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Category: Powershell

The Equals Sign in Powershell

Published 2021-04-28 by Kevin Feasel

Kenneth Fisher avoids overloading:

In SQL Server both the set and equality functions are handled by the equals sign (=). 

[…]

However, in some other languages that’s not how it works. In PowerShell for example the equals sign is always a set operation. 

Click through to learn the difference, as well as what Powershell uses for equality operations. I think my favorite language for this is Scala, where I jokingly say = means “is equal to,” == means “is really equal to,” and === means “is equal to and I totally mean it.”

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Storing dbatools as a Package in Azure DevOps

Published 2021-04-27 by Kevin Feasel

Kevin Chant has a process for us:

In this post I want to cover how you can store dbatools PowerShell module as a package in Azure DevOps. By using the Azure Artifacts service.

I want share some knowledge about this because did a demo of it at Malta Data Saturday. By the end of this post you will have a better understanding of Azure Artifacts and a workaround if you encounter a problem publishing a package.

Read on for the process.

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Working with Secrets in Powershell

Published 2021-04-20 by Kevin Feasel

Jeffrey Hicks tries out the Secrets Management modules in Powershell:

So I’ve been kicking the tires and trying to do more with the Secrets Management modules from Microsoft, now that they are out of pre-release status. You can install the Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretStore and Microsoft.PowerShell.SecretManagement modules, you’ll need both, from the PowerShell Gallery. You can find extension modules that build on the Microsoft modules for working with other key vaults or secret store. Run find-module -tag secretmanagement to find additional modules. But what I want to talk about today relates to the Microsoft modules. Although, it might apply to you with any of the extension modules. The challenge is using the secrets management modules with a PowerShell profile script.

Read on for a challenge around running scheduled tasks which require secrets and a solution.

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Changing SQL Server to Use a Static, Non-Standard Port

Published 2021-04-20 by Kevin Feasel

Jack Vamvas has a cmdlet for us:

Question: I have an  SQL Server Instance – currently configured with a Dynamic Port. I’d like to change the setting from a Dynamic port configuration to a Static port configuration , using Powershell.

I want to change to a static port as we need to set up some Firewall rules , and using a static port will be much easier

How can this be done?

Click through for the answer.

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Reading from Oracle without the Oracle Client

Published 2021-04-15 by Kevin Feasel

Emanuele Meazzo was in a bind:

If you read my previous article on how to configure a Linked server to Oracle , you know that I feel like someone is plotting to keep the topic of how to get our precious data outside of the Oracle ecosystem as obscure as possible out of the oracle circle
Fear not! I’m here to get you all the info in order to get data from Oracle Database via Powershell, in a native high-performance way, allowing you to create a multithreaded, reliable and connected ETL flow to feed a data warehouse from Oracle data, like the owner of this blog, or just move quickly some data from one place to another, programmatically, whatever it’s your need.

I support any effort to get data away from Oracle. Click through for the script and an explanation of each step.

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More About Default Parameter Values in Powershell

Published 2021-04-15 by Kevin Feasel

Jeffrey Hicks follows up on a prior post:

Last week I shared a little nugget about making PowerShell life easier by using the built-in variable, $PSDefaultParameterValues. This is a special hashtable where you can define default parameter values for any PowerShell command. This means any PowerShell script or function that has defined parameters AND uses [cmdletbinding()]. If you have a simple function that only uses a Param() block, $PSDefaultParameterValues won’t work for that function. I recommend that all PowerShell functions use [cmdletbinding()] so hopefully, this won’t be an issue. Since I received some positive feedback and a few questions on the previous post, I thought a quick follow-up might be in order.

Read on for additional useful information regarding $PSDefaultParameterValues.

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Running Jupyter Notebooks from Powershell

Published 2021-04-13 by Kevin Feasel

Rob Farley has a change of heart:

The concept is that if I have a notebook with a bunch of queries in it, I can easily call that using Invoke-SqlNotebook, and get the results of the queries to be stored in an easily-viewable file. But I can also just call Invoke-SqlCmd and get the results stored. Or I can create an RDL to create something that will email me based on a subscription. And I wasn’t sure I needed another method for running something.

Read on to see what changed Rob’s mind.

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Finding and Clearing the Recycle Bin with Powershell

Published 2021-04-12 by Kevin Feasel

Jack Vamvas answers a question:

I use Powershell extensively to manage SQL Server and the Windows OS. A common problem is to identify location of the  Windows Recycle Bin and clear the contents down – particuarly if there is a space issue. 

How can I locate the Windows Recycle Bin and clear it down?

Read on for the Powershell v5 solution as well as the solution which works for earlier versions.

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