Set-Variable
Sets the value of a variable. Creates the variable if one with the requested name does not exist.
Syntax
Set-Variable
[-Name] <String[]>
[[-Value] <Object>]
[-Include <String[]>]
[-Exclude <String[]>]
[-Description <String>]
[-Option <ScopedItemOptions>]
[-Force]
[-Visibility <SessionStateEntryVisibility>]
[-PassThru]
[-Scope <String>]
[-WhatIf]
[-Confirm]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Set-Variable
cmdlet assigns a value to a specified variable or changes the current value. If
the variable does not exist, the cmdlet creates it.
Examples
Example 1: Set a variable and get its value
These commands set the value of the $desc
variable to A description
, and then gets the value of
the variable.
Set-Variable -Name "desc" -Value "A description"
Get-Variable -Name "desc"
Name Value
---- -----
desc A description
Example 2: Set a global, read-only variable
This example creates a global, read-only variable that contains all processes on the system, and then it displays all properties of the variable.
Set-Variable -Name "processes" -Value (Get-Process) -Option constant -Scope global -Description "All processes" -PassThru |
Format-List -Property *
The command uses the Set-Variable
cmdlet to create the variable. It uses the PassThru
parameter to create an object representing the new variable, and it uses the pipeline operator (|
)
to pass the object to the Format-List
cmdlet. It uses the Property parameter of Format-List
with a value of all (*
) to display all properties of the newly created variable.
The value, (Get-Process)
, is enclosed in parentheses to ensure that it is executed before being
stored in the variable. Otherwise, the variable contains the words Get-Process
.
Example 3: Understand public vs. private variables
This example shows how to change the visibility of a variable to Private
. This variable can be
read and changed by scripts with the required permissions, but it is not visible to the user.
New-Variable -Name "counter" -Visibility Public -Value 26
$Counter
26
Get-Variable c*
Name Value
---- -----
Culture en-US
ConsoleFileName
ConfirmPreference High
CommandLineParameters {}
Counter 26
Set-Variable -Name "counter" -Visibility Private
Get-Variable c*
Name Value
---- -----
Culture en-US
ConsoleFileName
ConfirmPreference High
CommandLineParameters {}
$counter
"Cannot access the variable '$counter' because it is a private variable"
.\use-counter.ps1
#Commands completed successfully.
This command shows how to change the visibility of a variable to Private. This variable can be read and changed by scripts with the required permissions, but it is not visible to the user.
Parameters
-Confirm
Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | cf |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Description
Specifies the description of the variable.
Type: | String |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Exclude
Specifies an array of items that this cmdlet excludes from the operation. The value of this
parameter qualifies the Path parameter. Enter a path element or pattern, such as *.txt
.
Wildcards are permitted.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Force
Allows you to create a variable with the same name as an existing read-only variable, or to change the value of a read-only variable.
By default, you can overwrite a variable, unless the variable has an option value of ReadOnly
or
Constant
. For more information, see the Option parameter.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Include
Specifies an array of items that this cmdlet includes in the operation. The value of this parameter
qualifies the Name parameter. Enter a name or name pattern, such as c*
. Wildcards are
permitted.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Name
Specifies the variable name.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Option
Specifies the value of the Options property of the variable.
Valid values are:
None
: Sets no options. (None
is the default.)ReadOnly
: Can be deleted. Cannot be changed, except by using the Force parameter.Constant
: Cannot be deleted or changed.Constant
is valid only when you are creating a variable. You cannot change the options of an existing variable toConstant
.Private
: The variable is available only in the current scope.AllScope
: The variable is copied to any new scopes that are created.
These values are defined as a flag-based enumeration. You can combine multiple values together to set multiple flags using this parameter. The values can be passed to the Option parameter as an array of values or as a comma-separated string of those values. The cmdlet will combine the values using a binary-OR operation. Passing values as an array is the simplest option and also allows you to use tab-completion on the values.
Type: | ScopedItemOptions |
Accepted values: | None, ReadOnly, Constant, Private, AllScope, Unspecified |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-PassThru
Returns an object representing the new variable. By default, this cmdlet does not generate any output.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Scope
Specifies the scope of the variable.The acceptable values for this parameter are:
Global
Local
Script
Private
- A number relative to the current scope (0 through the number of scopes, where 0 is the current scope and 1 is its parent).
Local
is the default.
For more information, see about_Scopes.
Type: | String |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | Local |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Value
Specifies the value of the variable.
Type: | Object |
Position: | 1 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Visibility
Determines whether the variable is visible outside of the session in which it was created. This parameter is designed for use in scripts and commands that will be delivered to other users.
Valid values are:
Public
: The variable is visible. (Public
is the default.)Private
: The variable is not visible.
When a variable is private, it does not appear in lists of variables, such as those returned by
Get-Variable
, or in displays of the Variable: drive. Commands to read or change the value of a
private variable return an error. However, the user can run commands that use a private variable if
the commands were written in the session in which the variable was defined.
Type: | SessionStateEntryVisibility |
Accepted values: | Public, Private |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | Public |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-WhatIf
Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | wi |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
You can pipe an object representing the value of the variable to this cmdlet.
Outputs
None
By default, this cmdlet returns no output.
When you use the PassThru parameter, this cmdlet returns a PSVariable object representing the new or changed variable.
Notes
Windows PowerShell includes the following aliases for Set-Variable
:
set
sv
Related Links
PowerShell