How to Pass Boolean Parameters to a PowerShell Script From a Command Prompt

1. Use Boolean Parameter to Pass Boolean Values to a PowerShell Script From a Command Prompt
2. Use String Values to Pass Boolean Values to a PowerShell Script from the Command Prompt
3. Conclusion

A PowerShell script is a structured sequence of commands stored in a text file with the .ps1 extension. When executed, PowerShell processes these commands one by one, allowing users to automate various tasks.

To make scripts more versatile and adaptable, you can define parameters using the param statement within your PowerShell code. When you define a parameter in your script, you create an entry point for passing data to the script when it is executed.

Let’s illustrate this with a straightforward example. Consider a PowerShell script named YourScript.ps1, which takes user-input values.

param (
    $a, $b
)

if ($a -lt $b) {
    Write-Host "$a is less than $b"
}
else {
    Write-Host "$a is not less than $b"
}

To execute this script and pass values from the command prompt, you can use the following command:

powershell.exe -NoProfile -Command .\YourScript.ps1 -a 4 -b 5

Upon running this, you’ll receive the following output:

4 is less than 5

This showcases how to pass values to a PowerShell script efficiently, providing users with the capability to customize the script’s behavior.

Now, let’s delve into the topic of passing Boolean values to a PowerShell script from the command prompt. A Boolean value can represent either TRUE or FALSE, and incorporating this into your scripts can be immensely valuable for decision-making and conditional execution.

Use Boolean Parameter to Pass Boolean Values to a PowerShell Script From a Command Prompt

To pass Boolean values to a PowerShell script from the command prompt using parameters, first, declare a parameter that will accept Boolean values. You can use the [bool] data type to specify that the parameter should accept Boolean values.

For example:

param (
    [bool]$MyBooleanParameter
)

Now that you have set up your parameter, you can employ the $MyBooleanParameter variable in your script to make decisions based on the Boolean value.

For instance, consider the following example:

if ($MyBooleanParameter) {
    Write-Host "The Boolean parameter is true."
}
else {
    Write-Host "The Boolean parameter is false."
}

Now that you have defined the parameter in your PowerShell script, you can pass Boolean values to it from the command prompt when executing the script.

To do this, follow these steps:

Use the switch Parameter to Pass Boolean Values to a PowerShell Script From a Command Prompt

The switch parameters in PowerShell are a special type of parameter used for specifying Boolean options. They are used when a parameter is either present (true) or absent (false).

In other words, you don’t need to provide a value for a switch parameter; its mere presence indicates a true value, while its absence indicates a false value.

To pass Boolean values to a PowerShell script from the command prompt using switch parameters, first, declare a parameter as a switch to accept Boolean values. You can use the [switch] data type to specify that the parameter is a switch.

Here’s an example of how to define a switch parameter:

param (
    [switch]$MySwitchParameter
)

Then, once you’ve defined a switch parameter, you can utilize the $MySwitchParameter variable in your script to control its behavior based on whether the switch is present (true) or absent (false).

For example, you can use an if statement to check the status of the switch parameter:

if ($MySwitchParameter) {
    Write-Host "The switch is present, so the Boolean value is true."
}
else {
    Write-Host "The switch is absent, so the Boolean value is false."
}

With the switch parameter defined in your script, you can easily pass Boolean values to it from the command prompt when running the script.

Here are the steps:

Passing Boolean values to a PowerShell script from the command prompt using switch parameters is an efficient and straightforward way to control the script’s behavior. The switch parameters are ideal for scenarios where you want to enable or disable specific features or behaviors within your script without the need for additional arguments or values.

Use String Values to Pass Boolean Values to a PowerShell Script from the Command Prompt

When it comes to passing Boolean values to a PowerShell script from the command prompt, another approach is to use string values. This method allows for greater flexibility, as it lets you pass values such as true or false as strings and convert them into Boolean values within the script.

To pass Boolean values to a PowerShell script from the command prompt using string values, declare a parameter to accept string values that represent Boolean states. You can use the [string] data type for this parameter.

For example:

param (
    [string]$MyBooleanString
)

In your script, convert the string value to a Boolean value. PowerShell provides a way to perform this conversion.

For example:

$MyBoolean = [System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives]::ConvertTo([bool], $MyBooleanString)

You can now use the $MyBoolean variable in your script to work with the Boolean value as needed. For example:

if ($MyBoolean) {
    Write-Host "The Boolean value is true."
}
else {
    Write-Host "The Boolean value is false."
}

With the parameter for string values defined in your script, you can pass Boolean values from the command prompt when executing the script. Here’s how:

Conclusion

Passing Boolean values to a PowerShell script from the command prompt using string values is a flexible and effective method, especially when dealing with user inputs or configuration files that may contain string representations of Boolean states. By converting these string values to Boolean within the script, you can seamlessly work with them and create scripts that are more adaptable and user-friendly.

Understanding how to convert string values to Boolean and use them in your PowerShell scripts is a valuable skill for script developers, as it allows for greater versatility and ease of use in a wide range of scenarios.