Providing example in named PowerShell parameter

Question

With the code like this:

param
(   
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)] 
    [string]$TenantId,

    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)] 
    [System.Uri]$HostUrl,
         
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)] 
    [string]$SiteId,
         
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)] 
    [guid]$WebId,
         
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)] 
    [guid]$ListId,
         
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)] 
    [guid]$UniqueId,    
         
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)] 
    [string]$OutFile
)

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "Sites.FullControl.All" -TenantId $TenantId -ForceRefresh

Get-MgSiteListItemDriveItemContent -ListId $ListId -ListItemId $UniqueId -SiteId "$($HostUrl.DnsSafeHost),$SiteId,$WebId" -OutFile $OutFile

Disconnect-MgGraph

I would like the end user to know how to fetch all required named parameters, e.g. upon executing this script I anticipate something like this

cmdlet  at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
TenantId (to get TenantID go to Admin Center - Settings and copy TenantID): xxx
HostUrl (to get HostUrl copy HostUrl from the log files): yyy-yyy 
SiteId (SiteId can be obtained directly in SharePoint site): zzz-zzz-zzz

etc.

I know there is a HelpMessage parameter e.g.

[Parameter(Mandatory = $true, ValueFromPipeline = $true, ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName = $true, HelpMessage="Site name")]

yet I want this message to be displayed when the end-user specifies the value.

I think you are asking for some thing similar to this post: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5237723/how-do-i-get-help-messages-to-appear-for-my-powershell-script-parameters — zjg.robin, Dec 15 '20 at 01:03

Jim · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-15T01:36:59.213

Can you clarify what you're after? "yet I want this message to be displayed when the end-user specifies the value." Do you want it displayed as a Question/Answer while running? If so you don't want to set it as a mandatory parameter, you want to Read-Host the variables.

For Example:

      $TenantId = Read-Host "TenantId (to get TenantID go to Admin Center - Settings and Copy TenantID)"
      
      if ($null -eq $TenantId) {
            Write-Output "Invalid TenantId supplied, unable to continue."
            return
      }

And then you would do that for all of your variables and take actions once they are supplied.

Edit: Using the answer that zjg.robin specified, while running the mandatory parameter, a user can type in !? to get the help message for the mandatory parameters. If you would rather them be prompted, then you will want to use the Question/Answer methodology as apposed to the cmdlet with required parameters. Or, you can provide both worlds to it, and make it a true cmdlet inside a function. Then when you call the script, if no parameters are specified, you prompt them for those and pass it to the function. Really depends on what you're specific requirements are.

Providing example in named PowerShell parameter

1 Answers1