Windows 10: PowerShell Scripting - The Basics

Just remember to use parentheses and curly brackets correctly.
IF (this) {DO that}
IF ((this) -or (this)) {DO that}
IF ((this) -and (this)) {DO that}

A "real life" example of using OR (-or), from second tut in PS scripting (will be published in couple of hours) about using a PS script to create bootable USB Windows 10 install media, I'll use a conditional statement as shown below in CODE box to check if the folder / mounted ISO given by user contains Windows setup files by checking if install.wim or install.esd exists either in \Sources folder (single bit architecture ISO) or at least in one of either \x86\Sources and x64\Sources folders (dual architecture ISO).

Script has read user input just before storing it, either drive letter for a mounted W10 ISO or path to a folder containing files copied from ISO, in variable $ISOFolder. Using cmdlet Test-Path to check if a file exists, if true the condition is met:

Code: $WimCount = 0 if ((Test-Path $ISOFolder\Sources\install.wim) -or (Test-Path $ISOFolder\x86\Sources\install.wim) -or (Test-Path $ISOFolder\x64\Sources\install.wim) -or (Test-Path $ISOFolder\Sources\install.esd) -or (Test-Path $ISOFolder\x86\Sources\install.esd) -or (Test-Path $ISOFolder\x64\Sources\install.esd)) {$WimCount = 1} else { cls Write-Host Write-Host ' No Windows 10 installation files found.' Write-Host ' Please check mounted ISO letter or path' Write-Host ' to folder containing installation files' Write-Host ' and run script again.' Write-Host Pause Exit }[/quote]
Using five OR operators to check if any of six conditions is met is not very elegant but it does the job *Smile

 

When the scripting basics is clear, see the next part in PS scripting tutorials: PowerShell Scripting - Create USB Install Media for Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

The proper way to do any If statements is by using Try/Catch/Finally blocks.

 

Hahahah! Are you serious?

 

Using five OR operators to check if any of six conditions is met is not very elegant but it does the job *Smile

Kari[/quote] Actually, I think it is very elegant and clear.

 

This is the first part of series of PowerShell scripting tutorials I intend to write in coming months, emphasis in words first part. The idea of this tutorial is to introduce concept of PS scripting to those not familiar with it. Error handling, "catch" in coding principle try - catch - finally you refer to does most certainly not belong to it.

In similar way this tutorial tells nothing about do while loops or functions or calling VBS from PS script or many other features and finesses of PS scripting. Your comment is like asking why math textbook for grade 5 does not mention Riemannian geometry.

That conditional statement is now "live" in the next part of PS scripting tuts: PowerShell Scripting - Create USB Install Media for Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

I once started to read a book "A Beginners Guide to Chaos Theory". The first sentence read "Consider an n-dimensional object in Hilbert Space". I never got as far as the second sentence - LOL.

 

That sentence in the book was a definite beginners killer, assumes familiarity with the subject or was a poor attemp to get the readers attention. Makes absolutely no sense to start a book for beginners with those words. *Roflmao2