dsc config test

Synopsis

Verifies whether the resource instances in a configuration document are in the desired state.

Syntax

Configuration document from stdin

<document-string> | dsc config test [Options]

Configuration document from option string

dsc config test [Options] --document <document-string>

Configuration document from file

dsc config test [Options] --path <document-filepath>

Description

The test subcommand verifies whether the resource instances in a configuration document are in the desired state. When this command runs, DSC validates the configuration document before invoking the test operation for each resource instance defined in the document.

The configuration document must be passed to this command as JSON or YAML over stdin, as a string with the document option, or from a file with the path option.

Examples

Example 1 - Test whether a configuration's resource instances are in the desired state

The command returns the status, desired state, actual state, and differing properties for the resource instances defined in the configuration document saved as example.dsc.config.yaml.

# example.dsc.config.yaml
$schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/2024/04/config/document.json
resources:
- name: Windows only
  type: Microsoft.DSC/Assertion
  properties:
    $schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/2024/04/config/document.json
    resources:
    - name: os
      type: Microsoft/OSInfo
      properties:
        family: Windows
- name: Current user registry example
  type: Microsoft.Windows/Registry
  properties:
    keyPath: HKCU\example
    _exist: true
  dependsOn:
    - "[resourceId('Microsoft.DSC/Assertion', 'Windows only')"

cat ./example.dsc.config.yaml | dsc config test

Example 2 - Passing a file to read as the configuration document

The command uses the path option to validate the configuration defined in the example.dsc.config.yaml file.

dsc config test --path ./example.dsc.config.yaml

Example 3 - Passing a configuration document as a variable

The command uses the document option to validate the configuration stored in the $desired variable.

dsc config test --document $desired

Options

-d, --document

Specifies the configuration document to validate state for. The document must be a string containing a JSON or YAML object. DSC validates the document against the configuration document schema. If the validation fails, DSC raises an error.

This option can't be used with configuration document over stdin or the --path option. Choose whether to pass the configuration document to the command over stdin, from a file with the --path option, or with the --document option.

Type:      String
Mandatory: false

-p, --path

Defines the path to a configuration document to validate state for instead of piping the document from stdin or passing it as a string with the --document option. The specified file must contain a configuration document as a JSON or YAML object. DSC validates the document against the configuration document schema. If the validation fails, or if the specified file doesn't exist, DSC raises an error.

This option is mutually exclusive with the --document option. When you use this option, DSC ignores any input from stdin.

Type:      String
Mandatory: false

-f, --format

The --format option controls the console output format for the command. If the command output is redirected or captured as a variable, the output is always JSON.

Type:         String
Mandatory:    false
DefaultValue: yaml
ValidValues:  [json, pretty-json, yaml]

-h, --help

Displays the help for the current command or subcommand. When you specify this option, the application ignores all options and arguments after this one.

Type:      Boolean
Mandatory: false

Output

This command returns JSON output that includes whether the operation or any resources raised any errors, the collection of messages emitted during the operation, and the test operation results for every instance. For more information, see dsc config test result schema.