PowerShell Live - being retired

so is there a way for me to call a function from a different file?

what i would like to ultimately do is to have a few files with related functions, and then when i write my scripts, i would reference the function from that other file.

i think it would be like #include <library> for C++

 

thanks in advance 

As long as the function has been previously defined and is in the same scope, you can easily do this. I'd recommend simply putting all the functions you want to use in your PowerShell profile. This way they will always be available. A variation, which is probably even a better approach, is to put all your functions in a single script, then dot source that script from within your profile script.  This keeps your profile simple yet you still get all the functions loaded.

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Jeffery Hicks
Microsoft PowerShell MVP
SAPIEN Technologies - Scripting, Simplified. www.SAPIEN.com

blog: http://blog.SAPIEN.com

ok, im a beginner to powershell,

how do you dot source the script with all the functions to my profile script? 

so lets say you have a file called myfunctionlibrary.ps1 and it contains all the functions you want.. well you can then run that file (which as its just definitions of functions) will APPLY them to the current enviroment

However if you just run it by itself, it will create a new SCOPE, just for that file, then apply them there, and when that file exits you won't have the functions, which defeats your purpose. SO they is a thing in powershell called DOTSOURCING, and it runs something in the CURRENT scope. you simply put a dot before your call so

. .\myfunctionlibrary.ps1   if you are in the same directory

 Sincerely,

Karl