Powershell Help system usage

Question

I am learning powershell, so first i am learning how to use the help system of powershell. Below is the help for command "Get-EventLog",

what do we mean by : Position? named

Also is there any links to get more on how to use the help system provided by powershell?

Synopsis Gets the events in an event log, or a list of the event logs, on the local or remote computers.

   Syntax   Get-EventLog [-LogName] <String> [[-InstanceId] <Int64[]>] [-After <DateTime>] [-AsBaseObject <SwitchParameter>] [-Before <DateTime>] [-ComputerName <String[]>] [-EntryType <String[]>] [-Index <Int32[]>] [-Message <String>] [-Newest <Int32>] [-Source <String[]>] [-UserName <String[]>] [<CommonParameters>]

Get-EventLog [-AsString <SwitchParameter>] [-ComputerName <String[]>] [-List <SwitchParameter>] [<CommonParameters>]

 Parameters
         -After <DateTime>
                Gets only the events that occur after the specified date and time. Enter a DateTime object, such as the one returned by the Get-Date cmdlet.
            Required?                    false
            Position?                    named
            Default value                
            Accept pipeline input?       false
            Accept wildcard characters?  false

        -InstanceId <Int64[]>
            Gets only events with the specified instance IDs.
            Required?                    false
            Position?                    2
            Default value                
            Accept pipeline input?       false

            Accept wildcard characters?  false

        -LogName <String>
            Specifies the event log.  Enter the log name (the value of the Log property; not the LogDisplayName) of one event log. Wildcard characters are not permitted. This parameter is required.
            Required?                    true
            Position?                    1
            Default value                
            Accept pipeline input?       false
            Accept wildcard characters?  false

Required? is a question "Is this parameter required?" Same with Position? "What is the position of this parameter?" named means you have to name the parameter for it to exist. — E.V.I.L.
– E.V.I.L., Commented Jun 13, 2013 at 18:45

ravikanth · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-13 11:04:16Z

For #1, you need to understand how positional parameters are used in PowerShell. You can refer to the following scripting guys article on that.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2012/04/22/the-problem-with-powershell-positional-parameters.aspx

For #2, in PowerShell v3, there is update-able help. By default, on PowerShell 3.0 systems, there is no help installed. Everything is online. You can download the help content using Update-Help and Save-Help cmdlets.

Also, Get-Help <cmdletname> -Online shows the online (most up-to-date) content for any cmdlet.

You can use the about topics in PowerShell to learn the concepts. These about topics can be accessed using help about*. You will see a huge list of topics which can be accessed using help or Get-Help. For example,

help about_Parameters

Once again, if you are using PowerShell 3.0, you need to update the help first to be able to see any help content.

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:24:06Z

1

You can first have a look to about_Command_Syntax

get_help about_Command_Syntax

Then have a look at a few other abouts, if you want to add your own help to your Cmd-Lets have a look here.

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:24

CommunityBot

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answered Jun 13, 2013 at 11:07

JPBlanc

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