SAPIEN Resources

PowerShell InputBox

The other day I gave you a function to create a VBScript style message box in PowerShell. If you find yourself needing MsgBox in PowerShell, you’re likely going to want InputBox. This too is accomplished using the [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction] class. You’ll need to load the assembly first if you haven’t already.

PS C:\> [reflection.assembly]::loadwithpartialname(“microsoft.visualbasic”) | Out-Null

PS C:\> [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction]::Inputbox(“enter something”)

As in VBScript you can also specify a title and a default value. Here’s a more complete function you could call and an example.

   1: Function Show-Inputbox {

   2:  Param([string]$message=$(Throw "You must enter a prompt message"),

   3:        [string]$title="Input",

   4:        [string]$default

   5:        )

   6:        

   7:  [reflection.assembly]::loadwithpartialname("microsoft.visualbasic") | Out-Null

   8:  [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction]::InputBox($message,$title,$default)

   9:  

  10: }

  11:  

  12: $c=Show-Inputbox -message "Enter a computername" `

  13: -title "Computername" -default $env:Computername

  14:  

  15: if ($c.Trim()) {

  16:   Get-WmiObject win32_computersystem -computer $c

  17:   }

Executing the sample code will give you this inputbox:

The inputbox’s return value is whatever you enter. What you need to do, as I’ve done, is add code to validate the data.

$c=Show-Inputbox -message “Enter a computername” `
-title “Computername” -default $env:Computername

if ($c.Trim()) {
  Get-WmiObject win32_computersystem -computer $c
  }

In my example I only use the value in the Get-WMIObject expression if $c has a value. I used the Trim() method to remove any spaces. It’s possible a user could accidentally enter space somewhere so using Trim cleans that up.

Download this sample here

Technorati Tags: function, Inputbox, powershell, scripting, VBScript

Tags: function, Inputbox, powershell, scripting, VBScript

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 11:00 am and is filed under VBScript, Windows PowerShell. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

5 Responses to “PowerShell InputBox”

1. Don Says:
   August 18th, 2008 at 5:29 pm

   FYI, SAPIEN’s PowerShell extensions snap-in has a Read-InputBox cmdlet, too. Same basic effect, and an easy way to see how to write cmdlets since the source code’s simplistic.

2. Jeffery Hicks Says:
   August 19th, 2008 at 5:40 am

   I probably should have mentioned that. For those interested, you can download SAPIEN’s Powershell extensions at http://www.primalscript.com/Free_Tools/index.asp.

3. Jared Says:
   May 4th, 2009 at 5:49 am

   I am using this function along with other things to pull the BIOS information for remote computers. The only problem I am having is making the InputBox show on top of other windows after being ran. It jumps behind everything else. Is there a way to force the box in front?

   This is the script I’m using..still a newb so don’t really know how to clean it up. Thanks for any help and sorry for bringing one back from the past.

   Function Show-Inputbox {
   Param([string]$message=$(Throw “You must enter a prompt message”),
   [string]$title=”Input”,
   [string]$default
   )

   [reflection.assembly]::loadwithpartialname(“microsoft.visualbasic”) | Out-Null
   [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction]::InputBox($message,$title,$default)

   }
   $c=Show-Inputbox -message “Enter a computername” `
   -title “Computername” -default $env:Computername

   if ($c.Trim()) {
   Get-WmiObject win32_computersystem -computer $c
   }

   foreach ($strComputer in $arrComputers)
   {
   $colItems = get-wmiobject -class “Win32_BIOS” -namespace “root\CIMV2″ `
   -computername $c

   foreach ($objItem in $colItems)
   {
   Write-host “Computer Name: ” $c
   write-host “BIOS Version: ” $objItem.BIOSVersion
   write-host “Build Number: ” $objItem.BuildNumber
   write-host “Caption: ” $objItem.Caption
   write-host “Code Set: ” $objItem.CodeSet
   write-host “Current Language: ” $objItem.CurrentLanguage
   write-host “Description: ” $objItem.Description
   write-host “Identification Code: ” $objItem.IdentificationCode
   write-host “Installable Languages: ” $objItem.InstallableLanguages
   write-host “Installation Date: ” $objItem.InstallDate
   write-host “Language Edition: ” $objItem.LanguageEdition
   write-host “List Of Languages: ” $objItem.ListOfLanguages
   write-host “Manufacturer: ” $objItem.Manufacturer
   write-host “Name: ” $objItem.Name
   write-host “Other Target Operating System: ” $objItem.OtherTargetOS
   write-host “Primary BIOS: ” $objItem.PrimaryBIOS
   write-host “Release Date: ” $objItem.ReleaseDate
   write-host “Serial Number: ” $objItem.SerialNumber
   write-host “SMBIOS BIOS Version: ” $objItem.SMBIOSBIOSVersion
   write-host “SMBIOS Major Version: ” $objItem.SMBIOSMajorVersion
   write-host “SMBIOS Minor Version: ” $objItem.SMBIOSMinorVersion
   write-host “SMBIOS Present: ” $objItem.SMBIOSPresent
   write-host “Software Element ID: ” $objItem.SoftwareElementID
   write-host “Software Element State: ” $objItem.SoftwareElementState
   write-host “Status: ” $objItem.Status
   write-host “Target Operating System: ” $objItem.TargetOperatingSystem
   write-host “Version: ” $objItem.Version
   write-host
   }
   }

4. Jeffery Hicks Says:
   May 4th, 2009 at 6:21 am

   I haven’t found a good way to force a form to get focus. It would be better if you could post your script and problem in the PowerShell forum at ScriptingAnswers.com. Much easier to work on a problem there versus blog comments.

5. Jared Says:
   May 4th, 2009 at 7:38 am

   Will do thanks!