With PowerShell, it can be a piece of cake to read out Registry values. Here is your simple code template: $RegPath =...
database-tools
Handling Cmdlet Errors without Interruption
When you want to use error handlers with errors that occur inside a cmdlet, then you can only catch such exceptions when you set the -ErrorAction of...
Fun with Path Names
You can use the -split operator to easily split a path in its components. The result is always an array. Simply use comparison operators to exclude...
Get Better Integration with SCOM using SQLdm SCOM Management Pack
It’s an age old problem in IT, one IT department has one standard and tools they use to manage their systems. Another IT department has another...
Survey: Idera’s new SQL Server job management solution
We are currently working on a new SQL Server agent job monitoring and management tool, to become available later this year. This first release will...
Skipping Profile on Keystroke
Maybe you'd like to be able to occasionally skip certain parts of your profile script. For example, in the ISE editor, simply add this...
Using Profile Scripts
You probably know that PowerShell supports profile scripts. Simply make sure the file found in $profile exists. It's a plain script that gets...
Be Aware of Side Effects
There are plenty of low level system functions that PowerShell can use. This one, for example, creates a temporary file name:...
Recruiting Beta Candidates for SQL Compliance Manager 4.5 Beta
Thank you for your interest in the SQL Compliance 4.5 beta. Please note that this is pre-release code and may be subject to certain defects. Your...
Bulk File Renaming
Let's assume you have a bunch of scripts (or pictures or log files or whatever) in a folder, and you'd like to rename all files. The new file name...
Getting DateTaken Info from Pictures
If you'd like to reorganize your picture archive, then here is a piece of code that reads the "DateTaken" information from picture...
Reading Installed Software Remotely
Most software registers itself in the Registry. Here is a piece of code that reads all installed software from the 32-bit and 64-bit hive and works...
gpupdate on Remote Machines
To run gpupdate.exe remotely, you could use a script like this: function Start-GPUpdate { param ( [String[]] $ComputerName ) $code = { $rv = 1 |...
Getting Database Connection String
Have you ever been puzzled just what the connection string would look like for a given database? When you create a new data source in Control Panel,...
Use Splatting to Encapsulate WMI Calls
Splatting is a great way of forwarding parameters to another cmdlet. Here is an example that can be used to encapsulate WMI calls and make them...
Submitting Parameters through Splatting
Splatting was introduced in PowerShell 3.0, but many users still never heard of this. It is a technique to programmatically submit parameters to a...
Achieve Better Automation with Idera’s SQL Diagnostic Manager
A seasoned SQL Server DBA has many skills, expertise and knowledge. Unfortunately, this also means that his/her time is always on demand by many...
Getting Group Membership – Fast
If you need to find out the Active Directory groups your user account is in, typically you would query the Active Directory, and you would have to...
Setting Registry Permissions
Setting permissions for Registry keys isn't trivial. With a little trick, though, it is no big deal anymore. First, open REGEDIT and create a...
Blocking Administrator Scripts
If you know that your script requires Administrator privileges, then you should add this to the top of your script: #requires -runasadministrator...
Removing Selected NTFS Permissions
Maybe you need to remove some permission settings from NTFS permissions. Let's assume you want to remove all permissions for a specific user...
PowerShell God Mode
Before you can run a PowerShell script, the execution policy needs to allow this. Typically, you would use this line to enable script execution:...
Checking Windows Updates
To check all installed updates on a Windows box, there is a COM library you can use. Unfortunately, this library isn't very intuitive to use,...
Getting Free Cheat Sheets
There are two great sources for PowerShell cheat sheets. One is the set of cheat sheets created by powershellmagazine.com which was just updated to...