How to supress value returned from DbDataAdapter.Fill Method (DataSet)

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1

I’m working through chapter 8 (Using the Database functions) in Learn PowerShell Toolmaking In A Month Of Lunches. In the code I’m working through there are two modules. One of the modules (MOLDatabase) has the below function (Get-MOLDatabaseData) in it that is then called from another function (Get-MOLComputerNamesFromDatabase) in another module (MOLTools; MOLDatabase module is loaded in the MOLTools module code). It retrieves a list of computer names from a SQL Express database. The information that is returned (3 server names that are in the SQL database, one of which [fake server name: not-online] doesn’t really exist) is then passed on to another function (Get-MOLSystemInfo), in the MOLTools module, that gets some WMI information for each server name. Everything works great, except for the fact that a 4th value (The number “3”) is returned by the “$adapter.Fill($dataset)” line of code in the Get-MOLDatabaseData function, which is returned by the Get-MOLComputerNamesFromDatabase function, which gets sent to the Get-MOLSystemInfo as if it’s a server that the function needs to look up. It fails as follows (i.e. The first warning below should not be there). If I run the Get-MOLComputerNamesFromDatabase function by itself, I get the number three ("3), followed by the table with just the three servers names in the database. How do I suppress the output of the “$adapter.Fill($dataset)” line of code in the Get-MOLDatabaseData function so that it isn’t returned?

PS C:> Get-MOLComputerNamesFromDatabase | Get-MOLSystemInfo

WARNING: Failed to get Win32_OperatingSystem information from 3. To log the error details, re-run the script with the -LogErrors parameter. Get-MOLComputerNamesFromDatabase Get-MOLComputerNamesFromDatabase | Get-MOLSystemInfo

WARNING: Failed to get Win32_OperatingSystem information from 3. To log the error details, re-run the script with the -LogErrors parameter.

ComputerName OSVersion SPVersion BIOSSerial Manufacturer Model

OG99SQL 6.3.9600 0 3342-7101-5095-19… Microsoft Corpora… Virtual Machine
OG99SQL 6.3.9600 0 3342-7101-5095-19… Microsoft Corpora… Virtual Machine
WARNING: Failed to get Win32_OperatingSystem information from not-online. To log the error details, re-run the script with the -LogErrors parameter.

PS C:> Get-MOLComputerNamesFromDatabase

3

ComputerName

localhost
localhost
not-online

–Code from MOLDatabase module file:

function Get-MOLDatabaseData {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param (
        [string]$connectionString,
        [string]$query,
        [switch]$isSQLServer
    )
    if ($isSQLServer) {
        Write-Verbose 'in SQL Server mode'
        $connection = New-Object -TypeName `
            System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection
    } else {
        Write-Verbose 'in OleDB mode'
        $connection = New-Object -TypeName `
            System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection
    }
    $connection.ConnectionString = $connectionString
    $command = $connection.CreateCommand()
    $command.CommandText = $query
    if ($isSQLServer) {
        $adapter = New-Object -TypeName `
        System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter $command
    } else {
        $adapter = New-Object -TypeName `
        System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter $command
    }
    $dataset = New-Object -TypeName System.Data.DataSet
    $adapter.Fill($dataset) <----This is the line causing problems.
    $dataset.Tables[0]
    $connection.close()
}
2

Some of my original information got wiped out. The corrected version is listed.

3

I’ve already looked at https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zxkb3c3d(v=vs.110).aspx. The Fill method returns:

Return Value
Type: System.Int32
The number of rows successfully added to or refreshed in the DataSet. This does not include rows affected by statements that do not return rows.

4

FYI, I tried the following. It didn’t work.

$adapter.Fill($dataset) | Out-Null

5

I take it back. Sending the fill method out to Out-Null did work. I just had to reload the MOLDatabase module.