Don Jones’ Favorite PowerShell Cmdlets, Part 1 of 10: Get-Command
Here’s the beginning of a ten-part series on my favorite Windows PowerShell cmdlets, where I hope to help you not only discover a new cmdlet or two, but to also discover new functionality in cmdlets that you may already know about. And, don’t laugh, but my favorite cmdlet is definitely Get-Command. It’s the lynchpin behind PowerShell’s self-discovery capabilities, meaning it’s your true friend for discovering PowerShell’s capabilities. For example, if you’re wondering what PowerShell can do with services, just ask Get-Command:
Get-Command *service*
You might start to notice PowerShell’s cmdlet naming, where a common and consistent verbs like Set are used to give you a clue about what the cmdlet does. Wondering what PowerShell can Set (change) besides services?
Click past the fold for more…
Gcm -verb Set
Gcm, by the way, is an alias for Get-Command, making it easier and quicker to type. What about event logs?
Gcm -noun EventLog
Get-Command should be your first stop when you’re wondering, “can PowerShell do _(fill in the blank)_?” Of course, keep in mind that Get-Command can only help with cmdlets that are installed on your system; if you’re browsing for other cmdlets, check out the Cmdlet Directory on www.PowerShellCommunity.org.
Don Jones is the Lead Scripting Guru for SAPIEN Technologies and a Windows PowerShell MVP. He’s the co-author of Windows PowerShell: TFM, 2nd Edition and is the Windows PowerShell columnist for TechNet Magazine. Don is also the Director for the new centralized, independent PowerShell online community: www.PowerShellCommunity.org.
Get your hands on the full Don Jones Favorite Cmdlets Series at this address:
http://www.realtime-windowsserver.com/type/mt-search.cgi?tag=don%20jones%20favorite%20cmdlets&blog_id=1
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