Breaking Change in using syntax limits the language #25060
Description
A pull request for version 7.5 restricted the language syntax - #21162
This limits the syntax of PowerShell from its current surface area, which is especially troublesome for those of us who use the flexible syntax of PowerShell.
In this particular case, there have been modules using this format to describe container relationships.
Specifically, Container.init.ps1 files have used using to describe the base layer, and Container.start.ps1 files use this to describe that container is being started. One example is here, in the Container.init.ps1 for ugit.
Because of this breaking change all containers built with this technique also break . All of the builds that produce these containers also are broken.
This approach has been "in the wild" for approximately a year, since it was first introduced at the PowerShell Summit in two talks (Rocking Docker with PowerShell, Mastering Making Modules).
This approach has also been shown directly to various members of the PowerShell Team.
Additional specced future use has been to describe names prefixing names of a function (for example, making using namespace http:// make every function within the file prefixed with http://)
There should be no restriction on using syntax, and future constraints of the PowerShell language syntax should be very carefully considered
Prerequisites
- Write a descriptive title.
- Make sure you are able to repro it on the latest released version
- Search the existing issues.
- Refer to the FAQ.
- Refer to Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell.
Steps to reproduce
To reproduce this issue, simply type using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell at the top of a file.
A simple repro:
'using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell' > useThis.ps1
.\useThis.ps1Expected behavior
`using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell` runs without error, allowing the metadata in the file to be easily queried and accessed.Actual behavior
`using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell` yields:
` The specified namespace in the 'using' statement contains invalid characters.`Error details
Exception :
Type : System.Management.Automation.ParseException
Errors :
Extent : mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
ErrorId : InvalidNamespaceValue
Message : The specified namespace in the 'using' statement contains invalid characters.
Message : At C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1:1 char:17
+ using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The specified namespace in the 'using' statement contains invalid characters.
ErrorRecord :
Exception :
Type : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
Message : At C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1:1 char:17
+ using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The specified namespace in the 'using' statement contains invalid characters.
HResult : -2146233087
CategoryInfo : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidNamespaceValue
InvocationInfo :
ScriptLineNumber : 1
OffsetInLine : 17
HistoryId : 7
ScriptName : C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1
Line : using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
Statement : mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
PositionMessage : At C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1:1 char:17
+ using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PSScriptRoot : C:\Users\James
PSCommandPath : C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1
CommandOrigin : Internal
ScriptStackTrace : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1
TargetSite :
Name : Create
DeclaringType : [System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock]
MemberType : Method
Module : System.Management.Automation.dll
Data : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal
Source : System.Management.Automation
HResult : -2146233087
StackTrace :
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.Create(Parser parser, String fileName, String fileContents)
at System.Management.Automation.ExternalScriptInfo.ParseScriptContents(Parser parser, String fileName, String fileContents, Nullable`1 definingLanguageMode)
at System.Management.Automation.ExternalScriptInfo.get_ScriptBlock()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.CreateCommandProcessorForScript(ExternalScriptInfo scriptInfo, ExecutionContext context, Boolean useNewScope, SessionStateInternal sessionState)
at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.LookupCommandProcessor(CommandInfo commandInfo, CommandOrigin commandOrigin, Nullable`1 useLocalScope, SessionStateInternal sessionState)
at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.LookupCommandProcessor(String commandName, CommandOrigin commandOrigin, Nullable`1 useLocalScope)
at System.Management.Automation.ExecutionContext.CreateCommand(String command, Boolean dotSource)
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)
CategoryInfo : ParserError: (:) [], ParseException
FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvalidNamespaceValue
InvocationInfo :
ScriptLineNumber : 1
OffsetInLine : 17
HistoryId : 7
ScriptName : C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1
Line : using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
Statement : mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
PositionMessage : At C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1:1 char:17
+ using namespace mcr.microsoft.com/powershell
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PSScriptRoot : C:\Users\James
PSCommandPath : C:\Users\James\useThis.ps1
CommandOrigin : Internal
ScriptStackTrace : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1Environment data
Name Value
---- -----
PSVersion 7.5.0
PSEdition Core
GitCommitId 7.5.0
OS Microsoft Windows 10.0.26100
Platform Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion 3.0Visuals
Will attach more issues as I fix the dozens of breaking changes this introduced.