Vista Tutorial - No output from write-output

I have this script, which does not run as I expected.
----------------------------------------
function foo($bar)
{
write-output "I got $bar"
}

foo "Hello"
measure-command {foo "World"}
---------------------------------------

Here is the ouput.

---------------------------------------
I got Hello


Days : 0
Hours : 0
Minutes : 0
Seconds : 0
Milliseconds : 1
Ticks : 15418
TotalDays : 1.78449074074074E-08
TotalHours : 4.28277777777778E-07
TotalMinutes : 2.56966666666667E-05
TotalSeconds : 0.0015418
TotalMilliseconds : 1.5418
--------------------------------------------------

Why didn't I get a line saying
I got World

Douglas Woods

> Why didn't I get a line saying
> I got World

Because write-output doesn't write to the console. It sends objects down
the pipeline which measure-command will then discard. measure-object will
only output the TimeSpan object for how long it took. write-host will write
to the console.
So if you change write-output to write-host you'll get what you expected.


"DouglasWoods" <DouglasWoods@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
newsE5409AF-3797-48C3-9462-7E80D105081E@microsoft.com...
>I have this script, which does not run as I expected.
> ----------------------------------------
> function foo($bar)
> {
> write-output "I got $bar"
> }
>
> foo "Hello"
> measure-command {foo "World"}
> ---------------------------------------
>
> Here is the ouput.
>
> ---------------------------------------
> I got Hello
>
>
> Days : 0
> Hours : 0
> Minutes : 0
> Seconds : 0
> Milliseconds : 1
> Ticks : 15418
> TotalDays : 1.78449074074074E-08
> TotalHours : 4.28277777777778E-07
> TotalMinutes : 2.56966666666667E-05
> TotalSeconds : 0.0015418
> TotalMilliseconds : 1.5418
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> Why didn't I get a line saying
> I got World
>
> Douglas Woods

On Apr 10, 8:03 pm, "Marcel J. Ortiz [MSFT]"
<mos...@online.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > Why didn't I get a line saying
> > I got World
>
> Because write-output doesn't write to the console. It sends objects down
> the pipeline which measure-command will then discard. measure-object will
> only output the TimeSpan object for how long it took. write-host will write
> to the console.
> So if you change write-output to write-host you'll get what you expected.

In my opinion outputting text in Powershell is too tricky. There are
various quirks. For example, using Write-Host in a script causes
naked text to stop being output. Format-XXX can't be used inside
scripts. Etc. This whole area could use some documentation. Someone
needs to write a "Powershell Gotchas" article.

But the very worst thing about Powershell is when you have to work on
a machine that doesn't have it.

Mike

Mike, these are only "gotchas" if they're not clearly explained. Please use
http://connect.microsoft.com to file doc bugs. If you can include an e-mail
address, I'd be happy to let you review the fixes.

--
June Blender [MSFT]
Windows PowerShell Documentation
Microsoft Corporation
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.



"mikes.net" wrote:

> On Apr 10, 8:03 pm, "Marcel J. Ortiz [MSFT]"
> <mos...@online.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > > Why didn't I get a line saying
> > > I got World
> >
> > Because write-output doesn't write to the console. It sends objects down
> > the pipeline which measure-command will then discard. measure-object will
> > only output the TimeSpan object for how long it took. write-host will write
> > to the console.
> > So if you change write-output to write-host you'll get what you expected.
>
> In my opinion outputting text in Powershell is too tricky. There are
> various quirks. For example, using Write-Host in a script causes
> naked text to stop being output. Format-XXX can't be used inside
> scripts. Etc. This whole area could use some documentation. Someone
> needs to write a "Powershell Gotchas" article.
>
> But the very worst thing about Powershell is when you have to work on
> a machine that doesn't have it.
>
> Mike
>
>