powershell automatic variable for results

HI All,

Is there an automatic variable that tells me the results of the last run command on Powershell? for example I run this command to migrate mailboxes:

New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf

I want the results that are outputted on the powershell screen to be stored in a variable that I can then use to output in a textbox I created using wpf.

thank you in advance for your help.
Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAsked:
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Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
No, no automatic variables for output. It's one of the requested features for PS 6, although I haven't been following the status of the RFC.

The "$?" variable does hold a boolean that is supposed to show the result of the last command. However, this is a bit of a poor form of error control and it has little use beyond that.

You'll have to assign:
$textbox.Text = New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf

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Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
I've just tested the $textbox.text - it don't give me any results.
Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
It assumes you had a control named that. But you're running with WhatIf, does the command return anything at all when you use WhatIf?

The simplified version is:
$variable = New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf

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Given that you're indexing into an array you might want to ensure the variable is positioned to capture output from the whole array (or that you use a collection you can add to). For example:
# Before loop
$results = New-Object System.Collections.Generic.List[Object]

# Inside loop
$results.Add((New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf))

# After loop
$control.Text = $results

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And bear in mind that if you do get a result it'll almost certainly be some kind of object. A object with lots of properties won't necessarily display well in a text box (contingent on whatever the ToString method attached to each object does).
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Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
yes that whatif returns an error, that mailbox is already in the targetdatabase, whatever the output I wanted this to be displayed within a textbox
Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
An error isn't standard outut, it's error output and cannot be assigned.

The streams are:

1 = StdOut
2 = Error
3 = Warning
4 = Verbose
5 = Debug
6 = Information

It is possible to redirect streams to one another. For example you can redirect every single stream to StdOut.
New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf *>&1

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If you only wanted Error:
New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf 2>&1

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You can also redirect to a file, this would allow you to keep the streams separate.
New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf 2> error.txt 3> warning.txt

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You cannot redirect to a variable; only assign after directing to StdOut.

There are still limitations, not everything is written to a named output stream. Certain output types (such as Write-Host prior to PowerShell 5) cannot be redirected.

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Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
Actually, this technique is probably more appropriate.

Errors are also written automatically to $Error. However, I don't recommend using that one.

You can also add variables for the error stream:
New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf -ErrorVariable MoveError
if ($MoveError) {
     $TextBox.Text = $MoveError.Exception.Message
}

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Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
I get this error:

At line:1 char:17
+ $OutputBox.Text $results
+                 ~~~~~~~~
Unexpected token '$results' in expression or statement.
At :line:1 char:17
+ $OutputBox.Text $ <<<< results

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Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
Assignment operator.
$OutputBox.Text = $results

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Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf *>&1

I've just tried this command, what do I do next, is the results assigned to variable??

thank you very much for this information
Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
All output has been redirected to StdOut, if you assign it to a variable everything (with a few exceptions) will be stored in the variable.
Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
fantastic!
Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
This is the code: 


if ($a)
				{
				
				for ($d=0; $d -lt $a.length; $d++)
				{
					if (($AVS - $a[$d]) -gt 200)
					{
		 			 $test = $AVS - $a[$d]
					 [System.Windows.MessageBox]::Show($test)
					 
					try {
					
						$OutputBox.Text = New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf *>&1	
							
						}
					catch {
			
							$OutputBox.Text = “Caught an exception:” 
							$OutputBox.Text = “Exception Type: $($_.Exception.GetType().FullName)” 
							$OutputBox.Text = “Exception Message: $($_.Exception.Message)”
										
										}
						
					}
				}#for...
				}#if ($a)

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should I use $OutputBox.Text += New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf *>&1 instead of just =??
Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
Potentially yes. If you find this technique doesn't work you'll have to use ErrorVariable instead which likely to get a bit frustrating.
Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
this works fantastic, only issue I am having now is that the text is in same line, it don't enter the new results in the next line
Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
You'll have to manually add a line break. Appending to a text box is a bit of a messy method. This should do it.
$OutputBox.Text += "`r`n"

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Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
this is fantastic however the first line is missing.

by the way the meaning of `n is new line, what is the meaning of `r??
Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
`n = Line feed
`r = Carriage return

Type writers...

In Linux, Unix, and (I think) Mac the end of line character is line feed (`n). In Windows it's traditionally carriage return followed by line feed (`r`n). Utilities like notepad don't understand `n alone although some other parts of Windows (including WPF controls by large) do.
Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
the first result is missing from the text using when I try this:

$OutputBox.Text += New-MoveRequest -Identity $m[$d] -TargetDatabase $TargetDatabase -WhatIf *>&1
$OutputBox.Text + "`r`n"

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Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
Fantastic!!! Thank you!
Kelly GarciaSenior Systems AdministratorAuthor Commented:
*>&1

*> - Redirect all streams (output, error, warning, verbose, and debug)

what is &1?

Thank you soo much Chris, you have been an absolute star!!
Chris DentPowerShell DeveloperCommented:
&1 is the handle for StdOut. It's required to indicate the thing you're redirecting to is another stream. If you had "1" alone it would make a file named "1" and write there intsead.
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