Write-information not working in a worflow

PowerShell Help
1

Having an issue using write-information in a workflow. Hoping i’m doing something silly and someone can point it out!

Its a simple script!

When i set the $InformationPreference in the shell i’m using it will work, but this is a workflow and will run on many random systems. I have tried to set it at the start of the workflow, but it doesn’t see to work. So i commented it out.

Hoping this is not a bug as write-information is supported in a workflow! Cant get any simpler than below!

 

workflow test-workflow
{
#$InformationPreference = “Continue”
Write-Information -MessageData “Started Workflow” -InformationAction Continue

}

2

By “work”, do you mean output to the host/log?

By default, Write-Information does not output to host, as (as you’ve noticed) InformationPreference is set to SilentlyContinue. It also doesn’t support adding the “PSHOST” tag (unless you use $PSCmdlet.WriteInformation(“Message”, “PSHOST”), though I guess that’s no longer Write-Information).

You can, however, capture it in -InformationVariable and various other methods (Jaykul’s Information module is neat).

Having said that, in PowerShell >5.0 Write-Host is essentially Write-Information with the magic PSHOST tag applied (some handwaving included, here).

3

Some additional context. This is run in SMA. This will run as part of a parent / child workflow with information being passed between them. Using write-output pollutes the information being passed between the workflows. Using write-host displays nothing either.

I can put a sample parent / child workflow together if that would help demonstrate the issue better?

4

Here is a sample with write-output / write-information and write-verbose. You can comment whatever it is you want to test against.

Essentially i want test-parent to receive the $value from test-child, and only that value. I want the write-output displayed, but not inside the $value.

I can use write-information, but $InformationPreference = “Continue” must be set for that shell to work I cant seem to set it globally or for all users / shells spawned.

 

Parent workflow:

workflow test-parent {

write-information -MessageData “Starting Parent!” -InformationAction Continue
#Write-Verbose “Starting Parent! $(date)” -Verbose

$result = test-child
write-information “Result: $result” -InformationAction Continue
#Write-Verbose “Result: $result” -Verbose
write-output “$result”

write-information “Finished Parent!” -InformationAction Continue
#Write-Verbose “Finished Parent! $(date)” -Verbose
}

Child workflow:

workflow test-child
{

Write-Information -MessageData “Starting Child!” -InformationAction Continue
Write-Output “Starting Child!”
#Write-Verbose “Starting Child! $(date)” -Verbose

$value = “ID = 21”
Write-Information -MessageData $value -InformationAction Continue
#Write-Verbose “$value” -Verbose
Write-Output “$value”

Write-Information -MessageData “Finished Child!” -InformationAction Continue
#Write-Verbose “Finshed Child! $(date)” -Verbose
Write-Output “Finished Child!”
return $value

}

 

Maybe there’s a better way to run this altogether! Just looking for thoughts / tips!

5

My apologies - I managed to miss the word workflow above.

Personally speaking, I’d use output to transmit the data and information / verbose to narrate actions (as it were), though that doesn’t translate to workflow very well. Is the purpose logging, along with the transmission?

6

Hi James, i appreciate your replies!

I don’t know what you mean when you say “Is the purpose logging, along with the transmission”.

Verbose looks like it will give me the displayed output along with the values.

 

Not sure why the simple example which is supposed to overwrite the $InformationPreference doesn’t work.

workflow test-info
{
Write-Information -MessageData “Started Workflow” -InformationAction Continue

}