Get-Format Data

Syntax

Get-FormatData
   [[-TypeName] <String[]>]
   [-PowerShellVersion <Version>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Get-FormatData cmdlet gets the formatting data in the current session.

The formatting data in the session includes formatting data from Format.ps1xml formatting files, such as those in the $pshome directory, formatting data for modules that you import into the session, and formatting data for commands that you import into your session by using the Import-PSSession cmdlet.

You can use this cmdlet to examine the formatting data. Then, you can use the Export-FormatData cmdlet to serialize the objects, convert them to XML, and save them in Format.ps1xml files.

For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.

Examples

Example 1: Get all formatting data

PS C:\> Get-FormatData

This command gets all the formatting data in the session.

Example 2: Get formatting data by type name

PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'System.Management.Automation.Cmd*'

This command gets the formatting data items whose names begin with System.Management.Automation.Cmd*.

Example 3: Examine a formatting data object

PS C:\> $F = Get-FormatData -TypeName 'System.Management.Automation.Cmd*'

PS C:\> $F



TypeName        FormatViewDefinition

--------        --------------------

HelpInfoShort   {help , TableControl}



PS C:\> $F.FormatViewDefinition[0].control



Headers          : {System.Management.Automation.TableControlColumnHeader, System.Management.Automation.TableControlColumnHeader, System.Management.Automation.TableControlColumnHeader,

                   System.Management.Automation.TableControlColumnHeader}

Rows             : {System.Management.Automation.TableControlRow}

AutoSize         : False

HideTableHeaders : False

GroupBy          :

OutOfBand        : False



PS C:\> $F.FormatViewDefinition[0].control.Headers



Label       Alignment Width

-----       --------- -----

CommandType Undefined    15

Name        Undefined    50

Version     Undefined    10

Source      Undefined     0

This example shows how to get a formatting data object and examine its properties.

Example 4: Get formatting data and export it

PS C:\> $A = Get-FormatData

PS C:\> Import-Module bitstransfer

PS C:\> $B = Get-FormatData

PS C:\> Compare-Object $A $B



InputObject                                                SideIndicator

-----------                                                -------------

Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management.BitsJob => PS C:\> Get-FormatData *bits* | Export-FormatData -FilePath c:\test\bits.format.ps1xml



PS C:\> Get-Content c:\test\bits.format.ps1xml



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><Configuration><ViewDefinitions>

<View><Name>Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management.BitsJob</Name>

...

This example shows how to use Get-FormatData and Export-FormatData to export the formatting data that is added by a module.

The first four commands use the Get-FormatData , Import-Module, and Compare-Object cmdlets to identify the format type that the BitsTransfer module adds to the session.

The fifth command uses the Get-FormatData cmdlet to get the format type that the BitsTransfer module adds. It uses a pipeline operator (|) to send the format type object to the Export-FormatData cmdlet, which converts it back to XML and saves it in the specified format.ps1xml file.

The final command shows an excerpt of the format.ps1xml file content.

Example 5: Get formatting data based on the specified version of PowerShell

PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash' -PowerShellVersion 1.0



TypeNames                               FormatViewDefinition

---------                               --------------------

{Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash} {Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash}



PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash' -PowerShellVersion 2.0



TypeNames                               FormatViewDefinition

---------                               --------------------

{Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash} {Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash}



PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash' -PowerShellVersion 3.0



TypeNames                               FormatViewDefinition

---------                               --------------------

{Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash} {Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash}



PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash' -PowerShellVersion 4.0



TypeNames                               FormatViewDefinition

---------                               --------------------

{Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash} {Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash}



PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash' -PowerShellVersion 5.0



TypeNames                               FormatViewDefinition

---------                               --------------------

{Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash} {Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash}



PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash' -PowerShellVersion 5.1



TypeNames                               FormatViewDefinition

---------                               --------------------

{Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash} {Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash}



PS C:\> Get-FormatData -TypeName 'Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash' -PowerShellVersion 6.0



TypeNames                               FormatViewDefinition

---------                               --------------------

{Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash} {Microsoft.Powershell.Utility.FileHash}

This example shows how to use Get-FormatData to get format data for a specified TypeName and a specified PowerShell version.

Optional Parameters

Inputs

None

You cannot pipe input to this cmdlet.

Outputs

System.Management.Automation.ExtendedTypeDefinition

Related Links

• Export-FormatData
• Update-FormatData