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Powershell Workflows not displaying anything

Trying to work with workflows in powershell but have run into a snag.

Running Powershell 4.0 on Windows 7 I have created sample workflows. When I go and execute them I get a brief "blip" on my screen as if something is happening (looks like a progression bar) but nothing displays. Even the simple hello world script doesn't work.

Thanks.

David Johnson, CD

when you define a workflow i.e.
myfunction.ps1

workflow helloworld {
"Hello World"
}

Open in new window

like a function it will be defined but you have to execute it
.\myfunction.ps1
helloworld

reference: http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2012/12/26/powershell-workflows-the-basics.aspx

RichardPWolf

ASKER

Which I've done. As I said after executing the workflow nothing is displayed.

RobSampson

Hi, I must admit this is the first time I've ever looked at workflows, but I was able to get the sample working by putting the code into TestPS1.ps1, and executing the script. This loads the workflow into memory, then you can execute the workflow directly:

PS C:\temp\scripts> .\TestPS1.ps1

PS C:\temp\scripts> helloworld
Hello World

PS C:\temp\scripts>

Have you tried that sequence? The workflow remains available for that Powershell session. Closing the ISE and opening a new session results in the workflow not being found.

Rob.

David Johnson, CD

http://www.screencast.com/t/9GNVakqFJwk you can't duplicate this?

RichardPWolf

ASKER

All it does is display the code nothing else.

My results are attached.
ise.docx

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RobSampson

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RichardPWolf

ASKER

Ahhh. That I didn't do. Let me try that.

RichardPWolf

ASKER

It works. Yeah. I knew I was doing something wrong. Now I can proceed.

Thank you very much.

RichardPWolf

ASKER

VERY, VERY helpful.

RobSampson

No problem. I may look into workflows one day to study the difference between workflows and Invoke-Command in terms of paralleledness (???) and efficiency. I'm a newbie to that concept, so at first impressions, I can't see where they differ too greatly.

Thanks for the grade.

Rob.

RichardPWolf

ASKER

Where I'm looking at using workflows is for my reports that tag about 20 servers. As it stands in a sequential access these reports take about 8+ hours to run. By running in parallel I should be able to dramatically reduce that time. I've tried using the "job" functions of powershell but I've never got them to run.

David Johnson, CD

please read the reference that I gave and look at the parallel item

workflow foreachpsptest {

param([string[]]$computers)

foreach –parallel ($computer in $computers){

sequence {

Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem -PSComputerName $computer

Get-WmiObject –Class Win32_OperatingSystem –PSComputerName $computer

$disks = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_LogicalDisk `

-Filter "DriveType = 3" –PSComputerName $computer

foreach -parallel ($disk in $disks){

sequence {

$vol = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Volume `

-Filter "DriveLetter = '$($disk.DeviceID)'" `

–PSComputerName $computer

Invoke-WmiMethod -Path $($vol.__PATH) -Name DefragAnalysis

}

}

}

}

}

foreachpstest -Computers "server01", "server02", "server03"

RichardPWolf

ASKER

Right. I've copied the code to dissect it for my reports. Hope that's alright. This is a long term project as I've got many reports due at the first of the month and I'm trying to script as many as possible (work smarter not harder).

Thanks.