More PowerShell Laziness

A few days ago I posted an article on using Update-TypeData to provide shortcuts to object properties. These shortcuts might save a few keystrokes typing, especially if you use tab completion. They can also give you more meaningful output. But you can take this even further and save yourself even more typing. How many of you have struggled to type an expression like this:

dir c:\work\ -file  | where {$_.length -gt 100KB} | Select Name,
@{Name="Modified";Expression={$_.lastWritetime}},
@{Name="SizeKB";Expression={[math]::Round($_.length/1KB,2)}} |
Sort SizeKB -Descending

If you read the last article, you already know that I can use my alias property shortcuts. But you can also define other types of properties. Let's say I often want to get file sizes in KB, and it is pretty tedious having to use Select-Object all the time with a custom hashtable. Instead I can do this with Update-TypeData:

Update-TypeData -TypeName System.IO.FileInfo -MemberType ScriptProperty -MemberName SizeKB -Value {[math]::Round($this.length/1KB,2)} 

When defining a ScriptProperty, the $this variable is used instead of $_. Using my previously created aliases, my command is now much easier to write:

PS C:\> dir c:\work\ -file  | where {$_.sz -gt 100KB} | Sort SizeKB -Descending | format-table Name,
Modified,SizeKB -AutoSize

Name                      Modified                 SizeKB
----                      --------                 ------
WeeklyProcs.xml           12/27/2013 12:39:52 PM 16660.45
SSCERuntime_x64-ENU.msi   2/11/2010 8:36:32 PM     3567.5
SSCERuntime_x86-ENU.msi   2/11/2010 8:36:18 PM       3090
test.exe                  1/14/2014 10:43:15 AM    540.54
psight.csv                3/4/2014 10:12:46 AM     508.31
WMIExplorer.exe           5/21/2012 1:32:15 PM        452
test2.exe                 5/4/1999 4:33:24 PM      270.27
test2.ext                 5/4/1999 4:33:24 PM      270.27
PS4NewFeatures-m3.camproj 3/29/2014 7:13:43 PM     255.65
du.exe                    5/29/2014 11:42:40 AM    218.19
chi-hvr2-health-full.htm  1/23/2014 10:01:27 AM    127.96
windowtime.xml            6/16/2014 1:32:03 PM     102.17

With the aliases I can use them anywhere in a PowerShell expression. Let me leave you with one more example:

Update-TypeData -TypeName Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GenericMeasureInfo -MemberType ScriptProperty -MemberName SumKB -Value {[math]::Round($this.sum/1KB,2)} -Force
Update-TypeData -TypeName Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GenericMeasureInfo -MemberType ScriptProperty -MemberName SumMB -Value {[math]::Round($this.sum/1MB,2)} -Force
Update-TypeData -TypeName Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GenericMeasureInfo -MemberType ScriptProperty -MemberName SumGB -Value {[math]::Round($this.sum/1GB,2)} -Force

I often need to get the total value of something, but often I need it in a different format such as MB or GB. Now I have it.

PS C:\> dir c:\work\*.xml | where {$_.sz -gt 1kb} | measure -Property Size -Sum


Count    : 7
Average  :
Sum      : 17199422
Maximum  :
Minimum  :
Property : Size
SumKB    : 16796.31
SumMB    : 16.4
SumGB    : 0.02

PS C:\> (ps chrome | measure ws -sum).SumGB
1.23

That definitely saves some typing. I should probably do something similar for Maximum and Minimum properties as well.

So, what are you constantly typing? Is it something you could be smarter about? I hope you'll share so I can take advantage of your laziness, I mean, efficiency!

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