Examples

Before you do anything, install PSWriteLog.

Quick Start with Requires

Create a new script, mine will be called foo.ps1 and will contain the following lines:

#Requires -Modules PSWriteLog
Write-Host 'Hello World!'

I love how clean and simple that is! However, the #Requires statement will terminate if you don't have PSWriteLog installed.

ℹ: You'll notice that the Hello World! message did output to the console as expected.

Because nothing was configured, you can find the log in the default location:

• %TEMP%\PowerShell Desktop 5.1.19041.1682 Internal.log

If you open that file, you can see that the log appears in CMTrace format:

<![LOG[Info: Hello World!]LOG]!><time="22:32:05.575-360" date="01-05-2023" component="foo.ps1 {}" context="TEST\VertigoRay" type="6" thread="15" file="foo.ps1:2">

Quick Start with Import-Module

Create a new script, mine will be called foo.ps1 and will contain the following lines:

if (Get-Module 'PSWriteLog' -ListAvailable) {
    Import-Module PSWriteLog
}
Write-Host 'Hello World!'

Unlike the previous example, this one ensures there are no errors if you share your script with someone that doesn't have PSWriteLog installed. Doesn't that make it better? It depends, decisions like that are best left to the developer and his/her understanding of the final implementation of the code.

ℹ: You'll notice that the Hello World! message did output to the console as expected.

Because nothing was configured, you can find the log in the default location:

• %TEMP%\PowerShell Desktop 5.1.19041.1682 Internal.log

If you open that file, you can see that the log appears in CMTrace format:

<![LOG[Info: Hello World!]LOG]!><time="22:32:05.575-360" date="01-05-2023" component="foo.ps1 {}" context="TEST\VertigoRay" type="6" thread="15" file="foo.ps1:2">

Custom Log File

#Requires -Modules PSWriteLog
$env:PSWriteLogFilePath = "${env:SystemRoot}\Logs\foo.log"
Write-Host 'Hello World!'

ℹ: You'll notice that the Hello World! message did output to the console as expected.

The log location changed to:

• %SYSTEMROOT%\Logs\foo.log

If you open that file, you can see that the log appears in CMTrace format:

<![LOG[Info: Hello World!]LOG]!><time="22:32:05.575-360" date="01-05-2023" component="foo.ps1 {}" context="TEST\VertigoRay" type="6" thread="15" file="foo.ps1:2">

Require a Specific Version of PSWriteLog

#Requires -Modules @{ModuleName = 'PSWriteLog'; RequiredVersion = '2023.1.12.30079'}
Write-Host 'Hello World!'

ℹ: You'll notice that the Hello World! message did output to the console as expected.

Because nothing was configured, you can find the log in the default location:

• %TEMP%\PowerShell Desktop 5.1.19041.1682 Internal.log

If you open that file, you can see that the log appears in CMTrace format:

<![LOG[Info: Hello World!]LOG]!><time="22:32:05.575-360" date="01-05-2023" component="foo.ps1 {}" context="TEST\VertigoRay" type="6" thread="15" file="foo.ps1:2">