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Get-FormatData



This is the built-in help made by Microsoft for the command 'Get-FormatData', in PowerShell version 5 - as retrieved from Windows version 'Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard' PowerShell help files on 2016-06-23.

For PowerShell version 3 and up, where you have Update-Help, this command was run just before creating the web pages from the help files.

SYNOPSIS

Gets the formatting data in the current session.

SYNTAX


Get-FormatData [[-TypeName] [<String[]>]] [-InformationAction {SilentlyContinue | Stop | Continue | Inquire | Ignore | Suspend}] [-InformationVariable [<System.String]>]]
[<CommonParameters>]



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DESCRIPTION


The Get-FormatData cmdlet gets the formatting data in the current session.


The formatting data in the session includes formatting data from Format.ps1xml formatting files (such as those in the $pshome directory), formatting data for modules that
you import into the session, and formatting data for commands that you import into your session by using the Import-PSSession cmdlet.


You can use this cmdlet to examine the formatting data. Then, you can use the Export-FormatData cmdlet to serialize the objects (convert them to XML) and save them in
Format.ps1xml files.


For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.



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RELATED LINKS

Online Version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=293969
Export-FormatData
Update-FormatData

REMARKS

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Examples


-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------

PS C:\>get-formatdata



This command gets all the formatting data in the session.










-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------

PS C:\>get-formatdata -typename Microsoft.Wsman*



This command gets the formatting data items whose names begin with "Microsoft.Wsman".










-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

PS C:\>$f = get-formatdata -typename helpinfoshort
PS C:\>$f

TypeName FormatViewDefinition
-------- --------------------
HelpInfoShort {help , TableControl}

PS C:\>$f.FormatViewDefinition[0].control

Headers Rows
------- ----
{System.Management.Automation.TableControlColumnHeader, System.Manageme... {System.Management.Automation.TableControlRow}

PS C:\>$f.FormatViewDefinition[0].control.headers

Label Alignment Width
----- --------- -----
Name Left 33
Category Left 9
Undefined 0



This example shows how to get a formatting data object and examine its properties.










-------------------------- EXAMPLE 4 --------------------------

PS C:\>$a = get-formatdata
PS C:\>import-module bitstransfer
PS C:\>$b = get-formatdata
PS C:\>compare-object $a $b

InputObject SideIndicator
----------- -------------
Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management.BitsJob =>

PS C:\>get-formatdata *bits* | export-formatdata -filepath c:\test\bits.format.ps1xml
PS C:\>get-content c:\test\bits.format.ps1xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><Configuration><ViewDefinitions>
<View><Name>Microsoft.BackgroundIntelligentTransfer.Management.BitsJob</Name>
...



This example shows how to use Get-FormatData and Export-FormatData to export the formatting data that is added by a module.

The first four commands use the Get-FormatData, Import-Module, and Compare-Object cmdlets to identify the format type that the BitsTransfer module adds to the session.

The fifth command uses the Get-FormatData cmdlet to get the format type that the BitsTransfer module adds. It uses a pipeline operator (|) to send the format type object to
the Export-FormatData cmdlet, which converts it back to XML and saves it in the specified format.ps1xml file.

The final command shows an excerpt of the format.ps1xml file content.