read-host

PowerShell Help
1

Hello all,

This is an easy one and just me being stupid, i am running the below but for some reason now i have used mandatory=$true it now longer adds the message section.

This is the parameter i am using,

[CmdletBinding()]
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
[String] $UpdateDay = (Read-Host -Prompt ‘Enter Value for the Day Windows updates will install. Sunday = 1, Monday = 2,
Tuesday =3, Wednesday = 4, Thursday = 5, Friday = 6, Saturday = 7’),
[string] $UpdateTime = (Read-Host -Prompt ‘Enter update time. Values use the numner to represent hour on a 24 Hour clock,
i.e (03:00 =3) (18:00 = 18)’)
)

And below is the output i get rather than including the output to user,

cmdlet at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
UpdateDay:

Thanks in advance Leon.

2

Use “HelpMessage” when declaring your parameters:

function test {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
    [Parameter( Mandatory=$True,
                HelpMessage="Enter Value for the day Windows updates will install. Sunday = 1, Monday = 2, Tuesday =3, Wednesday = 4, Thursday = 5, Friday = 6, Saturday = 7"
                )][String] $UpdateDay,
    [Parameter( Mandatory=$True,
                HelpMessage="Enter update time. Values use the number to represent hour on a 24 Hour clock, i.e (03:00 =3) (18:00 = 18)"
                )][string] $UpdateTime
    )
}

I’d also mention that the way you’re asking users to enter data is inefficient and will most likely end up in errors. For the days, I’d use a set so they just select the day that they want. You can convert that to numerical form later in the script.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_functions_advanced_parameters?view=powershell-5.1#validateset-attribute
The hour representation is fine, I suppose.

3

Once you specify Mandatory, the command won’t run unless a value is explicitly entered. Default values are ignored - including your Read trick.

4

Hello All,

Thank you for the help, i have changed the script block to include a help message and convert the input to numeric later on. On a separate note how do you add the power-shell box Jeremy used in his post, this will help make my next post more clear?

5

How to Format Code in the Forums (That’s the first post on top of the list in this forum!)

6

The Script is now working :). However, the script i was writing was to automate the local group policy settings i generally use on server builds, such as setting WSUS server location. The script was using the Set-ItemProperty commands to edit the regisrty, now that the script runs i have noticed that gpupdate or logon/logoff overwrites the values that i have set, is there a way to stop this or a better way of doing this?

I cannot add these to a domain as they are tailored for each clients needs and most do not want a domain controller. I have googled this but all solutions are generally installing third party software etc, which would take just as much time to do each time as just editing the local GP.

7

So these are workgroup computers? i.e. not part of a domain environment?
If that’s the case, just add that script to startup on the PC’s.

Also, what is the reason for not having domained computers? Just curious on that one.

8

Hello Jeremy,

Thanks for the advice, they are client servers that are bespoke for hosted applications etc. Naturally most clients are not willing to add the cost of a domain controller to manage the 1-2 servers they have with us.

9

Ah, makes total sense now. Yeah, a startup script should do the trick. Or you could look into PowerShell DSC. Could give you more granularity and easier to manage in the long run.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/dsc/overview

10

Thanks Jeremy, i will have a look into DSC now :slight_smile: