Windows PowerShell Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Scripting Microsoft's New Command Shell [Paperback]

Lee Holmes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 26, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0596801505 | ISBN-13: 978-0596801502 | Edition: Second Edition

Do you know how to use Windows PowerShell to navigate the filesystem and manage files and folders? Or how to retrieve a web page? This introduction to the PowerShell language and scripting environment provides more than 430 task-oriented recipes to help you solve the most complex and pressing problems, and includes more than 100 tried-and-tested scripts that intermediate to advanced system administrators can copy and use immediately.

You'll find hands-on tutorials on fundamentals, common tasks, and administrative jobs that you can apply whether you're on a client or server version of Windows. You also get quick references to technologies used in conjunction with PowerShell, including format specifiers and frequently referenced registry keys to selected .NET, COM, and WMI classes. With Windows PowerShell Cookbook, you’ll get more done in less time.

• Take a tour of PowerShell’s core features, including the command model, object-based pipeline, and ubiquitous scripting
• Learn PowerShell fundamentals such as the interactive shell and fundamental pipeline and object concepts
• Perform common tasks that involve working with files, Internet-connected scripts, user interaction, and more
• Solve tasks in systems and enterprise management, such as working with Active Directory, the filesystem, registry, event logs, processes, and services

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lee Holmes is a developer on the Microsoft Windows PowerShell team, and has been an authoritative source of information about PowerShell since its earliest betas. His vast experience with Windows PowerShell enables him to integrate both the 'how' and the 'why' into discussions. Lee's involvement with the PowerShell and administration community (via newsgroups, mailing lists, and blogs) gives him a great deal of insight into the problems faced by all levels of administrators and PowerShell users alike.

Product Details

• Paperback: 884 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; Second Edition edition (August 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596801505
• ISBN-13: 978-0596801502
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 1.7 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #417,263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A vital piece of any PowerShell scripter's collection September 1, 2010

By Mike Kolitz

Format:Paperback

I've been using PowerShell for a little over a year now, and I've acquired quite a hefty collection of PSH-related books. Among those books, the 1st edition of Lee Holmes' "Windows PowerShell Cookbook" is one the most heavily read and dog-eared. The new 2nd edition adds chapters and sample scripts around PowerShell 2.0's new features, like Event Handling and Advanced Functions, but most importantly, it retains - and even expands upon - the obvious passion that Holmes has for PowerShell, and for helping people understand it.

Whether you're just getting into PowerShell now, or you're a seasoned expert who has been using PowerShell since it was codenamed "Monad", Lee Holmes' "Windows PowerShell Cookbook" should have a prominent position on your bookshelf, or in your e-book reader!

** Full disclosure: I work for Microsoft, but my job has nothing to do with PowerShell. This review is my own personal opinion. **

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tool September 24, 2010

By Jobobo

Format:Paperback

I have read many powershell books out there, and many of them are good, many are not so good. This book claims to be a cookbook, which typically I use as a reference to take ideas from. There is usually a short explanation of the concepts and uses of the technology. But I found I gained a good deal of practical application of the concepts in these short reviews. So in short this should not be your 1st Powershell book, but it should definitely be your second if you are an IT administrator.

The scripts are comprehensive, and useful. Lee has done a great job. I found immediate use that saved me a couple days in consulting time. So a $40 book and a couple of hours of my time against that cost, was quite a good return and I end up being the IT hero again.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars very good to pull ideas or a how to on but... May 26, 2011

By forrest

Format:Paperback

I have read several of the chapters and used parts here and there in the book and I do have java programming experience so i am not a total newbie.
As other readers have noted: This should not be your first scripting or PS book.

The books description does not make it out to be more than it is. A cookbook. It also provides a lot of PS basics but it also leaves a lot out. I was scratching my head on Arrays, lists and other collections. The book does not allow for clear distinctions between them but my experience told me there was a difference. Structuring the script was also passed over too quickly. I had to do some digging on the Internet for opinions and answers.

There are many scripts in the book but they are written or purposed in a way that do not expose the weaknesses/complexities of powershell like:
-"how do I know my Get-function is going to return an collection? sometimes it returns an object and if it does this script will fail"
-"how do I make my [array] of a static size?"

So I am going to keep this book around and read more of it BUT I am also going to look for another to partner it with.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have technical reference January 31, 2011

By Lisa

Format:Paperback

I highly recommend you get this book.
First of all, this title is published by O'Reilly. This publisher has always been at the top level of weighty technical reference books. And this is just the case in this book. Second, the word "cookbook" is quite appropriate. You can search the index for a task and get right to it without digging through the whole book. If you are just starting out in Powershell (PS) and you're thinking of having a book around that you can grow into as you advance then this would be an excellent choice.
PS can handle objects and the common features of a programming language. The book has a thorough section on fundamentals and then has several specific, "common tasks" sections. A good sysadmin will need to be familiar with PS. If you buy & download an electronic version, you can copy/paste snippets into PS. Author Lee Holmes also provides the example code at the title's home page. You can start running the examples right away.
This is a book that you will keep referring to time & time again. It's that good.
AzSailor

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Kindle version fixed (was: Contents page ruins the Kindle version) November 1, 2011

By Troy Parsons

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Hows that for service? A response from the author having enhanced the book's contents! (Refer comments). This makes the book far more navigable and useful from a Kindle (including desktop version and cloud reader). I couldn't automatically update my book from the manageyourkindle page, so I had to contact customer service who very promptly got me all sorted out - do this if you happen to have the old Kindle version. Since the update I would recommend the Kindle version - I find it a useful and handy reference if I can't quite crack a certain task, and a hell of lot lighter than the print version :)

--- Old review ---

This review applies to the Kindle version, which is currently flawed and requires an update. Please O'Reilly fix it!

The general content of the book is great, and worthy of the other rave reviews on the site. I needn't really repeat them here. The problem is being able to find it.

The contents for the Kindle version lists each 'recipe' along with the sub items of 'problem', 'solution', 'discussion' and 'see also' beneath them. This means, what should be a quick-reference sheet, becomes very busy and difficult to parse. It's even hard to follow what chapter you are looking through. You can compare the Kindle versus Print in the 'Look Inside' to see what I mean - the print version contents spans 10 pages, neatly laid out, while in the Kindle version you must click through at least 50 pages of useless links.

Kindle search can't really help you out, because it can't search with context, and a simple keyword search will yield lots of useless results.

In the end I typically give up and search Google instead, making this book a waste of money for me.