How to change color of PSCustomObject key value

Question

In my script, I have match Installed computer program with my text file, If the installed program is match with my taxt file then showing same program name in Installed-App column, if it is not match displaying "Not Installed". I Want Hightlight "Not Installed" in RED color which is define in "$apps = [PSCustomObject]@{RequirApp=$requirapp; $systemapp="Not Installed"}". Can you help me out anyone. Hear is my code.

$appname  = Get-Content -path $env:USERPROFILE\Documents\Installed-Applications.txt

$INSTALLED = Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate

$INSTALLED += Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate

$INSTALLED += Get-ItemProperty HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher, InstallDate

#$INSTALLED | ?{$_.DisplayName -ne $null} | Select-Object -Property DisplayName | out-file $env:USERPROFILE\Documents\Installed-Applications.txt

$sysapps = $INSTALLED | ?{$_.DisplayName -ne $null}

for($i=0; $i -lt $sysapps.Count; $i++)

{

    $installapp += $sysapps[$i].DisplayName

}

foreach($a in $appname)

{
        $requirapp = $a

        if($installapp -contains $requirapp.Trim())

        {
           $apps = [PSCustomObject]@{RequirApp=$requirapp; $systemapp=$requirapp} 

        }

        else

        { 
 $apps = [PSCustomObject]@{RequirApp=$requirapp; $systemapp="Not Installed"}

        }  

        $apps
  }

Answer 1

See https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62617181/how-to-use-hex-codes-for-color-in-write-host

https://wenijinew.medium.com/powershell-set-colorful-customized-prompt-c26ba496491

Note that this will not work in Powershell_ISE.

$apps = @()
$systemapp = "This is systemapp"

function to_yellow ($msg) {
   "$([char]0x1b)[93m$msg$([char]0x1b)[0m"
}

function to_green ($msg) {
	 "$([char]0x1b)[32m$msg$([char]0x1b)[0m"
}

function to_red ($msg) {
	 "$([char]0x1b)[91m$msg$([char]0x1b)[0m"
}

""
"This is in " + (to_green "green") + ", and this is in " + (to_yellow "yellow")
""
$requirapp = "Notepad"
$apps += [PSCustomObject]@{RequirApp=$requirapp; $systemapp= (to_green "Installed")}

$requirapp = "Lotus Notes"
$apps += [PSCustomObject]@{RequirApp=$requirapp; $systemapp= (to_red "Not Installed")}

$apps

Answer 2

Hi. Thank you for your question and reaching out. I’d be more than happy to help you with your query

According to powershellnut on this thread https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerShell/comments/o7vkr0/change_output_colors_on_pscustomobject_based_on/

You will need to do 3 things.

Add a type to your pscustomboject either when you create it or doing the follow

$final.psobject.TypeNames.Insert(0,"myobject")

Create a custom format file with a file extension of .ps1xml for this object

Here is an example file I wrote for color text on certain properties - https://github.com/MrPig91/SysAdminTools/blob/main/SysAdminTools/Formats/LoggedInUser.ps1xml

Update the formats for your powershell session by running the following

Update-FormatData -AppendPath C:\formatfile.ps1xml

If the reply was helpful, please don’t forget to upvote or accept as answer, thank you.

Answer 3

Hi MotoX80,

Thanks for the answer, this is worked. But when I export output to HTML, showing special character instead of value in HTML.