Vista - Re: String values in variables -- SOLVED

Michael Powe wrote:PowerShell's design of how you can specify a formal parameters, by using
parenthesis around the set of function parameters separated my commas leads us
to expect to carry forward that pattern into the calls. It is just plain
inconsistent.

function subtract($from, $count) { $from - $count }

and the call is

subtract 5 4

Even the alternative of

function subtract { param($from, $count) $from - $count }

uses a pattern involving parenthesis and commas.

And further confusing is that when you invoke .NET methods, you use the more
traditional form of passing arguments. Once you get used to it, it does have
the benefit of distinguishing the PowerShell function and command calls from the
calls to the .NET methods. For example,

subtract "0123456789".IndexOf("5",0) "0123456789".IndexOf("4",0)

(making up a contrived example).

- Larry

In message <ukMTtzkWKHA.2008@newsgroup>, Larry__Weiss
<lfw@newsgroup> writesWith the benefit of hindsight, I wished we'd had parens and commas. But
we didn't - and I suspect we'll have to live with his feature.
--
Thomas Lee
doctordns@newsgroup

Thomas Lee wrote:Of course the main reason that commands and parameters are delimited by spaces
alone, is to better follow in the traditions of a command line language, while
allowing PowerShell to have a consistent syntax for both command line and scripting.

In truth, you don't have to use a space as a delimiter. Consider:

PS C:> function add {param($a1,$a2) $a1+$a2}
PS C:> add (1)(2)
3

You just have to "finish" one parameter value and then you can begin the next.
A space character is just the usual way to show a parameter value is completely
specified.

A comma never finishes a parameter value as it just indicates that the value is
to be wrapped as an array. Consider:

PS C:> function addlen {param($a1,$a2) $a1.length+$a2.length}
PS C:> addlen 1 1,2
2
PS C:> addlen 1,2,3 1,2
5
PS C:> addlen (1,2,3)(1,2)
5
PS C:> addlen (1,2,3),(1,2)
2
PS C:> addlen (1,2,3),(1,2) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
12

- Larry