Vista - Scripting bug?

Inspired by MOW's Active Directory blogs I thought I'd have a look at
my own domain, but I'm seeing something unusual with a script and
wonder if this is a bug? Can anyone reproduce? Is it just me?!

I've cut down the original script to illustrate the problem:

#---------Script (WORKS)
# Show info about the current domain.

$Domain=[System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()

$DCs=$Domain.DomainControllers

"Domain Name: " + $Domain.Name
#$Domain ### <------ Note comment

"`nDomain Controllers"
$DCs | Format-Table Name, IPAddress, SiteName
#------------------

Gives:

MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
Domain Name: xxxxx.com


Domain Controllers

Name IPAddress SiteName
---- --------- --------
sirius.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.246 Harwell
IO.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.220 Harwell


But if I remove the comment from the line indicated above, the output
changes to:

MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
Domain Name: xxxxx.com


Forest : xxxxx.com
DomainControllers : {sirius.xxxxx.com, IO.xxxxx.com}
Children : {}
DomainMode : Windows2003Domain
Parent :
PdcRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
RidRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
InfrastructureRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
Name : xxxxx.com



Domain Controllers
out-lineoutput : Object of type
"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
with the default formatting.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Chris

Incidentally, I forgot to mention that if I type the lines of the
script as shown into the console directly I get the output you would
expect; I only see a problem when I execute the commands from a .PS1
file???



On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 10:46:11 +0100, Chris Warwick
<news@remove.this.bit.nuney.com> wrote:

>Inspired by MOW's Active Directory blogs I thought I'd have a look at
>my own domain, but I'm seeing something unusual with a script and
>wonder if this is a bug? Can anyone reproduce? Is it just me?!
>
>I've cut down the original script to illustrate the problem:
>
>#---------Script (WORKS)
># Show info about the current domain.
>
>$Domain=[System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()
>
>$DCs=$Domain.DomainControllers
>
>"Domain Name: " + $Domain.Name
>#$Domain ### <------ Note comment
>
>"`nDomain Controllers"
>$DCs | Format-Table Name, IPAddress, SiteName
>#------------------
>
>Gives:
>
>MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
>Domain Name: xxxxx.com
>
>
>Domain Controllers
>
>Name IPAddress SiteName
>---- --------- --------
>sirius.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.246 Harwell
>IO.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.220 Harwell
>
>
>But if I remove the comment from the line indicated above, the output
>changes to:
>
>MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
>Domain Name: xxxxx.com
>
>
>Forest : xxxxx.com
>DomainControllers : {sirius.xxxxx.com, IO.xxxxx.com}
>Children : {}
>DomainMode : Windows2003Domain
>Parent :
>PdcRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
>RidRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
>InfrastructureRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
>Name : xxxxx.com
>
>
>
>Domain Controllers
>out-lineoutput : Object of type
>"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
>legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
>sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
>with the default formatting.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>Thanks
>Chris

interesting, I tried the same, with the same result.
So then I tried something simulair like:
#--------------------
##processes.ps1##
$processes=gps
$processes
$processes|ft processname,id,handles
#--------------------

this produces exactly the same error.
It only seems to appear when you use a variable in a script and then pipe
that same variable to a format-table or a format-list. (both result in the
same error)
> >out-lineoutput : Object of type
> >"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
> >legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
> >sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
> >with the default formatting.

anybody any sugestions?

Grt
Dennis



"Chris Warwick" wrote:

> Incidentally, I forgot to mention that if I type the lines of the
> script as shown into the console directly I get the output you would
> expect; I only see a problem when I execute the commands from a .PS1
> file???
>
>
>
> On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 10:46:11 +0100, Chris Warwick
> <news@remove.this.bit.nuney.com> wrote:
>
> >Inspired by MOW's Active Directory blogs I thought I'd have a look at
> >my own domain, but I'm seeing something unusual with a script and
> >wonder if this is a bug? Can anyone reproduce? Is it just me?!
> >
> >I've cut down the original script to illustrate the problem:
> >
> >#---------Script (WORKS)
> ># Show info about the current domain.
> >
> >$Domain=[System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()
> >
> >$DCs=$Domain.DomainControllers
> >
> >"Domain Name: " + $Domain.Name
> >#$Domain ### <------ Note comment
> >
> >"`nDomain Controllers"
> >$DCs | Format-Table Name, IPAddress, SiteName
> >#------------------
> >
> >Gives:
> >
> >MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
> >Domain Name: xxxxx.com
> >
> >
> >Domain Controllers
> >
> >Name IPAddress SiteName
> >---- --------- --------
> >sirius.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.246 Harwell
> >IO.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.220 Harwell
> >
> >
> >But if I remove the comment from the line indicated above, the output
> >changes to:
> >
> >MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
> >Domain Name: xxxxx.com
> >
> >
> >Forest : xxxxx.com
> >DomainControllers : {sirius.xxxxx.com, IO.xxxxx.com}
> >Children : {}
> >DomainMode : Windows2003Domain
> >Parent :
> >PdcRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
> >RidRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
> >InfrastructureRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
> >Name : xxxxx.com
> >
> >
> >
> >Domain Controllers
> >out-lineoutput : Object of type
> >"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
> >legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
> >sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
> >with the default formatting.
> >
> >Any ideas?
> >
> >Thanks
> >Chris
>

Glad it's not just me!

With my example below it's not even the SAME variable, I have:

> >"Domain Name: " + $Domain.Name
> >$Domain
> >$DCs | Format-Table Name, IPAddress, SiteName

(Although the $DCs variable is originally derived from the $Domain)





On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 04:17:02 -0700, Aspa
<Aspa@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>interesting, I tried the same, with the same result.
>So then I tried something simulair like:
>#--------------------
>##processes.ps1##
>$processes=gps
>$processes
>$processes|ft processname,id,handles
>#--------------------
>
>this produces exactly the same error.
>It only seems to appear when you use a variable in a script and then pipe
>that same variable to a format-table or a format-list. (both result in the
>same error)
>> >out-lineoutput : Object of type
>> >"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
>> >legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
>> >sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
>> >with the default formatting.
>
>anybody any sugestions?
>
>Grt
>Dennis
>
>
>
>"Chris Warwick" wrote:
>
>> Incidentally, I forgot to mention that if I type the lines of the
>> script as shown into the console directly I get the output you would
>> expect; I only see a problem when I execute the commands from a .PS1
>> file???
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 10:46:11 +0100, Chris Warwick
>> <news@remove.this.bit.nuney.com> wrote:
>>
>> >Inspired by MOW's Active Directory blogs I thought I'd have a look at
>> >my own domain, but I'm seeing something unusual with a script and
>> >wonder if this is a bug? Can anyone reproduce? Is it just me?!
>> >
>> >I've cut down the original script to illustrate the problem:
>> >
>> >#---------Script (WORKS)
>> ># Show info about the current domain.
>> >
>> >$Domain=[System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()
>> >
>> >$DCs=$Domain.DomainControllers
>> >
>> >"Domain Name: " + $Domain.Name
>> >#$Domain ### <------ Note comment
>> >
>> >"`nDomain Controllers"
>> >$DCs | Format-Table Name, IPAddress, SiteName
>> >#------------------
>> >
>> >Gives:
>> >
>> >MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
>> >Domain Name: xxxxx.com
>> >
>> >
>> >Domain Controllers
>> >
>> >Name IPAddress SiteName
>> >---- --------- --------
>> >sirius.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.246 Harwell
>> >IO.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.220 Harwell
>> >
>> >
>> >But if I remove the comment from the line indicated above, the output
>> >changes to:
>> >
>> >MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
>> >Domain Name: xxxxx.com
>> >
>> >
>> >Forest : xxxxx.com
>> >DomainControllers : {sirius.xxxxx.com, IO.xxxxx.com}
>> >Children : {}
>> >DomainMode : Windows2003Domain
>> >Parent :
>> >PdcRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
>> >RidRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
>> >InfrastructureRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
>> >Name : xxxxx.com
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Domain Controllers
>> >out-lineoutput : Object of type
>> >"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
>> >legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
>> >sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
>> >with the default formatting.
>> >
>> >Any ideas?
>> >
>> >Thanks
>> >Chris
>>

> (Although the $DCs variable is originally derived from the $Domain)

That's the key, so actually it IS the same :-)

Dennis


"Chris Warwick" wrote:

> Glad it's not just me!
>
> With my example below it's not even the SAME variable, I have:
>
> > >"Domain Name: " + $Domain.Name
> > >$Domain
> > >$DCs | Format-Table Name, IPAddress, SiteName
>
> (Although the $DCs variable is originally derived from the $Domain)
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 04:17:02 -0700, Aspa
> <Aspa@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >interesting, I tried the same, with the same result.
> >So then I tried something simulair like:
> >#--------------------
> >##processes.ps1##
> >$processes=gps
> >$processes
> >$processes|ft processname,id,handles
> >#--------------------
> >
> >this produces exactly the same error.
> >It only seems to appear when you use a variable in a script and then pipe
> >that same variable to a format-table or a format-list. (both result in the
> >same error)
> >> >out-lineoutput : Object of type
> >> >"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
> >> >legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
> >> >sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
> >> >with the default formatting.
> >
> >anybody any sugestions?
> >
> >Grt
> >Dennis
> >
> >
> >
> >"Chris Warwick" wrote:
> >
> >> Incidentally, I forgot to mention that if I type the lines of the
> >> script as shown into the console directly I get the output you would
> >> expect; I only see a problem when I execute the commands from a .PS1
> >> file???
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 10:46:11 +0100, Chris Warwick
> >> <news@remove.this.bit.nuney.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >Inspired by MOW's Active Directory blogs I thought I'd have a look at
> >> >my own domain, but I'm seeing something unusual with a script and
> >> >wonder if this is a bug? Can anyone reproduce? Is it just me?!
> >> >
> >> >I've cut down the original script to illustrate the problem:
> >> >
> >> >#---------Script (WORKS)
> >> ># Show info about the current domain.
> >> >
> >> >$Domain=[System.DirectoryServices.ActiveDirectory.Domain]::GetCurrentDomain()
> >> >
> >> >$DCs=$Domain.DomainControllers
> >> >
> >> >"Domain Name: " + $Domain.Name
> >> >#$Domain ### <------ Note comment
> >> >
> >> >"`nDomain Controllers"
> >> >$DCs | Format-Table Name, IPAddress, SiteName
> >> >#------------------
> >> >
> >> >Gives:
> >> >
> >> >MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
> >> >Domain Name: xxxxx.com
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Domain Controllers
> >> >
> >> >Name IPAddress SiteName
> >> >---- --------- --------
> >> >sirius.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.246 Harwell
> >> >IO.xxxxx.com 192.168.0.220 Harwell
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >But if I remove the comment from the line indicated above, the output
> >> >changes to:
> >> >
> >> >MSH> C:\Data\PowerShell\dom-info2.ps1
> >> >Domain Name: xxxxx.com
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Forest : xxxxx.com
> >> >DomainControllers : {sirius.xxxxx.com, IO.xxxxx.com}
> >> >Children : {}
> >> >DomainMode : Windows2003Domain
> >> >Parent :
> >> >PdcRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
> >> >RidRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
> >> >InfrastructureRoleOwner : sirius.xxxxx.com
> >> >Name : xxxxx.com
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Domain Controllers
> >> >out-lineoutput : Object of type
> >> >"Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Internal.Format.FormatStartData" is not
> >> >legal or not in the correct sequence. This is likely cau
> >> >sed by a user-specified "format-table" command which is conflicting
> >> >with the default formatting.
> >> >
> >> >Any ideas?
> >> >
> >> >Thanks
> >> >Chris
> >>
>

On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 04:59:02 -0700, Aspa
<Aspa@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>
>> (Although the $DCs variable is originally derived from the $Domain)
>
>That's the key, so actually it IS the same :-)

Dennis,

No they're not the same.

Run

$domain.GetType().fullname

and

$DCs.GetType().fullname

and you will see that the types are different.

Andrew Watt MVP

> Dennis,
> No they're not the same.
> Run
> $domain.GetType().fullname
>
> and
>
> $DCs.GetType().fullname
>
> and you will see that the types are different.
>
> Andrew Watt MVP
>

You're right. Classes are different. spoke before thinking. Only the
namespace is the same
But after trying something else, I found out that all this has nothing to do
with it.
try

PS>gps;gcm

then try

PS>gps;gcm|ft

First works fine, last one doesn't work.

Dennis

I can confirm the bug you are seeing.
I believe the reason is that PowerShell is not able to switch the object
formating within a stream. At least I think I read something like that in the
newsgroup or the powershell blog some weeks ago.

--
greetings
dreeschkind

"Aspa" wrote:

> > Dennis,
> > No they're not the same.
> > Run
> > $domain.GetType().fullname
> >
> > and
> >
> > $DCs.GetType().fullname
> >
> > and you will see that the types are different.
> >
> > Andrew Watt MVP
> >
>
> You're right. Classes are different. spoke before thinking. Only the
> namespace is the same
> But after trying something else, I found out that all this has nothing to do
> with it.
> try
>
> PS>gps;gcm
>
> then try
>
> PS>gps;gcm|ft
>
> First works fine, last one doesn't work.
>
> Dennis

DreeschKind is right,

this is a bug (will not be fixed in V1 I think),
that you can not use the default formatter in a script.

(if the are different formats used), from the commandline this does work.

the workaround is not trowing objects to the pipeline unformatted.

MowPS>function test {
>> ls | fl
>> ls
>> ls | ft
>> }
>>
MowPS>test

now the last line will give an error as the "middle" LS does use the default
formatter.


Greetings /\/\o\/\/



"dreeschkind" wrote:

> I can confirm the bug you are seeing.
> I believe the reason is that PowerShell is not able to switch the object
> formating within a stream. At least I think I read something like that in the
> newsgroup or the powershell blog some weeks ago.
>
> --
> greetings
> dreeschkind
>
> "Aspa" wrote:
>
> > > Dennis,
> > > No they're not the same.
> > > Run
> > > $domain.GetType().fullname
> > >
> > > and
> > >
> > > $DCs.GetType().fullname
> > >
> > > and you will see that the types are different.
> > >
> > > Andrew Watt MVP
> > >
> >
> > You're right. Classes are different. spoke before thinking. Only the
> > namespace is the same
> > But after trying something else, I found out that all this has nothing to do
> > with it.
> > try
> >
> > PS>gps;gcm
> >
> > then try
> >
> > PS>gps;gcm|ft
> >
> > First works fine, last one doesn't work.
> >
> > Dennis

Thanks for the update - I'll avoid the default formatter in scripts
for the time being!



On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 08:45:02 -0700, /\/\o\/\/ [MVP]
<oMVP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>DreeschKind is right,
>
>this is a bug (will not be fixed in V1 I think),
>that you can not use the default formatter in a script.
>
>(if the are different formats used), from the commandline this does work.
>
>the workaround is not trowing objects to the pipeline unformatted.
>
>MowPS>function test {
>>> ls | fl
>>> ls
>>> ls | ft
>>> }
>>>
>MowPS>test
>
>now the last line will give an error as the "middle" LS does use the default
>formatter.
>
>
>Greetings /\/\o\/\/
>
>
>
>"dreeschkind" wrote:
>
>> I can confirm the bug you are seeing.
>> I believe the reason is that PowerShell is not able to switch the object
>> formating within a stream. At least I think I read something like that in the
>> newsgroup or the powershell blog some weeks ago.
>>
>> --
>> greetings
>> dreeschkind
>>
>> "Aspa" wrote:
>>
>> > > Dennis,
>> > > No they're not the same.
>> > > Run
>> > > $domain.GetType().fullname
>> > >
>> > > and
>> > >
>> > > $DCs.GetType().fullname
>> > >
>> > > and you will see that the types are different.
>> > >
>> > > Andrew Watt MVP
>> > >
>> >
>> > You're right. Classes are different. spoke before thinking. Only the
>> > namespace is the same
>> > But after trying something else, I found out that all this has nothing to do
>> > with it.
>> > try
>> >
>> > PS>gps;gcm
>> >
>> > then try
>> >
>> > PS>gps;gcm|ft
>> >
>> > First works fine, last one doesn't work.
>> >
>> > Dennis