Скачать или смотреть How to Use Reference Variables in PowerShell

Discover how to effectively modify variables in PowerShell using reference types, making it easier for your scripts to handle variable manipulation.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/73802852/ asked by the user 'Ricola' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/19821718/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/73803295/ provided by the user 'Elián' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/18418162/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Use Reference Variables in PowerShell: A Comprehensive Guide

When working with PowerShell, you may encounter situations where you need to update multiple variables at once within a loop, and simply placing them in an array may not achieve the desired outcome. In this post, we will explore how to utilize reference variables to accomplish this task effectively.

The Problem

Suppose you have three variables ($a, $b, and $c), all initialized to zero. You want to create an array containing these variables and iterate over the array to set their values to 3. However, your initial code won't update the original variables as expected. Let’s take a look at the code in question:

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Running this code would output 0 : 0 : 0 because the loop is modifying the copy of the value rather than the original variables.

The Solution: Using [ref]

What is [ref]?

The [ref] type in PowerShell creates a reference to a variable, allowing you to manipulate its value directly. When you pass a variable as a reference, you can modify the .Value property to change the original variable.

Steps to Implement [ref]

Here's how to rewrite the above script effectively with the use of the [ref] keyword:

Define your variables:

Begin by initializing the variables you wish to manipulate.

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Create an array of references:

Instead of a simple array, create an array that holds references to your variables.

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Loop over the array and modify values:

Use a foreach loop to change each variable’s value via their .Value property.

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Output the results:

Finally, print the updated variables.

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Complete Code Example

Here’s the complete code snippet to illustrate this:

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Additional Method: Using Get-Variable

You can also utilize the Get-Variable cmdlet to manage variables more dynamically. For instance, you can retrieve a variable's information by its name:

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This method can also help you when dealing with multiple variables. If your variables share a common prefix, you can fetch them all using wildcards:

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This command will collect all variables that begin with "my", making it easier to handle groups of related variables.

Conclusion

In summary, understanding how to use reference variables in PowerShell allows you to elegantly manage and manipulate your variables within arrays. By utilizing the [ref] keyword, you can confidently traverse and modify your variables, leading to enhanced control and flexibility in your scripts. Happy scripting!