Most Used PowerShell Commands for Application Packaging & Deployment

What is PowerShell?

PowerShell is a task automation and configuration management framework developed by Microsoft. It consists of a command-line shell and an associated scripting language built on the .NET framework.

PowerShell is designed to manage and automate the administration of Windows and other systems, providing IT professionals with a powerful tool for automating routine tasks, configuring systems, and managing complex environments.

PowerShell is notable for several key features:

• Object-Oriented: Unlike traditional command-line interfaces that process text, PowerShell works with objects. This means data is passed between cmdlets as objects, allowing for more complex and precise data manipulation.
• Extensible: PowerShell can be extended with modules and custom cmdlets. This allows users to add functionality and tailor PowerShell to their specific needs.
• Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE): PowerShell ISE is a GUI-based application for writing, testing, and debugging PowerShell scripts. It provides features like syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and a built-in debugger.
• Cross-Platform: Originally developed for Windows, PowerShell is now available on macOS and Linux, making it a versatile tool for managing diverse environments.

PowerShell is widely used for system configuration, task automation, and network administration. For example, an IT administrator might use PowerShell to manage user accounts, configure network settings, or deploy software updates across a network.

PowerShell scripts may require administrative privileges, depending on the task being performed.

Here's a simple example of a PowerShell command to get a list of all running processes on a system:

Get-Process

This command retrieves information about all processes running on the local computer.

PowerShell's ability to interact with the underlying operating system and its components makes it an invaluable tool for system administrators and developers alike.

For a more comprehensive understanding of PowerShell, I have released a free eBook that you can download here.

What is a PowerShell Script

A PowerShell script is a file containing a series of PowerShell commands, saved with a `.ps1` extension.

These scripts automate tasks that would otherwise require manual intervention. By grouping commands into a script, you can run them sequentially, ensuring they run in a specific order.

This makes scripts incredibly powerful for managing configurations, performing system maintenance, and deploying software.

PowerShell scripts can include a variety of elements:

• Cmdlets: The building blocks of PowerShell scripts, cmdlets are specialized .NET classes that perform specific operations.
• Variables: Used to store data that can be referenced and manipulated throughout the script.
• Loops and Conditional Statements: Enable complex logic, such as iterating through files or deciding based on conditions.
• Functions: Reusable blocks of code that can be called multiple times within the script, making it modular and easier to manage.

For instance, a simple PowerShell script to backup a directory might look something like this:

# Define source and destination directories
$source = "C:\ImportantFiles"
$destination = "D:\Backup"

# Copy all files from the source to the destination
Copy-Item -Path $source -Destination $destination -Recurse

# Confirm completion
Write-Output "Backup completed successfully."

This script defines the source and destination directories, copies all files from the source to the destination, and then displays a completion message.

You can schedule scripts like this to run at specific times, ensuring tasks are performed consistently and automatically without manual intervention.

App-V PowerShell Commands

When working with Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V), PowerShell can be a powerful tool.

Commonly used commands include:

• Add-AppvClientPackage – Adds a package to the client.
• Publish-AppvClientPackage – Publishes an added package.
• Remove-AppvClientPackage – Removes a package from the client.

Add-AppvClientPackage
          -Path "C:\Path\to\your\package.appv"
        

Publish-AppvClientPackage
          -Name "YourPackage" -Global
        

Remove-AppvClientPackage
          -Name "YourPackage"
        

Installing MSI Files with PowerShell

You can also automate the MSI creation with Windows PowerShell, as we present here: https://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-guide/powershell-automation.html

Installing MSI files is a common task, and PowerShell makes it straightforward.

You can use Start-Process cmdlet with msiexec.exe, with arguments to specify the MSI file and any required installation options.

Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList '/i', 'C:\Path\to\your\file.msi', '/quiet', '/norestart' -Wait

Invoke-Command -ComputerName RemotePC -ScriptBlock {
	Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList '/i', 'C:\Path\to\your\file.msi', '/quiet', '/norestart' -Wait
}

Renaming Folders and Files with PowerShell

Renaming a folder in PowerShell is simple with the Rename-Item cmdlet:

Rename-Item -Path 'C:\OldFolderName' -NewName 'NewFolderName'

To rename files within a folder, you can use Get-ChildItem to list the files and then pipe them to Rename-Item:

Get-ChildItem -Path 'C:\FolderPath' -Filter '*.txt' | Rename-Item -NewName { $_.Name -replace 'old', 'new' }

Renaming all files in a folder can be accomplished using a similar approach to renaming files with specific criteria:

Get-ChildItem -Path 'C:\FolderPath' | Rename-Item -NewName { $_.Name -replace ' ', '_' }

Checking the PowerShell Version

To check your PowerShell version, you can use the $PSVersionTable automatic variable:

$PSVersionTable.PSVersion

Creating and Executing PowerShell Script

Creating a PowerShell script involves writing your commands and saving them with a .ps1 extension:

Write-Output
        "Hello, World!"
      

Executing a PowerShell script is straightforward. From the command line, you can run the following command:

Powershell.exe -file C:\PathtoFile\HelloWorld.ps1

If the execution policy prevents the script from running, you may need to adjust it using Set-ExecutionPolicy:

PowerShell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -file C:\PathToFile\HelloWorld.ps1

Modifying Registry Values with PowerShell

You can set a registry value in PowerShell using the Set-ItemProperty cmdlet:

Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\YourApp' -Name 'YourSetting' -Value 'YourValue'

To change an existing registry value, you can use the Set-ItemProperty cmdlet:

Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\YourApp' -Name 'YourSetting' -Value 'NewValue'

Conclusion

This guide covers common PowerShell commands for software packaging, automation, and deployment with example scripts.

By leveraging PowerShell, IT professionals can streamline administrative tasks, improve efficiency, and ensure consistency across their environments.

I hope this article helps you better understand and use PowerShell in your deployment and management workflows.

Let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions!