Windows PowerShell command on Get-command Update-FormatData

NAME

Update-FormatData

SYNOPSIS

Updates the formatting data in the current session.

SYNTAX

Update-FormatData [[-AppendPath] ] [-Confirm] [-PrependPath ] [-WhatIf] []

DESCRIPTION

The Update-FormatData cmdlet reloads the formatting data from formatting files into the current session. This

cmdlet lets you update the formatting data without restarting Windows PowerShell.

Without parameters, Update-FormatData reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously. You can use the

parameters of Update-FormatData to add new formatting files to the session.

Formatting files are text files in XML format with the format.ps1xml file name extension. The formatting data in the files defines the display of Microsoft .NET Framework objects in the session. When Windows PowerShell starts, it loads the format data from the formatting files in the Windows PowerShell

installation directory ($pshome) into the session. You can use Update-FormatData to reload the formatting data

into the current session without restarting Windows PowerShell. This is useful when you have added or changed a formatting file, but do not want to interrupt the session. For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.

PARAMETERS

-AppendPath

Specifies formatting files that this cmdlet adds to the session. The files are loaded after Windows PowerShell

loads the built-in formatting files.

When formatting .NET objects, Windows PowerShell uses the first formatting definition that it finds for each

.NET type. If you use the AppendPath parameter, Windows PowerShell searches the data from the built-in files

before it encounters the formatting data that you are adding.

Use this parameter to add a file that formats a .NET object that is not referenced in the built-in formatting

files. Required? false Position? 0 Default value None

Accept pipeline input? True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)

Accept wildcard characters? false

-Confirm []

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet. Required? false Position? named Default value False Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-PrependPath

Specifies formatting files that this cmdlet adds to the session. The files are loaded before Windows

PowerShell loads the built-in formatting files.

When formatting .NET objects, Windows PowerShell uses the first formatting definition that it finds for each .NET type. If you use the PrependPath parameter, Windows PowerShell searches the data from the files that you

are adding before it encounters the formatting data from the built-in files.

Use this parameter to add a file that formats a .NET object that is also referenced in the built-in formatting

files. Required? false Position? named Default value None Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false

-WhatIf []

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run. Required? false Position? named Default value False Accept pipeline input? False Accept wildcard characters? false This cmdlet supports the common parameters: Verbose, Debug, ErrorAction, ErrorVariable, WarningAction, WarningVariable, OutBuffer, PipelineVariable, and OutVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters (https:/go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113216).

INPUTS

System.String

You can pipe a string that contains the append path to Update-FormatData .

OUTPUTS

None The cmdlet does not return any output.

NOTES

Update-FormatData also updates the formatting data for commands in the session that were imported from

modules. If the formatting file for a module changes, you can run an Update-FormatData * command to update the

formatting data for imported commands. You do not need to import the module again.

Example 1: Reload previously loaded formatting files

PS C:\>Update-FormatData

This command reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously.

Example 2: Reload formatting files and trace and log formatting files

PS C:\>Update-FormatData -AppendPath "trace.format.ps1xml, log.format.ps1xml"

This command reloads the formatting files into the session, including two new files, Trace.format.ps1xml and Log.format.ps1xml. Because the command uses the AppendPath parameter, the formatting data in the new files is loaded after the

formatting data from the built-in files.

The AppendPath parameter is used because the new files contain formatting data for objects that are not referenced

in the built-in files.

Example 3: Edit a formatting file and reload it

PS C:\>Update-FormatData -PrependPath "c:\test\NewFiles.format.ps1xml"

# Edit the NewFiles.format.ps1 file.

PS C:\> Update-FormatData

This example shows how to reload a formatting file after you have edited it. The first command adds the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file to the session. It uses the PrependPath parameter because

the file contains formatting data for objects that are referenced in the built-in files.

After adding the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file and testing it in these sessions, the author edits the file.

The second command uses the Update-FormatData cmdlet to reload the formatting files. Because the

NewFiles.format.ps1xml file was previously loaded, Update-FormatData automatically reloads it without using

parameters.