Как добавить комментарий в power shell

# This line is just for us, PowerShell won’t mind. Get-Process -Name svchost

Get-Content -Path "C:\Logs\server.log" # This command reads the server log file

<#
Here's where we explain things in detail.
Like a mini diary entry in the middle of your script.
Or for making multiple lines take a break.
#>
Get-Service

<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script does some really cool stuff.

.DESCRIPTION
Here's a more detailed explanation of what this script can do.

.EXAMPLE
PS C:\> .\CoolScript.ps1
Runs the script and does the cool stuff.
#>

# Check if the file exists before attempting to delete
if (Test-Path "C:\temp\file.txt") {
    Remove-Item "C:\temp\file.txt"
}

function Get-LatestLogFile {
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Retrieves the most recent log file from a specified directory.

    .PARAMETER Path
    The directory to search for log files.

    .EXAMPLE
    Get-LatestLogFile -Path "C:\Logs"
    #>
    # Function logic goes here
}

<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script automates the backup process for server data.

.DESCRIPTION
Executes a series of backup operations, including logging and error checks.

.NOTES
Requires administrative privileges to run.
#>

# Script logic follows...

# Updated 2023-12-26: Added error handling
$files = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Data"

When writing code in any language it’s important to add comments. This also applies to your PowerShell scripts. Although they may sometimes be short, adding comments in PowerShell is nevertheless important.

Comments not only help others to understand your code, but they are also a great reminder for yourself when you read your code. They can be used to explain functions, or when testing your script to comment out parts of your script.

In this article

Just like in most programming languages, we can use the # to add a comment in PowerShell. When adding comments to your scripts, always try to explain your thoughts or reasoning. Or briefly describe what a function does.

The reason for this is that a well-written PowerShell script is often pretty obvious. If you look at the example below, the comment doesn’t really add any value to the code.

# Get Admins
$admins = Get-Admins

A better option in this case might be to explain what we are getting:

# Get all users that have an admin role
$admins = Get-Admins

Comments can also be used to comment out a part of your code or a function. This is often handy when you are testing your script and you want to skip a part of it. Simply add the # in front of the function that you want to skip and PowerShell will ignore the function.

For example, in the small script below, we are creating 10 test files. To test your script without actually creating the files, you could for example comment out the New-Item cmdlet. This way only the Write-Host function is executed.

# Path for the test files
$path = "C:\temp"

# Create 10 test files in the given path
1..10 | % {
    $newFile = "$path\test_file_$_.txt";
    # New-Item $newFile  # This cmdlet is skipped due to # infront of it
    Write-Host $newFile
}

PowerShell Block Comment

In general, it’s recommended to keep your comments short and to the point. But in some cases, you need multiple lines to explain what a function does. For up to two lines of comments, it’s okay to use the # in front of each line.

As you can see in the example below, the # works fine when you only need two lines for your comment:

# Storing the path of the log file for easy modification
# Changing this variable updates the log file location throughout the script.
$LogFile = "C:\Logs\output.log"

<#
    Get all the permissions of each mailbox
    
    Permission are spread into 4 parts.
    - Read and Manage permission
    - Send as Permission
    - Send on behalf of permission
    - Folder permissions (inbox and calendar set by the user self)
#>

Comment-Based Help for Functions

function Get-UserInfo {
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
        Get the Microsoft 365 user information
    .EXAMPLE
        Get-UserInfo -Username 'meganb@contoso.com'

        This will get the M365 information of the given user
    #>
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
        # Microsoft 365 username
        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
        [string]$Username
    )
    # Rest of the function code
}

It’s best practice to place the comment-based help section inside your function instead of above it. This way it’s harder to forget to update to comment when you make changes to the function.

If your function uses parameters, then make sure that you add comments to each parameter, explaining what information you are expecting.

For the beginning of a script, you often add more information. Like a longer description of what the purpose of the script is, a couple of examples on how to use the script, and a notes section where you can add information like the last change date, writer, etc.

<#
.SYNOPSIS
    A short one-line action-based description, e.g. 'Tests if a function is valid'
.DESCRIPTION
    A longer description of the function, its purpose, common use cases, etc.
.NOTES
    Information or caveats about the function e.g. 'This function is not supported in Linux'
.LINK
    Specify a URI to a help page, this will show when Get-Help -Online is used.
.EXAMPLE
    Test-MyTestFunction -Verbose
    Explanation of the function or its result. You can include multiple examples with additional .EXAMPLE lines
#>

Using the Comment-based Help

But we can use parameters to show additional information from the comment-based help section:

• -Detailed Provides more detailed information about the command, including examples.
• -Examples Displays usage examples for the command.
• -Full Shows the complete help content, including detailed descriptions and examples.
• -Online Opens the online documentation for the command in the default web browser.

So for example, if we want to view the detailed information of my MFA status script with examples, then we can do:

Get-Help .\Get-MgMFAStatus.ps1 -Detailed

Wrapping Up

It’s important to add comments in your PowerShell when you are writing a script. Functions may seem really logical when you write them, but if you need to update the script 6 months later, comments can really help you understand your own code and thoughts 😉

I hope this article gave you a better understanding of how to use comments in PowerShell. If you have any questions, just drop a comment below.

It is always good to add comments in your PowerShell script. In this PowerShell tutorial, I will explain how to add comments in PowerShell.

Types of Comments in PowerShell

Single Line Comments

# This is a single line comment
Get-Service # This comments follows a line of code

One can also use blank lines for readability along with line comments to separate code sections.

Block Comments or multiline comments

<#
    This is a block comment in PowerShell.
    It can span multiple lines.
#>
Get-Process

You can see in the screenshot below how I have added comments in PowerShell.

Add Comments in PowerShell Scripts

Adding comments to PowerShell scripts is essential for maintaining their readability and simplifying the debugging process. It enables developers to create self-documenting code that is easier to understand and maintain.

Commenting Code for Debugging

When debugging PowerShell scripts, a programmer often needs to isolate sections of code to pinpoint errors. Single-line comments are marked with the # symbol, and PowerShell ignores everything to the right of it on the same line. For example:

# This is a single-line comment
Get-Process

<# 
  This is a multi-line comment block.
  Multiple lines of code can be commented out for debugging.
#>
Get-Service

Commenting for Code Clarity

For code clarity, adding descriptive comments helps to explain the purpose and logic behind certain lines of code or scripts as a whole. Comments are a form of self-documenting code, making it easier for others to understand and ensuring that the developer’s intent is clear. A self-explanatory comment might look like this:

# Check if the user is an administrator
$user = "AdminUser"

PowerShell scripts often include complex logic, where it becomes crucial to explain the reasoning behind a particular line of code. Use concise and informative comments to clarify the purpose of code segments without overwhelming the reader with information. For instance:

# Calculate disk space and report if less than threshold
$diskSpace = Get-PSDrive C
if ($diskSpace.Free -lt 1024MB) {
  Write-Warning "Low disk space on C drive"
}

Through judicious commenting, developers ensure their code is accessible and maintainable by others in the team or by future maintainers.

PowerShell Comment Based Help

Writing Comment Based Help

To write comment-based help in PowerShell, one begins with a series of annotated comments that precede a function or a cmdlet definition. Two distinct syntax options are available:

1. Using the hash symbol: A hash (#) precedes each line of the help content.
2. Using comment blocks: One can encapsulate the help content within <# and #> to create a comment block.

Example of hash symbol usage:

# .SYNOPSIS
# Brief description of the function/cmdlet.

<#
.SYNOPSIS
Brief description of the function/cmdlet.
#>

Keywords for Comment Based Help

Comment-based help may include certain predefined keywords that categorize the help content. PowerShell processes these keywords to organize and display help information effectively when the Get-Help cmdlet is called.

Here is a list of some common help keywords and their purposes:

• .SYNOPSIS: A brief description of the function or cmdlet.
• .DESCRIPTION: A more detailed explanation.
• .PARAMETER name: Details about a particular parameter.
• .EXAMPLE: An example of how to use the function or cmdlet.
• .NOTES: Additional information relevant to the user’s understanding.
• .LINK: References to online documentation or related commands.

Syntax for using keywords:

<#
.SYNOPSIS
Adds a file name extension to a supplied name.
.DESCRIPTION
This function takes a file name and appends the specified file extension.
.PARAMETER Name
The name of the file to which the extension will be added.
.PARAMETER Extension
The type of file extension to add, defaults to 'txt'.
.EXAMPLE
PS> Add-Extension -Name "Report" -Extension "docx"
#>

Using comment-based help is a best practice that enhances the maintainability and usability of scripts by providing in-line documentation for troubleshooting and understanding script behavior without diving into the code itself.

Create External Help Files in PowerShell

XML-based Help

An external help file in PowerShell is typically an XML-based file adhering to the Microsoft Assistance Markup Language (MAML) schema. It facilitates the creation of structured help content, which PowerShell can interpret and display via the Get-Help cmdlet.

To connect a script to an XML-based help file, one must include the .ExternalHelp directive in the script’s comment-based help section. For example:

<# .ExternalHelp myscripts\Add-Extension.xml #>

XML-based help files must have a corresponding filename indicated in the external help keyword, ensuring Get-Help can retrieve and display the help content when prompted.

About External Help Files

Here’s an example for a function that adds a file name extension:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<helpItems xmlns="http://msh" schema="maml">
  <command:command xmlns:command="http://schemas.microsoft.com/maml/dev/command/2004/10">
    <command:details>
      <command:name>Add-Extension</command:name>
      ...
    </command:details>
    <command:description>
      <maml:para>Adds a file name extension to a supplied name.</maml:para>
    </command:description>
    ...
  </command:command>
</helpItems>

Annotations in PowerShell

Leveraging Annotations

Annotations in PowerShell are utilized to describe how a script functions, outline the expected inputs and outputs, and provide examples of the script in use. These annotations are not only critical for code maintenance and readability but also support the built-in help system that PowerShell provides.

• .Synopsis: Gives a brief summary of the script’s functionality.
• .Description: Elaborates on the details of what the script does.
• .Example: Demonstrates how the script is called and used.
• .Notes: Offers additional information about the script, such as the author’s name, any known issues, or changelog.
• .Inputs: Describes what inputs, if any, the script can accept.
• .Outputs: Explains what the script will output after execution.

Proper use of these annotations ensures that anyone can understand the script’s purpose and how to use it effectively without delving deep into the code.

Annotation Syntax

• Single-Line Comments: Start with a # symbol, and everything to the right is considered part of the comment.

# This is a single-line comment

Multi-Line Comments: Enclosed within <# and #> symbols, typically used for longer descriptions and help content.

 <#
  .SYNOPSIS
  This script performs a network check.

  .DESCRIPTION
  The script checks the connectivity of a specified IP address.

  .EXAMPLE
  PS C:\> .\Check-Network.ps1 192.168.1.1
#>

Working with PowerShell Cmdlets and Comments

In PowerShell, combining cmdlets with comments enhances script clarity and maintainability. Commenting involves placing a ‘#’ symbol at the start of a line or appending it after a cmdlet. This marks the text as a comment, which PowerShell ignores during execution.

One can document the functionality of Get-Service, which retrieves a service’s status, by placing a comment above the cmdlet:

# Retrieve the current status of the Print Spooler service
Get-Service -Name "Spooler"

Similarly, for setting an item’s value with Set-Item, it is good practice to explain the action:

# Change the value of a registry key
Set-Item -Path "HKCU:\Software\MyCompany\Preferences" -Value "DarkMode"

Stopping a service using Stop-Service benefits from a preceding comment indicating the purpose or the reason for stopping said service:

# Stop the unnecessary background service to free resources
Stop-Service -Name "BackgroundTransferService"

When using Get-Content -Path, authors may place a comment to clarify the intention behind reading a file:

# Read content from a configuration file
Get-Content -Path "C:\config\settings.ini"

Table of Best Practices for Comment use with Cmdlets

Working with PowerShell ISE and Comments

Visual Studio Code Integration

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a versatile editor that supports PowerShell development through its powerful extension, PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE) mode, which provides an experience similar to Windows PowerShell ISE.

• Steps to Enable ISE Mode in VS Code:
  1. Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
  2. Type “Enable ISE Mode”
  3. Select PowerShell: Enable ISE Mode

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

• Default Keyboard Shortcuts:
  • Comment a line: Ctrl+K Ctrl+C
  • Uncomment a line: Ctrl+K Ctrl+U

PowerShell Comment Shortcut

• Ctrl + J or Ctrl + K, Ctrl + C

This adds a # at the beginning of the line, turning it into a comment.

1. Select the lines to be commented.
2. Apply the shortcut Ctrl + K, Ctrl + C to comment the block.

• For either a single line or selected block, Ctrl + K, Ctrl + U will remove the preceding # symbol or <#...#> block, uncommenting the code.

Remember, these shortcuts are specific to PowerShell ISE and may vary in other editors or environments. It’s always beneficial to refer to the specific documentation or help resources of the environment one is using for accurate shortcuts and procedures.

Advanced Comment Utilization

When scripting in PowerShell, leveraging advanced commenting techniques is essential for creating comprehensive documentation and managing output effectively. Two aspects critical to mastery in PowerShell are writing verbose help and intelligently commenting outputs.

Writing Verbose Help

<#
.SYNOPSIS
    A brief description of the function or script.
.DESCRIPTION
    A more detailed explanation of the function or script.
.PARAMETER Name
    Description of the parameter's purpose.
.EXAMPLE
    An example of how to use the function or script.
.NOTES
    Additional information about the script.
#>

This structured approach enables one to generate help files that are accessible using the Get-Help cmdlet, providing a robust in-console help experience.

Commenting Outputs

Intelligent commenting on outputs involves documenting the purpose and potential results of output commands within a script. PowerShell offers different cmdlets to handle outputs, which can be narrated for clarity:

Write-Host: This cmdlet is useful for printing outputs directly to the console. It should be documented to explain what information is being displayed and why.

# Write the number of files to the console
Write-Host "There are $fileCount files in the directory."

Out-File: When outputs are being redirected to a file, comments should describe the destination path, file format, and reason for exporting data.

# Save the list of user profiles to a text file
$userProfiles | Out-File -FilePath "C:\Output\UserProfiles.txt"

It is important to remember that while Write-Host is fine for quick displays of information, its outputs are not capturable in variables or through piping. One should consider using Write-Output for a return value that can be further processed. Comments should clearly state if direct display is the intention to avoid confusion.

Managing Help Content

Using -Full and -Online

Get-Help Get-ChildItem -Full

Alternatively, if they prefer the most updated documentation available online, they can use the -Online parameter. This parameter opens the default web browser to the Microsoft Docs page for the respective cmdlet.

Get-Help Get-ChildItem -Online

Help Content for Specific Cmdlets

<#
.SYNOPSIS
Short description of the function or script.

.DESCRIPTION
A longer description.

.LINK
URL to more resources or related commands
#>

Add Comments for Data Files in PowerShell

Commenting CSV-based Files

To add comments to a CSV-based input or output file in PowerShell, one could utilize a # symbol at the beginning of the line. Since CSV files are plain text, this will ensure the line is treated as a comment and not as a data entry. For example:

# This is a comment in a CSV file
"Name","Age","Location"
"John Doe","28","New York"

Date and Time Stamps in Logs

# Add a date and time stamp to a log entry
"$(Get-Date) - The script started successfully" | Out-File -FilePath "script.log" -Append

Using the Out-File cmdlet with the -Append parameter, the script appends the comment directly to the .txt log file, ensuring that the temporal order of events is maintained without overwriting the existing contents.

Add Comments in PowerShell Functions and Parameters

In PowerShell, adding comments to functions and parameters is crucial for creating self-documented scripts that are easy to understand and maintain. Proper commenting assists in explaining the purpose, usage, and mechanics of the code.

Documenting Functions

<# 
.SYNOPSIS
    Brief description of the function.
.DESCRIPTION
    A more detailed explanation of what the function does and its usage.
.EXAMPLE
    An example of how to use the function.
.NOTES
    Additional information about the function.
#>
function Get-ResourceStatus {
    # Function code goes here
}

Parameter Descriptions

<# 
.PARAMETER ResourceId
    The unique identifier for the resource that this function checks.
.PARAMETER TimeoutSeconds
    The time, in seconds, to wait for a response before considering the check to have failed.
#>
function Get-ResourceStatus {
    param(
        [string]$ResourceId,
        [int]$TimeoutSeconds = 20
    )
    # Function code goes here
}

Comments directly above the parameter declarations can also be used for individual inline documentation. This ensures that anyone reviewing the code has immediate visibility of the purpose for each parameter, enhancing the script’s readability.

PowerShell Comment Multiple Lines

Example of a Multi-Line Comment:

<# 
This is an example of a 
multi-line comment in PowerShell
#>

Multi-line comments are particularly useful for:

• Documenting Code: Describing what a complex script or function does.
• Commenting Out Code: Temporarily disabling code blocks during testing or debugging.

1. Type <# to start the comment block.
2. Press Enter to move to a new line.
3. Add the descriptive text across as many lines as necessary.
4. After the final line of commentary, close the block with #>.

PowerShell Comment Example

# This is a single-line comment in PowerShell
Get-Process -Name notepad  # This comment is after a line of code

The second example shows how to place a comment at the end of the executable code on the same line, which PowerShell will ignore during execution.

<# 
This is an example of a block comment that can be extended
over multiple lines. It's particularly useful for larger descriptions
or when commenting out blocks of code during testing and debugging.
#>
Get-Service -Name "bits"

Note on Comment Usage

The developer should use comments thoughtfully to enhance the script’s readability without over-commenting, which can clutter the code. Clear and concise comments can significantly assist in understanding and maintaining the PowerShell script.

Conclusion

Comments in PowerShell scripts are critical for maintaining code clarity and manageability. They facilitate understanding and collaboration, allowing individuals to discern the purpose and functionality of the script at a glance. A well-commented script saves time for anyone who needs to modify, debug, or use the script in the future.

PowerShell supports two types of comments:

• Single-line comments: Initiated with the # symbol and continue until the end of the line. For example:

# This is a single-line comment
Get-ChildItem

• Multi-line comments: Enclosed within <# and #> symbols and can span across multiple lines, useful for more extensive descriptions or block-commenting code sections. For instance:

<#
  This is a multi-line comment
  It can span multiple lines
#>
Get-Service

In this PowerShell tutorial, I have explained everything about how to add comments in PowerShell with various examples.

You may also like:

Introduction

Welcome to the PowerShell comments tutorial! If you’ve ever worked with PowerShell scripts, you know they can get pretty complex. Comments are the unsung heroes in these scripts. They’re like those sticky notes you put in your textbook – not part of the main text, but super helpful for understanding what’s going on. In this guide, we’ll explore how comments can make your PowerShell scripting life easier and why you should care about using them effectively.

Importance in Scripting

Let’s face it, nobody writes perfect code on the first try. And when you come back to your script six months later, you’ll thank your past self for leaving comments. They’re not just for others; they’re like breadcrumbs you leave for yourself to make sense of the logic behind your code. In PowerShell, where scripts can range from straightforward to ‘what was I thinking?’, comments are your best pals in making sense of it all.

Before we get started, if you want to take your PowerShell scripting skills to the next level then consider taking our PowerShell course which includes video lessons and IT labs at the link below:

Embedding Basic Comments

Single Line Comments

Starting with the basics, single line comments in PowerShell are like whispering a secret to the code. You start with a hash symbol (#), and PowerShell promises to ignore everything after it on that line. It’s great for quick notes or temporarily turning off a line of code.

# This line is just for us, PowerShell won’t mind. Get-Process -Name svchost

Multi-line Comments

When you have more to say, multi-line comments come to the rescue. Wrapped between <# and #>, they’re perfect for longer explanations or giving a time-out to big chunks of code.

<#
Here's where we explain things in detail.
Like a mini diary entry in the middle of your script.
Or for making multiple lines take a break.
#>
Get-Service

Comment-Based Help and Syntax

Structure and Syntax

<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script does some really cool stuff.

.DESCRIPTION
Here's a more detailed explanation of what this script can do.

.EXAMPLE
PS C:\> .\CoolScript.ps1
Runs the script and does the cool stuff.
#>

Examples and Best Practices

Writing Effective Comments

# Check if the file exists before attempting to delete
if (Test-Path "C:\temp\file.txt") {
    Remove-Item "C:\temp\file.txt"
}

Balancing Detail with Brevity

A good rule of thumb is to comment on why you’re doing something if it’s not immediately obvious. If your code is straightforward, like Get-Content "log.txt", you probably don’t need a comment. But if you’re doing something unusual or tricky, that’s a good place for a comment.

Avoiding Overuse of Comments

Identifying Necessary vs. Unnecessary Comments

It’s easy to go overboard with comments. If you find yourself writing a comment for every line of code, you’re probably doing too much. Comments should enhance your code, not drown it. If your code is readable and self-explanatory, let it speak for itself.

Striking the Right Balance

The goal is to find that sweet spot where your comments add value without being overwhelming. A well-commented script should feel like a guided tour, not a lecture.

Self-Documenting Code

Principles and Advantages

Self-documenting code means writing your script so that it’s as clear as possible on its own. Good naming conventions for variables and functions, consistent formatting, and a logical structure all help make your script self-explanatory, reducing the need for extensive comments.

Implementing in PowerShell

Comments in Functions and Scripts

Documenting Functions

When you write a function in PowerShell, think of it as creating a mini-application. Comments play a crucial role here, explaining what the function does, its parameters, and what it returns. A well-documented function is a joy to use and much easier to maintain.

function Get-LatestLogFile {
    <#
    .SYNOPSIS
    Retrieves the most recent log file from a specified directory.

    .PARAMETER Path
    The directory to search for log files.

    .EXAMPLE
    Get-LatestLogFile -Path "C:\Logs"
    #>
    # Function logic goes here
}

Script-Level Comments

<#
.SYNOPSIS
This script automates the backup process for server data.

.DESCRIPTION
Executes a series of backup operations, including logging and error checks.

.NOTES
Requires administrative privileges to run.
#>

# Script logic follows...

Keeping Comments Relevant and Updated

One of the key challenges with comments is keeping them up to date. As your script evolves, make sure your comments reflect those changes. Outdated comments can be more misleading than no comments at all. It’s a good practice to review and update comments as part of your script maintenance routine.

# Updated 2023-12-26: Added error handling
$files = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Data"

Tools and Techniques

Utilize version control systems like Git to track changes in your scripts and their comments. This not only helps in maintaining the history of changes but also in collaborating with others, ensuring everyone understands the evolution of the script.

Conclusion

And that wraps up our tour of PowerShell comments! Remember, good commenting can turn a decent script into a great one. It’s about clarity, maintenance, and being kind to future readers of your code. So next time you’re scripting in PowerShell, take a moment to leave some thoughtful comments – your future self will thank you.

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