How to instruct PowerShell to display nested PSObject properties as a tree (like `Get-Error`)? #24470

Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) · 2024-10-21T13:41:10Z

Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke)
Oct 21, 2024

Question

An example is available at github.com/Pscx/Pscx/issues/103#issue-2601956172:

```
#!/usr/bin/env pwsh
Get-Error
```

Details

Exception             : 
    Type           : System.Management.Automation.CommandNotFoundException
    ErrorRecord    : 
        Exception             : 
            Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
            Message : The 'Show-Tree' command was found in the module 'Pscx', but the module could not be loaded due to the following error: [Could not load file or assembly 'System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified.
                      ]
                      For more information, run 'Import-Module Pscx'.
            HResult : -2146233087
        TargetObject          : Show-Tree
        CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (Show-Tree:String) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
        FullyQualifiedErrorId : CouldNotAutoloadMatchingModule
        InvocationInfo        : 
            ScriptLineNumber : 1
            OffsetInLine     : 1
            HistoryId        : 22
            Line             : Show-Tree
            Statement        : Show-Tree
            PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1
                               + Show-Tree
                               + ~~~~~~~~~
            InvocationName   : Show-Tree
            CommandOrigin    : Internal
        ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1
    CommandName    : Show-Tree
    TargetSite     : 
        Name          : TryModuleAutoDiscovery
        DeclaringType : [System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery]
        MemberType    : Method
        Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
    Message        : The 'Show-Tree' command was found in the module 'Pscx', but the module could not be loaded due to the following error: [Could not load file or assembly 'System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified.
                     ]
                     For more information, run 'Import-Module Pscx'.
    Data           : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal
    InnerException : 
        Type           : System.Management.Automation.CmdletInvocationException
        ErrorRecord    : 
            Exception             : 
                Type       : System.IO.FileNotFoundException
                Message    : Could not load file or assembly 'System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified.
                             
                FileName   : System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
                TargetSite : 
                    Name          : GetExportedTypes
                    DeclaringType : [System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly]
                    MemberType    : Method
                    Module        : System.Private.CoreLib.dll
                Source     : System.Private.CoreLib
                HResult    : -2147024894
                StackTrace : 
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.GetExportedTypes(QCallAssembly assembly, ObjectHandleOnStack retTypes)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.GetExportedTypes()
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSnapInHelpers.GetAssemblyTypes(Assembly assembly, String name)
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSnapInHelpers.AnalyzeModuleAssemblyWithReflection(Assembly assembly, String name, PSSnapInInfo psSnapInInfo, PSModuleInfo moduleInfo, String helpFile, Dictionary`2& cmdlets, Dictionary`2& aliases, Dictionary`2& providers)
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSnapInHelpers.AnalyzePSSnapInAssembly(Assembly assembly, String name, PSSnapInInfo psSnapInInfo, PSModuleInfo moduleInfo, Dictionary`2& cmdlets, Dictionary`2& aliases, Dictionary`2& providers, String& helpFile)
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.InitialSessionState.ImportCmdletsFromAssembly(Assembly assembly, PSModuleInfo module)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadBinaryModule(PSModuleInfo parentModule, String moduleName, String fileName, Assembly assemblyToLoad, String moduleBase, SessionState ss, ImportModuleOptions options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, String prefix, Boolean& found, String 
shortModuleName, Boolean disableFormatUpdates)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModule(PSModuleInfo parentModule, String fileName, String moduleBase, String prefix, SessionState ss, Object privateData, ImportModuleOptions& options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Boolean& found, Boolean& moduleFileFound)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModuleNamedInManifest(PSModuleInfo parentModule, ModuleSpecification moduleSpecification, String moduleBase, Boolean searchModulePath, String prefix, SessionState ss, ImportModuleOptions options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Object 
privateData, Boolean& found, String shortModuleName, Nullable`1 manifestLanguageMode)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModuleManifest(String moduleManifestPath, ExternalScriptInfo manifestScriptInfo, Hashtable data, Hashtable localizedData, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Version minimumVersion, Version maximumVersion, Version requiredVersion, Nullable`1 
requiredModuleGuid, ImportModuleOptions& options, Boolean& containedErrors)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModule(PSModuleInfo parentModule, String fileName, String moduleBase, String prefix, SessionState ss, Object privateData, ImportModuleOptions& options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Boolean& found, Boolean& moduleFileFound)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand.ImportModule_LocallyViaName(ImportModuleOptions importModuleOptions, String name)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand.ImportModule_LocallyViaName_WithTelemetry(ImportModuleOptions importModuleOptions, String name)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand.ProcessRecord()
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()
            CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Import-Module], FileNotFoundException
            FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.IO.FileNotFoundException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand
            InvocationInfo        : 
                MyCommand       : Import-Module
                HistoryId       : 22
                InvocationName  : Import-Module
                CommandOrigin   : Internal
            ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1
            PipelineIterationInfo : 
                              0
                              1
        TargetSite     : 
            Name          : Invoke
            DeclaringType : [System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase]
            MemberType    : Method
            Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
        Message        : Could not load file or assembly 'System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified.
                         
        InnerException : 
            Type       : System.IO.FileNotFoundException
            Message    : Could not load file or assembly 'System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. The system cannot find the file specified.
                         
            FileName   : System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
            TargetSite : 
                Name          : GetExportedTypes
                DeclaringType : [System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly]
                MemberType    : Method
                Module        : System.Private.CoreLib.dll
            Source     : System.Private.CoreLib
            HResult    : -2147024894
            StackTrace : 
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.GetExportedTypes(QCallAssembly assembly, ObjectHandleOnStack retTypes)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly.GetExportedTypes()
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSnapInHelpers.GetAssemblyTypes(Assembly assembly, String name)
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSnapInHelpers.AnalyzeModuleAssemblyWithReflection(Assembly assembly, String name, PSSnapInInfo psSnapInInfo, PSModuleInfo moduleInfo, String helpFile, Dictionary`2& cmdlets, Dictionary`2& aliases, Dictionary`2& providers)
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSSnapInHelpers.AnalyzePSSnapInAssembly(Assembly assembly, String name, PSSnapInInfo psSnapInInfo, PSModuleInfo moduleInfo, Dictionary`2& cmdlets, Dictionary`2& aliases, Dictionary`2& providers, String& helpFile)
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.InitialSessionState.ImportCmdletsFromAssembly(Assembly assembly, PSModuleInfo module)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadBinaryModule(PSModuleInfo parentModule, String moduleName, String fileName, Assembly assemblyToLoad, String moduleBase, SessionState ss, ImportModuleOptions options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, String prefix, Boolean& found, String 
shortModuleName, Boolean disableFormatUpdates)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModule(PSModuleInfo parentModule, String fileName, String moduleBase, String prefix, SessionState ss, Object privateData, ImportModuleOptions& options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Boolean& found, Boolean& moduleFileFound)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModuleNamedInManifest(PSModuleInfo parentModule, ModuleSpecification moduleSpecification, String moduleBase, Boolean searchModulePath, String prefix, SessionState ss, ImportModuleOptions options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Object 
privateData, Boolean& found, String shortModuleName, Nullable`1 manifestLanguageMode)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModuleManifest(String moduleManifestPath, ExternalScriptInfo manifestScriptInfo, Hashtable data, Hashtable localizedData, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Version minimumVersion, Version maximumVersion, Version requiredVersion, Nullable`1 
requiredModuleGuid, ImportModuleOptions& options, Boolean& containedErrors)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ModuleCmdletBase.LoadModule(PSModuleInfo parentModule, String fileName, String moduleBase, String prefix, SessionState ss, Object privateData, ImportModuleOptions& options, ManifestProcessingFlags manifestProcessingFlags, Boolean& found, Boolean& moduleFileFound)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand.ImportModule_LocallyViaName(ImportModuleOptions importModuleOptions, String name)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand.ImportModule_LocallyViaName_WithTelemetry(ImportModuleOptions importModuleOptions, String name)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.ImportModuleCommand.ProcessRecord()
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()
        Source         : System.Management.Automation
        HResult        : -2146233087
        StackTrace     : 
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.ConstructPipelineAndDoWork(Runspace rs, Boolean performSyncInvoke)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvokeHelper[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvoke[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Invoke[T]()
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.AutoloadSpecifiedModule(String moduleName, ExecutionContext context, SessionStateEntryVisibility visibility, Exception& exception)
    Source         : System.Management.Automation
    HResult        : -2146233087
    StackTrace     : 
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.TryModuleAutoDiscovery(String commandName, ExecutionContext context, String originalCommandName, CommandOrigin commandOrigin, SearchResolutionOptions searchResolutionOptions, CommandTypes commandTypes, Exception& lastError)
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.LookupCommandInfo(String commandName, CommandTypes commandTypes, SearchResolutionOptions searchResolutionOptions, CommandOrigin commandOrigin, ExecutionContext context)
   at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.AddCommand(PipelineProcessor pipe, CommandParameterInternal[] commandElements, CommandBaseAst commandBaseAst, CommandRedirection[] redirections, ExecutionContext context)
   at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
TargetObject          : Show-Tree
CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (Show-Tree:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
FullyQualifiedErrorId : CouldNotAutoloadMatchingModule
InvocationInfo        : 
    ScriptLineNumber : 1
    OffsetInLine     : 1
    HistoryId        : 22
    Line             : Show-Tree
    Statement        : Show-Tree
    PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1
                       + Show-Tree
                       + ~~~~~~~~~
    InvocationName   : Show-Tree
    CommandOrigin    : Internal
ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1

Specifically, the undermentioned section:

FileName   : System.Messaging, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
TargetSite : 
    Name          : GetExportedTypes
    DeclaringType : [System.Reflection.RuntimeAssembly]
    MemberType    : Method
    Module        : System.Private.CoreLib.dll

Summarily, how can I replicate TargetSite printing its properties with their values, with indentation to visualise the depedency? I ask because I've been utterly unable to locate online and alone how to force a PSObject with nested properties to render them in the CLI as a tree like Get-Error is evidently able to.

Jordan Borean (jborean93)
Oct 21, 2024

There's no single/automatic way of doing this unfortunately. The Get-Error cmdlet works by inserting the System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord#PSExtendedError type name to the error object and PowerShell has a custom formatter set for that type name to do the manual string building to create this format under

PowerShell/src/System.Management.Automation/FormatAndOutput/DefaultFormatters/PowerShellCore_format_ps1xml.cs

Lines 824 to 1030 in 623c451

    
                   private static IEnumerable<FormatViewDefinition> ViewsOf_System_Management_Automation_GetError() 
        
                   { 
        
                       yield return new FormatViewDefinition("GetErrorInstance", 
        
                           CustomControl.Create() 
        
                               .GroupByProperty("PSErrorIndex", label: "ErrorIndex") 
        
                               .StartEntry() 
        
                                   .AddScriptBlockExpressionBinding(@" 
        
                                       Set-StrictMode -Off 
        
                                       $maxDepth = 10 
        
                                       $ellipsis = ""`u{2026}"" 
        
                                       $resetColor = '' 
        
                                       $errorColor = '' 
        
                                       $accentColor = '' 
        
                                       if ($Host.UI.SupportsVirtualTerminal -and ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($env:__SuppressAnsiEscapeSequences))) { 
        
                                           $resetColor = $PSStyle.Reset 
        
                                           $errorColor = $psstyle.Formatting.Error 
        
                                           $accentColor = $PSStyle.Formatting.FormatAccent 
        
                                       } 
        
                                       function Show-ErrorRecord($obj, [int]$indent = 0, [int]$depth = 1) { 
        
                                           $newline = [Environment]::Newline 
        
                                           $output = [System.Text.StringBuilder]::new() 
        
                                           $prefix = ' ' * $indent 
        
                                           $expandTypes = @( 
        
                                               'Microsoft.Rest.HttpRequestMessageWrapper' 
        
                                               'Microsoft.Rest.HttpResponseMessageWrapper' 
        
                                               'System.Management.Automation.InvocationInfo' 
        
                                           ) 
        
                                           # if object is an Exception, add an ExceptionType property 
        
                                           if ($obj -is [Exception]) { 
        
                                               $obj | Add-Member -NotePropertyName Type -NotePropertyValue $obj.GetType().FullName -ErrorAction Ignore 
        
                                           } 
        
                                           # first find the longest property so we can indent properly 
        
                                           $propLength = 0 
        
                                           foreach ($prop in $obj.PSObject.Properties) { 
        
                                               if ($prop.Value -ne $null -and $prop.Value -ne [string]::Empty -and $prop.Name.Length -gt $propLength) { 
        
                                                   $propLength = $prop.Name.Length 
        
                                               } 
        
                                           } 
        
                                           $addedProperty = $false 
        
                                           foreach ($prop in $obj.PSObject.Properties) { 
        
                                               # don't show empty properties or our added property for $error[index] 
        
                                               if ($prop.Value -ne $null -and $prop.Value -ne [string]::Empty -and $prop.Value.count -gt 0 -and $prop.Name -ne 'PSErrorIndex') { 
        
                                                   $addedProperty = $true 
        
                                                   $null = $output.Append($prefix) 
        
                                                   $null = $output.Append($accentColor) 
        
                                                   $null = $output.Append($prop.Name) 
        
                                                   $propNameIndent = ' ' * ($propLength - $prop.Name.Length) 
        
                                                   $null = $output.Append($propNameIndent) 
        
                                                   $null = $output.Append(' : ') 
        
                                                   $null = $output.Append($resetColor) 
        
                                                   $newIndent = $indent + 4 
        
                                                   # only show nested objects that are Exceptions, ErrorRecords, or types defined in $expandTypes and types not in $ignoreTypes 
        
                                                   if ($prop.Value -is [Exception] -or $prop.Value -is [System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord] -or 
        
                                                       $expandTypes -contains $prop.TypeNameOfValue -or ($prop.TypeNames -ne $null -and $expandTypes -contains $prop.TypeNames[0])) { 
        
                                                       if ($depth -ge $maxDepth) { 
        
                                                           $null = $output.Append($ellipsis) 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                       else { 
        
                                                           $null = $output.Append($newline) 
        
                                                           $null = $output.Append((Show-ErrorRecord $prop.Value $newIndent ($depth + 1))) 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                   } 
        
                                                   # `TargetSite` has many members that are not useful visually, so we have a reduced view of the relevant members 
        
                                                   elseif ($prop.Name -eq 'TargetSite' -and $prop.Value.GetType().Name -eq 'RuntimeMethodInfo') { 
        
                                                       if ($depth -ge $maxDepth) { 
        
                                                           $null = $output.Append($ellipsis) 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                       else { 
        
                                                           $targetSite = [PSCustomObject]@{ 
        
                                                               Name = $prop.Value.Name 
        
                                                               DeclaringType = $prop.Value.DeclaringType 
        
                                                               MemberType = $prop.Value.MemberType 
        
                                                               Module = $prop.Value.Module 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                           $null = $output.Append($newline) 
        
                                                           $null = $output.Append((Show-ErrorRecord $targetSite $newIndent ($depth + 1))) 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                   } 
        
                                                   # `StackTrace` is handled specifically because the lines are typically long but necessary so they are left justified without additional indentation 
        
                                                   elseif ($prop.Name -eq 'StackTrace') { 
        
                                                       # for a stacktrace which is usually quite wide with info, we left justify it 
        
                                                       $null = $output.Append($newline) 
        
                                                       $null = $output.Append($prop.Value) 
        
                                                   } 
        
                                                   # Dictionary and Hashtable we want to show as Key/Value pairs, we don't do the extra whitespace alignment here 
        
                                                   elseif ($prop.Value -is [System.Collections.IDictionary]) { 
        
                                                       $isFirstElement = $true 
        
                                                       foreach ($key in ($prop.Value.Keys | Sort-Object)) { 
        
                                                           if ($isFirstElement) { 
        
                                                               $null = $output.Append($newline) 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                           if ($key -eq 'Authorization') { 
        
                                                               $null = $output.Append(""${prefix}    ${accentColor}${key} : ${resetColor}${ellipsis}${newline}"") 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                           else { 
        
                                                               $null = $output.Append(""${prefix}    ${accentColor}${key} : ${resetColor}$($prop.Value[$key])${newline}"") 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                           $isFirstElement = $false 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                   } 
        
                                                   # if the object implements IEnumerable and not a string, we try to show each object 
        
                                                   # We ignore the `Data` property as it can contain lots of type information by the interpreter that isn't useful here 
        
                                                   elseif (!($prop.Value -is [System.String]) -and $prop.Value.GetType().GetInterface('IEnumerable') -ne $null -and $prop.Name -ne 'Data') { 
        
                                                       if ($depth -ge $maxDepth) { 
        
                                                           $null = $output.Append($ellipsis) 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                       else { 
        
                                                           $isFirstElement = $true 
        
                                                           foreach ($value in $prop.Value) { 
        
                                                               $null = $output.Append($newline) 
        
                                                               $valueIndent = ' ' * ($newIndent + 2) 
        
                                                               if ($value -is [Type]) { 
        
                                                                   # Just show the typename instead of it as an object 
        
                                                                   $null = $output.Append(""${prefix}${valueIndent}[$($value.ToString())]"") 
        
                                                               } 
        
                                                               elseif ($value -is [string] -or $value.GetType().IsPrimitive) { 
        
                                                                   $null = $output.Append(""${prefix}${valueIndent}${value}"") 
        
                                                               } 
        
                                                               else { 
        
                                                                   if (!$isFirstElement) { 
        
                                                                       $null = $output.Append($newline) 
        
                                                                   } 
        
                                                                   $null = $output.Append((Show-ErrorRecord $value $newIndent ($depth + 1))) 
        
                                                               } 
        
                                                               $isFirstElement = $false 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                   } 
        
                                                   elseif ($prop.Value -is [Type]) { 
        
                                                       # Just show the typename instead of it as an object 
        
                                                       $null = $output.Append(""[$($prop.Value.ToString())]"") 
        
                                                   } 
        
                                                   # Anything else, we convert to string. 
        
                                                   # ToString() can throw so we use LanguagePrimitives.TryConvertTo() to hide a convert error 
        
                                                   else { 
        
                                                       $value = $null 
        
                                                       if ([System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives]::TryConvertTo($prop.Value, [string], [ref]$value) -and $value -ne $null) 
        
                                                       { 
        
                                                           if ($prop.Name -eq 'PositionMessage') { 
        
                                                               $value = $value.Insert($value.IndexOf('~'), $errorColor) 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                           elseif ($prop.Name -eq 'Message') { 
        
                                                               $value = $errorColor + $value 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                           $isFirstLine = $true 
        
                                                           if ($value.Contains($newline)) { 
        
                                                               # the 3 is to account for ' : ' 
        
                                                               $valueIndent = ' ' * ($propLength + 3) 
        
                                                               # need to trim any extra whitespace already in the text 
        
                                                               foreach ($line in $value.Split($newline)) { 
        
                                                                   if (!$isFirstLine) { 
        
                                                                       $null = $output.Append(""${newline}${prefix}${valueIndent}"") 
        
                                                                   } 
        
                                                                   $null = $output.Append($line.Trim()) 
        
                                                                   $isFirstLine = $false 
        
                                                               } 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                           else { 
        
                                                               $null = $output.Append($value) 
        
                                                           } 
        
                                                       } 
        
                                                   } 
        
                                                   $null = $output.Append($newline) 
        
                                               } 
        
                                           } 
        
                                           # if we had added nested properties, we need to remove the last newline 
        
                                           if ($addedProperty) { 
        
                                               $null = $output.Remove($output.Length - $newline.Length, $newline.Length) 
        
                                           } 
        
                                           $output.ToString() 
        
                                       } 
        
                                       # Add back original typename and remove PSExtendedError 
        
                                       if ($_.PSObject.TypeNames.Contains('System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord#PSExtendedError')) { 
        
                                           $_.PSObject.TypeNames.Add('System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord') 
        
                                           $null = $_.PSObject.TypeNames.Remove('System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord#PSExtendedError') 
        
                                       } 
        
                                       elseif ($_.PSObject.TypeNames.Contains('System.Exception#PSExtendedError')) { 
        
                                           $_.PSObject.TypeNames.Add('System.Exception') 
        
                                           $null = $_.PSObject.TypeNames.Remove('System.Exception#PSExtendedError') 
        
                                       } 
        
                                       Show-ErrorRecord $_ 
        
                                   ") 
        
                               .EndEntry() 
        
                           .EndControl()); 
        
                   }

.

You can certainly copy/modify the code for your own needs but it's not a simple function you can call here and something very specific to the Get-Error output. You could look at using a YAML library to try and achieve a similar setup but it won't strictly be the same as the Get-Error format which is YAML like but not actually YAML.

2 replies

Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) Oct 21, 2024
Author

#24470 (comment)

Jordan Borean (@jborean93), thanks. Perhaps it would be worth filing an FR to get this converted into a more standardised method. After all, it doesn't look great in Get-Error as it is - some attributes are quite misaligned.

Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) Oct 21, 2024
Author

Perhaps it would be worth filing an FR to get this converted into a more standardised method.

I've filed #24471 (comment).

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How to instruct PowerShell to display nested PSObject properties as a tree (like `Get-Error`)? #24470

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	private static IEnumerable<FormatViewDefinition> ViewsOf_System_Management_Automation_GetError()
	{
	yield return new FormatViewDefinition("GetErrorInstance",
	CustomControl.Create()
	.GroupByProperty("PSErrorIndex", l…

How to instruct PowerShell to display nested PSObject properties as a tree (like Get-Error)? #24470

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Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) Oct 21, 2024

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Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) Oct 21, 2024 Author

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Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) Oct 21, 2024 Author

How to instruct PowerShell to display nested PSObject properties as a tree (like `Get-Error`)? #24470

Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke)
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Jordan Borean (jborean93)
Oct 21, 2024

Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) Oct 21, 2024
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Mr Beedell, Roke Julian Lockhart (beedell-roke) Oct 21, 2024
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