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Import-IseSnippet

  • Reference
Module:
ISE

Imports ISE snippets into the current session

Syntax

Import-IseSnippet
      [-Path] <String>
      [-Recurse]
      [<CommonParameters>]
Import-IseSnippet
      [-Recurse]
      -Module <String>
      [-ListAvailable]
      [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Import-IseSnippet cmdlet imports reusable text "snippets" from a module or a directory into the current session. The snippets are immediately available for use in Windows PowerShell ISE. This cmdlet works only in Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE).

To view and use the imported snippets, from the Windows PowerShell ISE Edit menu, click Start Snippets or press Ctrl+J.

Imported snippets are available only in the current session. To import the snippets into all Windows PowerShell ISE sessions, add an Import-IseSnippet command to your Windows PowerShell profile or copy the snippet files to your local snippets directory $HOME\Documents\WindowsPowershell\Snippets.

To import snippets, they must be properly formatted in the snippet XML for Windows PowerShell ISE snippets and saved in Snippet.ps1xml files. To create eligible snippets, use the New-IseSnippet cmdlet. New-IseSnippet creates a <SnippetTitle>.Snippets.ps1xml file in the $HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Snippets directory. You can move or copy the snippets to the Snippets directory of a Windows PowerShell module, or to any other directory.

The Get-IseSnippet cmdlet, which gets user-created snippets in the local snippets directory, does not get imported snippets.

This cmdlet was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

Examples

Example 1: Import snippets from a directory

This example imports the snippets from the \\Server01\Public\Snippets directory into the current session. It uses the Recurse parameter to get snippets from all subdirectories of the Snippets directory.

Import-IseSnippet -Path \\Server01\Public\Snippets -Recurse

Example 2: Import snippets from a module

This example imports the snippets from the SnippetModule module. The command uses the ListAvailable parameter to import the snippets even if the SnippetModule module is not imported into the user's session when the command runs.

Import-IseSnippet -Module SnippetModule -ListAvailable

Example 3: Find snippets in modules

This example gets snippets in all installed modules in the PSModulePath environment variable.

($env:PSModulePath).split(";") |
  ForEach-Object {dir $_\*\Snippets\*.Snippets.ps1xml -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue} |
    ForEach-Object {$_.fullname}

Example 4: Import all module snippets

This example imports all snippets from all installed modules into the current session. Typically, you don't need to run a command like this because modules that have snippets will use the Import-IseSnippet cmdlet to import them for you when the module is imported.

($env:PSModulePath).split(";") |
  ForEach-Object {dir $_\*\Snippets\*.Snippets.ps1xml -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue} |
    ForEach-Object {$psise.CurrentPowerShellTab.Snippets.Load($_)}

Example 5: Copy all module snippets

This example copies the snippet files from all installed modules into the Snippets directory of the current user. Unlike imported snippets, which affect only the current session, copied snippets are available in every Windows PowerShell ISE session.

($env:PSModulePath).split(";") |
  ForEach-Object {dir $_\*\Snippets\*.Snippets.ps1xml -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue} |
    Copy-Item -Destination $HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Snippets

Parameters

-ListAvailable

Indicates that this cmdlet gets snippets from modules that are installed on the computer, even if the modules are not imported into the current session. If this parameter is omitted, and the module that is specified by the Module parameter is not imported into the current session, the attempt to get the snippets from the module fails.

This parameter is valid only when the Module parameter is used in the command.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Module

Imports snippets from the specified module into the current session. Wildcard characters are not supported.

This parameter imports snippets from Snippet.ps1xml files in the Snippets subdirectory in the module path, such as $HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\<ModuleName>\Snippets.

This parameter is designed to be used by module authors in a startup script, such as a script specified in the ScriptsToProcess key of a module manifest. Snippets in a module are not automatically imported with the module, but you can use an Import-IseSnippet command to import them.

Type:String
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Path

Specifies the path to the snippets directory in which this cmdlet imports snippets.

Type:String
Position:1
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:True

-Recurse

Indicates that this cmdlet imports snippets from all subdirectories of the value of the Path parameter.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

None

You can't pipe objects to this cmdlet.

Outputs

None

This cmdlet returns no output.

Notes

  • You cannot use the Get-IseSnippet cmdlet to get imported snippets. Get-IseSnippet gets only snippets in the $HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Snippets directory.

  • Import-IseSnippet uses the Load static method of Microsoft.PowerShell.Host.ISE.ISESnippetCollection objects. You can also use the Load method of snippets in the Windows PowerShell ISE object model: $psISE.CurrentPowerShellTab.Snippets.Load()

  • The New-IseSnippet cmdlet stores new user-created snippets in unsigned .ps1xml files. As such, Windows PowerShell cannot load them into a session in which the execution policy is AllSigned or Restricted. In a Restricted or AllSigned session, you can create, get, and import unsigned user-created snippets, but you cannot use them in the session.

    To use unsigned user-created snippets that the Import-IseSnippet cmdlet returns, change the execution policy, and then restart Windows PowerShell ISE.

    For more information about Windows PowerShell execution policies, see about_Execution_Policies.