PowerShell

Microsoft's new scripting shell

formerly known as Monad or MSH

Windows PowerShell 1.0 RtW (Release to Web) is available.

Getting started:

Download and install Windows PowerShell 1.0 RtW and .NET Framework 2.0 RTM and the Windows PowerShell 1.0 Documentation Pack.

You'll need to uninstall older versions of PowerShell first.

If you want to create and run your own PowerShell scripts, you need to digitally sign your scripts.
To create your own so called "self-signed" certificate you'll need makecert.exe that comes with the .NET Framework 2.0 SDK.

To learn more about signing your scripts, start a PowerShell shell, type help about_signing and read this text carefully.
Then type help Set-AuthenticodeSignature -detailed and read this text just as carefully.
You may want to redirect the text into two text files by using the following commands:

get-help about_signing > C:\about_signing.txt
get-help Set-AuthenticodeSignature -detailed > C:\Set-AuthenticodeSignature.txt

You can then keep and/or print the files C:\about_signing.txt and C:\Set-AuthenticodeSignature.txt for future reference.

After signing a script, and allowing scripts to run on your system, don't forget to start the command line with a dot to run the script (read the chapter on Parsing in the Getting Started Guide).

PowerShell Links:

Windows PowerShell Quick Start

Arul Kumaravel's MSH Language Quick Start

Arul Kumaravel's PowerShell cheat sheet for cmd.exe users

Lots of PowerShell in Sapien's scripting blog.

Download the PowerShell Help Tool from Sapien's free tools page (registration required).

"Powershell's help system is excellent! But the console window is not the best reading pane for looking through help documentation.
ShinyPower provides a windows application that brings out this help information, and lets you browse it in a more comfortable manner."

Download The PowerShell Guy's PowerShell WMI Explorer. It combines the best features of WBEMTEST and Scriptomatic, for PowerShell.

TechNet Script Center: Converting VBScript Commands to Windows PowerShell Commands.

TechNet Script Center: Scripting with the Windows PowerShell.

TechNet Script Center: What Can I Do With Windows PowerShell?, A Task-Based Guide to Windows PowerShell Cmdlets.

The PowerShell Information Centre at reskit.net

Sample PowerShell Scripts

More sample scripts from reskit.net

My own sample scripts

Interview with Jeffrey Snover - Monad Software Architect

Windows PowerShell Blog

PowerShell webcasts:

1. TechNet Webcast: The Windows PowerShell Scripting Crash Course (Level 200)
   (archived)
2. TechNet Webcast: Mastering the Windows PowerShell Pipeline (Level 200)
   (archived)
3. TechNet Webcast: Functions, Filters, and Efficiency in Windows PowerShell (Level 200)
   (archived)
4. TechNet Webcast: Windows PowerShell and Windows Management Instrumentation (Level 200)
   (archived)
5. TechNet Webcast: Converting from VBScript to Windows PowerShell (Level 200)
   (archived)
6. TechNet Webcast: Under-the-Hood Extensions in Windows PowerShell (Level 200)
   Tuesday, June 19, 2007, 11:30 AM Pacific Time

PowerShellIDE, "The World's First PowerShell Editor" by Dr. Tobias Weltner.

scripts.readify.net for the Microsoft Command Shell

Guy Thomas' PowerShell section.

Who said PowerShell is limited to text mode? These PowerGadgets do look promising.

Administrative Templates for Windows PowerShell.

For the French speaking scripters: www.powershell-scripting.com by Arnaud Petitjean and Robin Lemesle.