This is the built-in help made by Microsoft for the command 'Update-FormatData', in PowerShell version 3 - as retrieved from
Windows version 'Microsoft Windows Server 2012 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.
Updates the formatting data in the current session.
Update-FormatData [[-AppendPath] <String[]>] [-PrependPath <String[]>] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]
The Update-FormatData cmdlet reloads the formatting data from formatting files into the current session. This cmdlet lets you update the
formatting data without restarting Windows PowerShell.
Without parameters, Update-FormatData reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously. You can use the parameters of Update-FormatData
to add new formatting files to the session.
Formatting files are text files in XML format with the format.ps1xml file name extension. The formatting data in the files defines the display
of Microsoft .NET Framework objects in the session.
When Windows PowerShell starts, it loads the format data from the formatting files in the Windows PowerShell installation directory ($pshome)
into the session. You can use Update-FormatData to reload the formatting data into the current session without restarting Windows PowerShell.
This is useful when you have added or changed a formatting file, but do not want to interrupt the session.
For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.
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Online Version: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=113420
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-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------
PS C:\>update-formatdata
This command reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously.
-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------
PS C:\>update-formatdata -appendpath trace.format.ps1xml, log.format.ps1xml
This command reloads the formatting files into the session, including two new files, Trace.format.ps1xml and Log.format.ps1xml.
Because the command uses the AppendPath parameter, the formatting data in the new files is loaded after the formatting data from the built-in
files.
The AppendPath parameter is used because the new files contain formatting data for objects that are not referenced in the built-in files.
-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------
PS C:\>update-formatdata -prependPath c:\test\NewFiles.format.ps1xml
# Edit the NewFiles.format.ps1 file.
PS C:\>update-formatdata
This example shows how to reload a formatting file after you have edited it.
The first command adds the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file to the session. It uses the PrependPath parameter because the file contains formatting
data for objects that are referenced in the built-in files.
After adding the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file and testing it in these session, the author edits the file.
The second command uses the Update-FormatData cmdlet to reload the formatting files. Because the NewFiles.format.ps1xml file was previously
loaded, Update-FormatData automatically reloads it without using parameters.