This is your PowerShell ISE on ISESteroids
PowerShell. I have learned to love it over the past few months. At work, I have ran into issues that Macro Express or AutoHotKey wouldn't cut it as a viable option. I had looked into PS before, but with just the shell, its not that accessible. Resigning myself to work in the shell, I started to do some research. I found out that MS released a tool for PowerShell that was like an IDE. Hallelujah! As I was playing in it, I came to the realization that I needed "MOAR POWER". PowerShell ISE is amazing, but it still needed a bit more.... umph. Dr. Tobias Weltner is a brilliant man because he thought the same thing! :D However, he is much more brilliant than I because he did something about it.He gave PowerShell ISE a shot of steroids. ISE Steroids that is. You can download a trial at his website: http://www.powertheshell.com/isesteroids2/download/
This tool is like dropping a turbocharger into your car, but 10 times easier. You install it and you are up and running in no time flat.
I am going to skip over the installation (you can find instructions on the link above) and talk about some of my favorite features.
Refactoring
First off I love refactoring. It lets me build out test scripts quickly without worrying about a naming scheme, or what I am calling my variables. Might not be the best SOP but it works for me. PowerShell ISE does have a replace feature (Ctrl + H) but to me its a bit clunky, and not as useful. ISE Steroids gives you in-line on-the-fly refactoring with one button- Place the cursor in the text you want to change. (I am refactoring the $install variable on line 2)
- Press F2
- Start typing to refactor!
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Original |
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After refactor |
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Original |
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After refactor |
- Highlight the whole selection you want to change ($client including the $)
- Press F2
- Start typing to refactor! It will refactor all instances (look at the second function, all the $client instances were renamed too)
Start typing to refactor! It will refactor all instances