Update-TypeData

Syntax

Update-TypeData
      [[-AppendPath] <String[]>]
      [-PrependPath <String[]>]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Update-TypeData
      [-MemberType <PSMemberTypes>]
      [-MemberName <String>]
      [-Value <Object>]
      [-SecondValue <Object>]
      [-TypeConverter <Type>]
      [-TypeAdapter <Type>]
      [-SerializationMethod <String>]
      [-TargetTypeForDeserialization <Type>]
      [-SerializationDepth <Int32>]
      [-DefaultDisplayProperty <String>]
      [-InheritPropertySerializationSet <Nullable`1>]
      [-StringSerializationSource <String>]
      [-DefaultDisplayPropertySet <String[]>]
      [-DefaultKeyPropertySet <String[]>]
      [-PropertySerializationSet <String[]>]
      -TypeName <String>
      [-Force]
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Update-TypeData
      [-Force]
      [-TypeData] <TypeData[]>
      [-WhatIf]
      [-Confirm]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Update-TypeData cmdlet updates the extended type data in the session by reloading the Types.ps1xml files into memory and adding new extended type data.

By default, PowerShell loads extended type data as it is needed. Without parameters, Update-TypeData reloads all of the Types.ps1xml files that it has loaded in the session, including any type files that you added. You can use the parameters of Update-TypeData to add new type files and add and replace extended type data.

The Update-TypeData cmdlet can be used to preload all type data. This feature is particularly useful when you are developing types and want to load those new types for testing purposes.

Beginning in Windows PowerShell 3.0, you can use Update-TypeData to add and replace extended type data in the session without using a Types.ps1xml file. Type data that is added dynamically, that is, without a file, is added only to the current session. To add the type data to all sessions, add an Update-TypeData command to your PowerShell profile. For more information, see about_Profiles.

Also, beginning in Windows PowerShell 3.0, you can use the Get-TypeData cmdlet to get the extended types in the current session and the Remove-TypeData cmdlet to delete extended types from the current session.

Exceptions that occur in properties, or from adding properties to an Update-TypeData command, do not report errors. This is to suppress exceptions that would occur in many common types during formatting and outputting. If you are getting .NET properties, you can work around the suppression of exceptions by using method syntax instead, as shown in the following example:

"hello".get_Length()

Note that method syntax can only be used with .NET properties. Properties that are added by running the Update-TypeData cmdlet cannot use method syntax.

For more information about the Types.ps1xml files in PowerShell, see about_Types.ps1xml.

Examples

Example 1: Update extended types

Update-TypeData

This command updates the extended type configuration from the Types.ps1xml files that have already been used in the session.

Example 2: Update types multiple times

This example shows how to update the types in a type file multiple times in the same session.

The first command updates the extended type configuration from the Types.ps1xml files, processing the TypesA.types.ps1xml and TypesB.types.ps1xml files first.

The second command shows how to update the TypesA.types.ps1xml again, such as you might do if you added or changed a type in the file. You can either repeat the previous command for the TypesA.types.ps1xml file, or run an Update-TypeData command without parameters, because TypesA.types.ps1xml is already in the type file list for the current session.

Update-TypeData -PrependPath TypesA.types.ps1xml, TypesB.types.ps1xml
Update-TypeData -PrependPath TypesA.types.ps1xml

Example 3: Add a script property to DateTime objects

This example uses Update-TypeData to add the Quarter script property to System.DateTime objects in the current session, such as those returned by the Get-Date cmdlet.

$typeDataParams = @{
    TypeName   = 'System.DateTime'
    MemberType = 'ScriptProperty'
    MemberName = 'Quarter'
    Value      = {
        switch ($this.Month) {
            { $_ -in @(1, 2, 3) } { return 'Q1' }
            { $_ -in @(4, 5, 6) } { return 'Q2' }
            { $_ -in @(7, 8, 9) } { return 'Q3' }
            default               { return 'Q4' }
        }
    }
}
Update-TypeData @typeDataParams

(Get-Date).Quarter

Q1

The Update-TypeData command uses the TypeName parameter to specify the System.DateTime type, the MemberName parameter to specify a name for the new property, the MemberType property to specify the ScriptProperty type, and the Value parameter to specify the script that determines the annual quarter.

The value of the Value property is a script that calculates the current annual quarter. The script block uses the $this automatic variable to represent the current instance of the object and the In operator to determine whether the month value appears in each integer array. For more information about the -in operator, see about_Comparison_Operators.

The second command gets the new Quarter property of the current date.

Example 4: Update a type that displays in lists by default

This example shows how to set the properties of a type that displays in lists by default, that is, when no properties are specified. Because the type data is not specified in a Types.ps1xml file, it is effective only in the current session.

Get-Date | Format-list

Update-TypeData -TypeName "System.DateTime" -DefaultDisplayPropertySet @(
    'DateTime'
    'DayOfYear'
    'Quarter'
)

Get-Date | Format-List

DisplayHint : DateTime
Date        : 8/7/2024 12:00:00 AM
Day         : 7
DayOfWeek   : Wednesday
DayOfYear   : 220
Hour        : 10
Kind        : Local
Millisecond : 568
Microsecond : 308
Nanosecond  : 600
Minute      : 34
Month       : 8
Second      : 43
Ticks       : 638586236835683086
TimeOfDay   : 10:34:43.5683086
Year        : 2024
DateTime    : Wednesday, August 7, 2024 10:34:43 AM
Quarter     : Q3


DateTime  : Wednesday, August 7, 2024 10:34:43 AM
DayOfYear : 220
Quarter   : Q3

The first command shows the list view for the Get-Date command, which outputs a System.DateTime object that represents the current date. The command uses a pipeline operator (|) to send the DateTime object to the Format-List cmdlet. Because the Format-List command does not specify the properties to display in the list, PowerShell displays every public, non-hidden property for the object.

The second command uses the Update-TypeData cmdlet to set the default list properties for the System.DateTime type. The command uses the TypeName parameter to specify the type and the DefaultDisplayPropertySet parameter to specify the default properties for a list. The selected properties include the new Quarter script property that was added in a previous example.

The last command gets the current date and displays it in a list format again. It only displays the properties defined in the Update-TypeData command, instead of the full list of properties.

Example 5: Set the property a type displays in wide format

This example demonstrates how to create a new script property and use it as the default property displayed when the type is passed to the Format-Wide cmdlet.

Get-Command *File* | Format-Wide

Set-AppPackageProvisionedDataFile                            Set-ProvisionedAppPackageDataFile
Set-ProvisionedAppXDataFile                                  Write-FileSystemCache
Write-FileSystemCache                                        Add-PoshGitToProfile
Block-FileShareAccess                                        Clear-FileStorageTier
Close-SmbOpenFile                                            Debug-FileShare
Disable-NetIPHttpsProfile                                    Enable-NetIPHttpsProfile
Get-FileIntegrity                                            Get-FileShare
Get-FileShareAccessControlEntry                              Get-FileStorageTier
Get-NetConnectionProfile                                     Get-NetFirewallHyperVProfile
Get-NetFirewallProfile                                       Get-SmbOpenFile
Get-StorageFileServer                                        Get-SupportedFileSystems
Grant-FileShareAccess                                        New-FileShare
New-NetFirewallHyperVProfile                                 New-ScriptFileInfo
New-ScriptFileInfo                                           New-StorageFileServer
Publish-BCFileContent                                        Remove-FileShare
Remove-NetFirewallHyperVProfile                              Remove-PoshGitFromProfile
Remove-StorageFileServer                                     Repair-FileIntegrity
Revoke-FileShareAccess                                       Set-FileIntegrity
Set-FileShare                                                Set-FileStorageTier
Set-NetConnectionProfile                                     Set-NetFirewallHyperVProfile
Set-NetFirewallProfile                                       Set-StorageBusProfile
Set-StorageFileServer                                        Test-ScriptFileInfo
Test-ScriptFileInfo                                          Unblock-FileShareAccess
Update-ScriptFileInfo                                        Update-ScriptFileInfo
Add-BitsFile                                                 Get-AppLockerFileInformation
Get-FileHash                                                 Get-PSScriptFileInfo
Import-PowerShellDataFile                                    New-FileCatalog
New-PSRoleCapabilityFile                                     New-PSScriptFileInfo
New-PSSessionConfigurationFile                               New-TemporaryFile
Out-File                                                     Set-AppXProvisionedDataFile
Test-FileCatalog                                             Test-PSScriptFileInfo
Test-PSSessionConfigurationFile                              Unblock-File
Update-PSScriptFileInfo                                      FileDialogBroker.exe
FileHistory.exe                                              forfiles.exe
openfiles.exe

$typeDataParams = @{
    TypeName               = 'System.Management.Automation.CommandInfo'
    DefaultDisplayProperty = 'FullyQualifiedName'
    MemberType             = 'ScriptProperty'
    MemberName             = 'FullyQualifiedName'
    Value                  = {
        [OutputType([string])]
        param()

        # For executables, return the path to the application.
        if ($this -is [System.Management.Automation.ApplicationInfo]) {
            return $this.Path
        }

        # For commands defined outside a module, return only the name.
        if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($this.ModuleName)) {
            return $this.Name
        }

        # Return the fully-qualified command name "<ModuleName>\<CommandName>"
        return '{0}\{1}' -f $this.ModuleName, $this.Name
    }
}
Update-TypeData @typeDataParams

Get-Command *File* | Format-Wide

Dism\Set-AppPackageProvisionedDataFile                       Dism\Set-ProvisionedAppPackageDataFile
Dism\Set-ProvisionedAppXDataFile                             Storage\Write-FileSystemCache
VMDirectStorage\Write-FileSystemCache                        posh-git\Add-PoshGitToProfile
Storage\Block-FileShareAccess                                Storage\Clear-FileStorageTier
SmbShare\Close-SmbOpenFile                                   Storage\Debug-FileShare
NetworkTransition\Disable-NetIPHttpsProfile                  NetworkTransition\Enable-NetIPHttpsProfile
Storage\Get-FileIntegrity                                    Storage\Get-FileShare
Storage\Get-FileShareAccessControlEntry                      Storage\Get-FileStorageTier
NetConnection\Get-NetConnectionProfile                       NetSecurity\Get-NetFirewallHyperVProfile
NetSecurity\Get-NetFirewallProfile                           SmbShare\Get-SmbOpenFile
Storage\Get-StorageFileServer                                Storage\Get-SupportedFileSystems
Storage\Grant-FileShareAccess                                Storage\New-FileShare
NetSecurity\New-NetFirewallHyperVProfile                     PowerShellGet\New-ScriptFileInfo
PowerShellGet\New-ScriptFileInfo                             Storage\New-StorageFileServer
BranchCache\Publish-BCFileContent                            Storage\Remove-FileShare
NetSecurity\Remove-NetFirewallHyperVProfile                  posh-git\Remove-PoshGitFromProfile
Storage\Remove-StorageFileServer                             Storage\Repair-FileIntegrity
Storage\Revoke-FileShareAccess                               Storage\Set-FileIntegrity
Storage\Set-FileShare                                        Storage\Set-FileStorageTier
NetConnection\Set-NetConnectionProfile                       NetSecurity\Set-NetFirewallHyperVProfile
NetSecurity\Set-NetFirewallProfile                           StorageBusCache\Set-StorageBusProfile
Storage\Set-StorageFileServer                                PowerShellGet\Test-ScriptFileInfo
PowerShellGet\Test-ScriptFileInfo                            Storage\Unblock-FileShareAccess
PowerShellGet\Update-ScriptFileInfo                          PowerShellGet\Update-ScriptFileInfo
BitsTransfer\Add-BitsFile                                    AppLocker\Get-AppLockerFileInformation
Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Get-FileHash                    Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet\Get-PSScriptFileInfo
Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Import-PowerShellDataFile       Microsoft.PowerShell.Security\New-FileCatalog
Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\New-PSRoleCapabilityFile           Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet\New-PSScriptFileInfo
Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\New-PSSessionConfigurationFile     Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\New-TemporaryFile
Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Out-File                        Dism\Set-AppXProvisionedDataFile
Microsoft.PowerShell.Security\Test-FileCatalog               Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet\Test-PSScriptFileInfo
Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Test-PSSessionConfigurationFile    Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility\Unblock-File
Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet\Update-PSScriptFileInfo   C:\WINDOWS\system32\FileDialogBroker.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\FileHistory.exe                          C:\WINDOWS\system32\forfiles.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\openfiles.exe

The first command uses the Get-Command cmdlet to return every command with a name containing the word File. It pipes the output to the Format-Wide cmdlet, which shows the names of the commands in columns.

Next, the example uses Update-TypeData to define both the DefaultDisplayProperty and a new script property for the CommandInfo type. The output for Get-Command returns CommandInfo objects and objects derived from that type. The new script property, FullyQualifiedName, returns the full path to executable applications and the fully qualified name for cmdlets, which prefixes the cmdlet name with the module that defines it. The Update-TypeData cmdlet is able to define the new script property and use it as the DefaultDisplayProperty in the same command.

Finally, the output shows the results of the Get-Command displayed in wide format after the type update. It shows the fully qualified name for cmdlets and the full path to executable applications.

Example 6: Update type data for a piped object

$typeDataParams = @{
    MemberType = 'ScriptProperty'
    MemberName = 'SupportsUpdatableHelp'
    Value      = {
        [OutputType([bool])]
        param()

        return (-not [string]::IsNullOrEmpty($this.HelpInfoUri))
    }
}
Get-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility | Update-TypeData @typeDataParams

Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name Microsoft.PowerShell.* |
    Format-Table Name, SupportsUpdatableHelp

Name                                      SupportsUpdatableHelp
----                                      ---------------------
Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive                               True
Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics                           True
Microsoft.PowerShell.Host                                  True
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management                            True
Microsoft.PowerShell.PSResourceGet                         True
Microsoft.PowerShell.Security                              True
Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility                               True
Microsoft.PowerShell.Operation.Validation                  True
Microsoft.PowerShell.LocalAccounts                         True

This example demonstrates that when you pipe an object to Update-TypeData, Update-TypeData adds extended type data for the object type.

This technique is quicker than using the Get-Member cmdlet or the Get-Type method to get the object type. However, if you pipe a collection of objects to Update-TypeData, it updates the type data of the first object type and then returns an error for all other objects in the collection because the member is already defined on the type.

The first command uses the Get-Module cmdlet to get the Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility module. The command pipes the module object to the Update-TypeData cmdlet, which updates the type data for the System.Management.Automation.PSModuleInfo type and the types derived from it, such as the ModuleInfoGrouping type that Get-Module returns when you use the ListAvailable parameter in the command.

The Update-TypeData commands adds the SupportsUpdatableHelp script property to all imported modules. The value of the Value parameter is a script that returns $true if the HelpInfoUri property of the module is populated and $false otherwise.

The second command pipes the module objects from Get-Module to the Format-Table cmdlet, which displays the Name and SupportsUpdatableHelp properties of the available modules.

Parameters

-AppendPath

-Confirm

-DefaultDisplayProperty

-DefaultDisplayPropertySet

-DefaultKeyPropertySet

-Force

-InheritPropertySerializationSet

-MemberName

-MemberType

-PrependPath

-PropertySerializationSet

-SecondValue

-SerializationDepth

-SerializationMethod

-StringSerializationSource

-TargetTypeForDeserialization

-TypeAdapter

-TypeConverter

-TypeData

-TypeName

-Value

-WhatIf

Inputs

String

You can pipe a string that contains the values of the AppendPath, TypeName, or TypeData parameters to this cmdlet.

Outputs

None

This cmdlet returns no output.

Related Links

• about_Types.ps1xml
• Get-TypeData
• Remove-TypeData