ShinyPower!

ShinyPower is a little C# app i wrote to automate browsing PowerShell's help files.

The source code and a new version are now available at CodePlex.

New Version out now! Works with Powershell Release Candidate 2 -- Available from CodePlex

If you still want to download the old version... well...

Requires PowerShell RC1 and the .Net Framework version 2.0

It's very rough, and is just a proof of concept really.

  Download ShinyPower (for RC1) (and then unzip) from here.

Q: Why 'Shiny?' A: Firefly.

Q: Any other C# tools/samples that automate Powershell?

A:This Turtle Logo application [called 'MSH Logo'] is wikid. Also, scott hanselman posted up a snippet recently.

The first step in automating powershell is to add a reference to System.Management.Automation.dll, which (for me) was located in:

C:\Program Files\Windows PowerShell\v1.0\

How to use 'ShinyPower'

1. Select the type of help topic you want to read, from the drop down list, top left..
2. Click on the particular help topic, from the listbox at left.
3. Read the help (or syntax details) in the panes on the right.

'Derek Noonan' on Mon, 10 Jul 2006 07:26:17 GMT, sez:

Wow! Thanks a million ;)

DISCLAIMER: These opinions are my own personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dell or any affiliated companies.

'http://' on Mon, 10 Jul 2006 10:57:26 GMT, sez:

I've been waiting for someone to do this.
10,000 thanks!


Jeffrey Snover [MSFT]
Windows PowerShell Architect
Visit the Windows PowerShell Team blog at: http://blogs.msdn.com/PowerShell
Visit the Windows PowerShell ScriptCenter at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/hubs/msh.mspx

PSMDTAG:DOCUMENTATION: GUI HELP
PSMDTAG:FAQ: Is there an XMAN for Windows PowerShell?

'Omer van Kloeten' on Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:41:39 GMT, sez:

Firefly ftw! :)

'Keith Hill' on Mon, 10 Jul 2006 18:44:22 GMT, sez:

Very nice indeed!

'Martin' on Tue, 11 Jul 2006 04:22:03 GMT, sez:

Cool. Would you mind sharing the source? Would be a nice example on how to host Powerhell.

'lb' on Tue, 11 Jul 2006 04:45:43 GMT, sez:

>how to host Powerhell.

freudian typo ??

really my code is too dodgy to share!

here's an example of the heart of how shinyPower (help edition) works:

//First: add a reference to the powershell
//dll as described above ^^
using System.Management.Automation.Runspaces;

...
//in a function...

Runspace myRunSpace;
myRunSpace = RunspaceFactory.CreateRunspace();
myRunSpace.Open();
//This command will retrieve the syntax
// of the 'Out-File' cmdLet

Pipeline pipe = myRunSpace.CreatePipeline("get-Command Out-File | Format-List | out-string");
resultObject = pipe.Invoke();
string clearText = resultObject[0].ToString().Trim;
MessageBox.Show(clearText);

'Martin' on Wed, 12 Jul 2006 04:17:42 GMT, sez:

Thanks. And I doubt it was a freudian typo :-), because Powershell is the best shell I've ever seen. I got used to the limited DOS command prompt, the slightly better Windows cmd, and never felt at home in the various unix based shells, because their capabilities are difficult to discover and I never had the time to learn using them properly.

Powershell's discoverability is great, I can use the COM objects I know from Windows Scripting, the DOS commands I'm familiar with, have access to the complete .NET Framework Class library and can use WMI.

BTW, it would be nice if ShinyPower could include the various about_* help topics

'lb' on Wed, 12 Jul 2006 04:21:25 GMT, sez:

cheers martin --

to get to the about_* help topics, you use the combo box (top left) [point 1 on the picture above] -- it should selected them all... then you can view, for example:

"about_continue

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Immediately return to top of a program loop

LONG DESCRIPTION

In a scri..."

'lb' on Wed, 12 Jul 2006 04:24:19 GMT, sez:

but martin if that doesn't work for you, please tell me and send a screenshot to me: leonbambrick@gmail.com

'Martin' on Thu, 13 Jul 2006 16:24:23 GMT, sez:

Works. I didn't recognized the combo-box :-)

'Thomas Lee' on Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:09:12 GMT, sez:

Nice app.

But it does not work here - you may need to change the code once RC2 hits.

'alex' on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 10:05:48 GMT, sez:

PowerShell RC2 has been released. Do you plan to recompile ShinyPower? That would be swell.

'Greg' on Sun, 01 Oct 2006 16:58:57 GMT, sez:

RC2 broke it. Please update it. It's really handy.

'Greg' on Sun, 01 Oct 2006 17:04:22 GMT, sez:

Better yet, release the source code. :)

'lb' on Sun, 01 Oct 2006 18:54:11 GMT, sez:

>Better yet, release the source code. :)

i'm thinkin about it... i'd love to put it up at codeplex. maybe in the meantime i can just release it via this blog.

'ShinyPower for RC2' on Tue, 03 Oct 2006 04:18:31 GMT, sez:

ShinyPower is now available for release candidate 2 -- see:
http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=ShinyPower

(or click the link above)

source code coming soon.

'Greg' on Tue, 03 Oct 2006 18:40:51 GMT, sez:

Thanks a lot. Like I said, it's really handy.

'JustAGuy' on Mon, 09 Oct 2006 14:30:25 GMT, sez:

Mr. SecretGeek,
You should add a warning to this page for people who are using RC2 that they should download shinypower from this link http://www.codeplex.com/Wiki/View.aspx?ProjectName=ShinyPower

'johnvms' on Sun, 01 Jul 2007 08:05:56 GMT, sez:

Great utility. Very useful. Thanks!!!!!

'scripteaze' on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:50:49 GMT, sez:

Why not just let shinypower pull and load the local help systems?

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