Hi
I'm exploring Don Jones' PS best practices about output from scripts using CmdletBinding() and the various Write-Verbose, Write-Debug etc.
I want to combine this with the use of Custom Modules, and i want to capture all output as it is being produced (not getting it afterwards from a piped txt) and saving it in a SQL Server table.
This appears to be no trivial task 
Google shows a lot examples with main.ps1 9>&1> mylog.txt, which doesn't cut if for me.
I've read these blogposts, which resolve the issues of passive down environment scope, to make Cmdlets understand -Debug parameters on the main script.
http://powershell.org/wp/2014/01/13/getting-your-script-module-functions-to-inherit-preference-variables-from-the-caller
http://powershell.org/wp/2014/01/20/revisited-script-modules-and-variable-scopes/
I dont think is a great solution, but it has by far been the best i could find.
So how to i use Write-Output, Verbose, Error,etc… through multiple layers of custom Cmdlets and get all the output logged to SQL server, and displayed on Console as its being produced.
My own suggestion, is to send all log messages through a Log function, which then again can call a Console Write function, and a Sql Wrinte function, thereby getting logmessages both places.
-Drawbacks:
– Write-Error no longer shows which line it was call from, it will always appear to originate from the Log function
– If we implement this in all our tools, it becomes challenging to run scripts by hand without having to include log classes etc.
– Script example:
# Main.ps1
[CmdLetBinding()]
Param ()
Import-Module .\Import3rdPartyModules.psm1 -Force
Import-Module .\Logging-Module.psm1 -Force
Import-Module .\WindowsServicesModule.psm1 -Force
if($PSBoundParameters['Verbose'] -eq $true) { $VerbosePreference = "Continue" }
if($PSBoundParameters['Debug'] -eq $true) { $DebugPreference = "Inquire" }
Stop-WindowsService -Computername "kDesktop01″ -ServiceName "MyWindowsService"
# WindowsServicesModule.psm1
Function Stop-WindowsService
{
[CmdLetBinding()]
Param
(
[string]$ComputerName,
[string]$ServiceName
)
# Used to pass down environment scope for external verbose/debug paramters. E.g. Main.ps1 -Debug
Get-CallerPreference -Cmdlet $PSCmdlet -SessionState $ExecutionContext.SessionState
Log -Message "Stopping $ServiceName on $ComputerName"
# Faking stop Windows service call
Log -Message "Problems stopping $ServiceName on $ComputerName" -IsWarning
Log -Message "There was a problem stopping $ServiceName on $ComputerName" -IsError
Log -Message "$ServiceName on $ComputerName could not stop, as it does not exist :)" -IsDebug
}
#LoggingModule.psm1
Function Log
{
[CmdLetBinding()]
Param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
[string]$Message,
[switch]$IsDebug,
[switch]$IsVerbose,
[switch]$IsWarning,
[switch]$IsError
)
# Used to pass down environment scope for external verbose/debug paramters. E.g. Main.ps1 -Debug
Get-CallerPreference -Cmdlet $PSCmdlet -SessionState $ExecutionContext.SessionState
WriteToConsole -Message $Message -IsDebug $IsDebug -IsVerbose $IsVerbose -IsWarning $IsWarning -IsError $IsError
#WriteToDatabase -Message $Message -IsDebug $IsDebug -IsVerbose $IsVerbose -IsWarning $IsWarning -IsError $IsError
}
Function WriteToConsole
{
[CmdLetBinding()]
Param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
[string]$Message,
[boolean]$IsDebug = $false,
[boolean]$IsVerbose = $false,
[boolean]$IsWarning = $false,
[boolean]$IsError = $false
)
# Used to pass down environment scope for external verbose/debug paramters. E.g. Main.ps1 -Debug
Get-CallerPreference -Cmdlet $PSCmdlet -SessionState $ExecutionContext.SessionState
if ( $IsDebug -eq $True )
{
Write-Debug -Message $Message
}
elseif ( $IsVerbose -eq $True )
{
Write-Verbose -Message $Message
}
elseif ( $IsWarning -eq $True )
{
Write-Warning -Message $Message
}
elseif ( $IsError -eq $True )
{
Write-Error -Message $Message
}
else
{
Write-Output $Message
}
}
#Import3rdPartyModules.psm1
# Load Custom modules
function Get-ScriptDirectory { Split-Path $MyInvocation.ScriptName }
$ScriptDirectory = Get-ScriptDirectory
################################################
# — Get-CallerPreference.ps1 –
#
# Added by: kbrandenburg 12062014
# Last updated by: kbrandenburg 12062014
# Source URL: http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Inherit-Preference-82343b9d
# Description: Fixes passing variables between script-scopes (Cmdlets does not get main script scope passed down)
#
# Problem/Solution link: http://powershell.org/wp/2014/01/20/revisited-script-modules-and-variable-scopes/
# Problem/Solution link: http://powershell.org/wp/2014/01/13/getting-your-script-module-functions-to-inherit-preference-variables-from-the-caller/comment-page-1/
################################################
. $ScriptDirectory'\3rdPartyModules\Get-CallerPreference.ps1′