$Message, [string]$WindowTitle, [string]$DefaultText)
{
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Prompts the user with a multi-line input box and returns the text they enter, or null if they cancelled the prompt.
.DESCRIPTION
Prompts the user with a multi-line input box and returns the text they enter, or null if they cancelled the prompt.
.PARAMETER Message
The message to display to the user explaining what text we are asking them to enter.
.PARAMETER WindowTitle
The text to display on the prompt window's title.
.PARAMETER DefaultText
The default text to show in the input box.
.EXAMPLE
$userText = Read-MultiLineInputDialog "Input some text please:" "Get User's Input"
Shows how to create a simple prompt to get mutli-line input from a user.
.EXAMPLE
# Setup the default multi-line address to fill the input box with.
$defaultAddress = @'
John Doe
123 St.
Some Town, SK, Canada
A1B 2C3
'@
$address = Read-MultiLineInputDialog "Please enter your full address, including name, street, city, and postal code:" "Get User's Address" $defaultAddress
if ($address -eq $null)
{
Write-Error "You pressed the Cancel button on the multi-line input box."
}
Prompts the user for their address and stores it in a variable, pre-filling the input box with a default multi-line address.
If the user pressed the Cancel button an error is written to the console.
.EXAMPLE
$inputText = Read-MultiLineInputDialog -Message "If you have a really long message you can break it apart`
nover two lines with the powershell newline character:" -WindowTitle “Window Title” -DefaultText “Default text for the input box.”
Shows how to break the second parameter (Message) up onto two lines using the powershell newline character (`n).
If you break the message up into more than two lines the extra lines will be hidden behind or show ontop of the TextBox.
#>
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms
# Create the Label.
$label = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label
$label.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(10,10)
$label.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(280,20)
$label.AutoSize = $true
$label.Text = $Message
# Create the TextBox used to capture the user's text.
$textBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
$textBox.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(10,40)
$textBox.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(575,200)
$textBox.AcceptsReturn = $true
$textBox.AcceptsTab = $false
$textBox.Multiline = $true
$textBox.ScrollBars = 'Both'
$textBox.Text = $DefaultText
# Create the OK button.
$okButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button
$okButton.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(510,250)
$okButton.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(75,25)
$okButton.Text = "OK"
$okButton.Add_Click({ $form.Tag = $textBox.Text; $form.Close() })
# Create the Cancel button.
$cancelButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button
$cancelButton.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(415,250)
$cancelButton.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(75,25)
$cancelButton.Text = "Cancel"
$cancelButton.Add_Click({ $form.Tag = $null; $form.Close() })
# Create the form.
$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form
$form.Text = $WindowTitle
$form.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(610,320)
$form.FormBorderStyle = 'FixedSingle'
$form.StartPosition = "CenterScreen"
$form.AutoSizeMode = 'GrowAndShrink'
$form.Topmost = $True
$form.AcceptButton = $okButton
$form.CancelButton = $cancelButton
$form.ShowInTaskbar = $true
# Add all of the controls to the form.
$form.Controls.Add($label)
$form.Controls.Add($textBox)
$form.Controls.Add($okButton)
$form.Controls.Add($cancelButton)
# Initialize and show the form.
$form.Add_Shown({$form.Activate()})
$form.ShowDialog() > $null # Trash the text of the button that was clicked.
# Return the text that the user entered.
return $form.Tag
}
Then I just use Foreach to process each item like this:
$UserList = Show-InputGUI "Enter User Names Here:" "User List"
$ComputerList = Show-InputGUI “Enter Computer Names Here:” “Computer List”
Foreach ($User in $UserList)
{
#Do Something
}
Foreach ($Computer in $ComputerList)
{
#Do Something
}
Thanks again Don. Your fast replies are great brother.
Oh by the way, after I move to Oregon I was thinking about starting up a bi-weekly PowerShell MeetUp to interact with others in the Central Oregon area who enjoy PowerShell. I don’t know, just a thought.
Have a good one Don and I appreciate your help and your great books. Talk to you soon, I’m sure.