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Right now I have a collection of .ps1 PowerShell script cmdlets (they can take parameters) that are related to each other, but each is fairly involved. I'd like to organize them into a module, preferably while keeping them in separate files.

What is the best way to do that? Can I keep them in separate .ps1 files, and use a module manifest to say they are part of the module? Do I need to dot source the files into a .psm1file in order to keep the files separated? Or is it unwise to separate them into separate files?

Peter Mortensen
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Ryan Hiebert
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1 Answers1

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Ultimately you will need to have at least one .PSM1 file that either contains the variable and function definitions you want to export from your module OR dot sources in those definitions from .PS1 files. By default, variables are not exported while all functions are exported. If you want to modify that behavior, then use Export-ModuleMember -Variable MyExportedVariable -Function *-* at the end of the PSM1 file.

If much of the code in your PS1 files is internal implementation details it should be fine to keep in PS1 files. Just remember that the PSM1 would export the "public" facing interface of your module.

Keith Hill
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  • I ended up wrapping all of those file cmdlets to make them functions, so that I could dot source them. I was trying to make it so that I wouldn't have modify those files to collect them into a module, but it didn't seem to be possible. – Ryan Hiebert Oct 06 '13 at 06:51