Advanced Scripting

Tools
Last Updated: 9/22/2024 1:35 AM Version 1
Document Prepared for: CIT361 Student

Name Charles Koui ID 351137003

Instructions
Save a copy of this document. Answer all questions directly in this document. You will save and upload
this completed document as your homework submission.

Overview
Install and explore tools to help you with PowerShell.

Setup
Make sure you have access to Windows, either a VM or your main operating system. If you use
Windows as your main OS you may still want to use a Windows VM for class. It is up to you.

Task 1—Exploring the ISE

Launch and explore the Windows PowerShell ISE

Steps
1. Launch the PowerShell ISE (use whatever method you like).
2. You should see a new document. If not create one FileNew

3. Write a script

©Craig J Lindstrom 2019-2024 all rights reserved, use or duplication without permission is prohibited. 1
 3.1. Enter the following code in the Script Editor
Clear-Host
$name=Read-Host "What is your name?"
Write-Host "Master $name, I await your command."
4. Run your PowerShell script.
4.1. Press the Play button in the toolbar or the F5 key to run the program.
4.2. You should see the following output in the console window.

4.3. Notice the stop button is now colored indicating that your script is currently running.

4.4. Enter your name then press enter.

4.5. Your script will continue running and show results similar to this

4.6. Notice the stop button is no longer Red, this indicates that your script is done running. The Play
button is now green, indicating it is ready to run again.
5. Debug your script. When writing code it is useful to be able to stop the program while running and
interrogate the value of variables. Variables in PowerShell start with a $, in our script the only
variable we use is $name.
5.1. Let’s say we want to capitalize the name before we print the next message. Modify your script
to read exactly as follows.

5.1.1.Now run yourMy

program. Did
name did notyour name
appear at come
all out in all capital letters?

©Craig J Lindstrom 2019-2024 all rights reserved, use or duplication without permission is prohibited. 2
 5.1.2.Copy the output from your script here:
What is your name?: romeo
5.2. Something went wrong. Let’s see if we can figure it out. To start a debugging session you first
need to save your file.

5.2.1.Click on the save button or FileSave, or Ctrl+S to save your file. Since the file has
not been previously saved the ISE will prompt you for a filename. Name the file ISEDemo
(the .ps1 extension will automatically be added)
5.3. Use variable inspection to see what is happening to the contents of name.
5.3.1.Place your cursor in Line 2 then press the F9 Key, this will toggle a break point on that line.
5.3.2.Run your script again, notice the script stops on Line 2. Line 2 will highlight.
5.3.3.Place your cursor over the variable $name (you don’t need to click there). A tooltip should
pop up showing you the current contents of the variable $name

5.3.4.Here is a picture of the Debug menu

5.3.5.Notice the Debug commands along with their keyboard shortcuts. I’ll use the shortcuts in
the instructions but if you forget them you can always use the menu. Press the F11 key to
step forward one line of code.
5.3.6.Your console window should now show the prompt for your name. Enter your name then
press enter.
5.3.7.Notice the highlighted line of code moved down one line. Inspect the variable $name.
What does it contain? romeo
5.3.8.Press F11 to run the next line of code. Inspect the variable $name. What does it contain?

©Craig J Lindstrom 2019-2024 all rights reserved, use or duplication without permission is prohibited. 3
 5.3.9.Press F11. What is the ouput on your console. Master , I azqit your command.

5.3.10. Your script is now done running. Explain what you think the problem is?
$name does not keep the value it was assigned.
5.4. Fix the problem. The problem has to do with the touper property. It really should be the
ToUpper() method. Fix your script to read
$name=$name.ToUpper()
5.5. Run your script again to see if it is working. If you don’t want the program to stop at your
breakpoint either remove it or disable it.

Task 2—Visual Studio Code

Install and configure VSCode and configure it for PowerShell development.

Steps
1. Install VSCode in Windows. If you already have VSCode installed you can skip this step and continue
to step 2.
1.1. Download VSCode for Windows from https://code.visualstudio.com/Download. Use the 64bit
System installer.
1.2. Run the installer.
2. Launch VSCode if it is not running.
3. Create Script
3.1. Open a new document FileNew File
3.2. Enter the following code.
cls
$name=Read-Host "What is your name?"
$name=$name.touper
Write-Host "Master $name, I await your command."

©Craig J Lindstrom 2019-2024 all rights reserved, use or duplication without permission is prohibited. 4
3.3. You should end up seeing something like this

3.4. Notice there is no color coding and no PowerShell console. This is for two reasons. First since
we have not saved the file, VSCode does not know what kind of file it is. Second, even if
VSCode knows what kind of file it is, VSCode does not have a PowerShell Extension installed.
Let’s fix the problem. First save the file
3.4.1.Press Ctrl+S to save the file (or save it from the FileSave Menu) . Name the file:
VSCDemo.ps1 (Make sure you include the .ps1 extension)
3.4.2.Shortly after your file saves you should see a message at the bottom of your screen

3.4.3.VSCode realized that this is a PowerShell file and suggested a recommended extension to
work with the file. Click Install to install the extension. In a few moments the extension
will be installed.
3.4.4.Notice that you now have color coding and a powershell console.
3.5. Run the script. press F5 to run the script
3.5.1.You should see the prompt in the console window. Enter your name then press enter.

©Craig J Lindstrom 2019-2024 all rights reserved, use or duplication without permission is prohibited. 5
 3.6. Use F9 to toggle a break point on line 2 then press F5 to run the script. It should stop at line 2
just like in the PowerShell ISE.
3.6.1.Can you hover over a variable to see its value? romeo
3.7. My screen looks like this:

4. There is a lot going on here! Lets dig into it.

4.1. The Variables window shows all of the variables PowerShell is using, both the ones defined by
PowerShell and also the ones the user defined.
4.2. The red dot by line 2 shows there is a breakpoint on that line
4.3. The Highlighted line is where the code is currently executing
4.4. The Debug toolbar is displayed. Hover over the buttons in the toolbar at the top of the screen
and record what each icon means.
4.4.1. What does Do? Continue
4.4.2.What does Do? Step Over
4.4.3.What does Do? Step Into

4.4.4.What does Do? Step Out

4.4.5.What does Do? Restart

4.4.6.What does Do? Stop

5. Fix the code so it works correctly.
6. Remove the break point by clicking on the red dot.
7. Clean up code

©Craig J Lindstrom 2019-2024 all rights reserved, use or duplication without permission is prohibited. 6
 7.1. Notice there is a yellow squiggly under the cls on line 1. This indicates there is a potential issue
with the code. Hover your mouse over the squiggly line. You should see

7.2. As you can see the linter is telling you that cls in an alias and best practice it to use the full
name. If you press in the QuickFix link the linter will offer suggested fixes.

7.3. Click on Replace cls with Clear-Host

Task 3—Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

You can run Linux programs directly on Windows using WSL. If you have not already installed this on
your system add it in this exercise

Steps
1. Enable WSL
1.1. From powershell enter the command
OptionalFeatures.exe
1.2. This will open the Windows Features configuration utility.

1.3. Check the Windows Subsystem for Linux checkbox and click OK. After a bit the install will
complete. You may need to restart.

©Craig J Lindstrom 2019-2024 all rights reserved, use or duplication without permission is prohibited. 7
 1.4. After Windows restarts open the Microsoft Store.
1.5. Search for Linux.
1.6. Select the flavor of Linux you want to install. I will use Debian.
1.7. After it installs, launch it. It will take some time to finish installing.
1.8. Enter a username and password when prompted.
1.9. Yippee! Linux is now installed.
1.10. Enter the command
cat /proc/version
1.11. What version of Linux is reported? 5.15.153.1

Task 4—Microsoft Terminal

Finally, a good terminal program will make life a lot easier.

Steps
1. From the Microsoft Store search for “Windows Terminal” and install the Windows Terminal
2. Launch the terminal when installed.
3. You can have multiple terminal windows open at once.

4. Click the Menu icon to view the menu options.

4.1. What Shells can you launch?
Windows Powershell, command prompt, Azure Cloud shell, ubuntu

Deliverable
Upload this document with completed answers to i-learn.

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