When trying to join arrays of FileInfo objects, if the first array contains only one element, the following error occurs.

Method invocation failed because [System.IO.FileInfo] does not contain a method named 'op_Addition'.
At line:1 char:1
+ $stuff + $stuff1
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (op_Addition:String) [], RuntimeException

+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : MethodNotFound

It works as expected as long as the first array contains more than 1 element. See example below:

PS C:\Scripts> $stuff

Directory: C:\Scripts

Mode LastWriteTime Length Name

-a---- 10/3/2016 2:01 PM 58 LaunchUpdateAllSubversionWorkingCopies.bat

PS C:\Scripts> $stuff1

Directory: C:\Scripts

Mode LastWriteTime Length Name

-a---- 10/26/2016 1:19 PM 140 DropConnections.sql

-a---- 12/9/2010 4:51 PM 4362 TC50CopyBu.sql

-a---- 10/26/2016 10:04 AM 7355 TIMSCleanup.sql

PS C:\Scripts> $stuff1 + $stuff

Directory: C:\Scripts

Mode LastWriteTime Length Name

-a---- 10/26/2016 1:19 PM 140 DropConnections.sql

-a---- 12/9/2010 4:51 PM 4362 TC50CopyBu.sql

-a---- 10/26/2016 10:04 AM 7355 TIMSCleanup.sql

-a---- 10/3/2016 2:01 PM 58 LaunchUpdateAllSubversionWorkingCopies.bat

PS C:\Scripts> $stuff + $stuff1
Method invocation failed because [System.IO.FileInfo] does not contain a method named 'op_Addition'.
At line:1 char:1
+ $stuff + $stuff1
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (op_Addition:String) [], RuntimeException

+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : MethodNotFound

The following error show up when executing 'Update-Help -force':
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Update-Help -Force
Update-Help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'NetworkControllerDiagnostics, Provisioning' with UI culture(s)
{en-US} : Unable to retrieve the HelpInfo XML file for UI culture en-US. Make sure the HelpInfoUri property in the
module manifest is valid or check your network connection and then try the command again.
At line:1 char:1
+ Update-Help -Force
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [Update-Help], Exception

+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnableToRetrieveHelpInfoXml,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.UpdateHelpCommand

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> $PSVersionTable

Name Value

PSVersion 5.1.15048.0
PSEdition Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion 10.0.15048.0
CLRVersion 4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion 3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>

We started to use results from Get-DscConfigurationStatus in our monitoring (SCOM) and while analyzing the results we noticed that some partials are not showing up in the results of this command even though tests/set/get is performed on the target node. After analyzing different methods we found out that:

• MOF documents generated in C:\Windows\System32\Configuration\ConfigurationStatus seem to limit the results to ~40 last items in DSC configuration


• Get-DscConfigurationStatus and Test-DscConfiguration -Detail all use the same source of information, thus provide same, truncated output


• The only reliable source of information is details.json file generate when -Verbose output is requested, but information there is limited to only part of the info provided by MOF files and works only for interactive runs (when providing Verbose parameter is possible).

It looks to me like some sort of rolling-logs mechanism is used, but instead of keeping multiple files per run, final file is overwritten and thus only recent actions are recorded.

Helpfiles for most about topics (with random exceptions), when updated (and file name corrected -- see bottom), change text formatting to a strict all-lines-that-are-not-headers-get-indented-four-spaces. This makes many files look completely ugly and broken. Here is an example from aboutExecution_Policies as viewed in PowerShell help between two different versions of the file:

9-30-2016:

USE GROUP POLICY TO MANAGE EXECUTION POLICY

------------------------------------------- You can use the "Turn on Script

Execution" Group Policy setting to manage the execution policy of computers

in your enterprise. The Group Policy setting overrides the execution

policies set in Windows PowerShell in all scopes.

The "Turn on Script Execution" policy settings are as follows:

-- If you disable "Turn on Script Execution", scripts do not run. This is

equivalent to the "Restricted" execution policy.

-- If you enable "Turn on Script Execution", you can select an execution

policy. The Group Policy settings are equivalent to the following execution

policy settings.

Group Policy                Execution Policy ------------               

---------------- Allow all scripts.          Unrestricted

Allow local scripts         RemoteSigned and remote signed scripts.

Allow only signed           AllSigned scripts.

-- If "Turn on Script Execution" is not configured, it has no effect. The

execution policy set in Windows PowerShell is effective.

9-30-2014

USE GROUP POLICY TO MANAGE EXECUTION POLICY

You can use the "Turn on Script Execution" Group Policy setting

to manage the execution policy of computers in your enterprise. 

The Group Policy setting overrides the execution policies set in Windows

PowerShell in all scopes. 


The "Turn on Script Execution" policy settings are as follows:

-- If you disable "Turn on Script Execution", scripts do not run. 

   This is equivalent to the "Restricted" execution policy.

-- If you enable "Turn on Script Execution", you can select an

   execution policy. The Group Policy settings are equivalent to

   the following execution policy settings.

    Group Policy                Execution Policy  

    ------------                ----------------

    Allow all scripts.          Unrestricted

    Allow local scripts         RemoteSigned

    and remote signed

    scripts. 

    Allow only signed           AllSigned

    scripts. 

-- If "Turn on Script Execution" is not configured, it has no

   effect. The execution policy set in Windows PowerShell is

   effective.

Looking at the current technet version of this documentation has correct text formatting, which suggests that some step preparing the documentation for download by update-help is messing things up.

Some unfortunate formatting developments have also shown up in cmdlet help, like the examples for Remove-Module (help from System.Management.Automation.dll-Help.xml). The old version (2014-era?) looks like this:

Examples

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 1 --------------------------

PS C:\>Remove-Module -Name BitsTransfer


This command removes the BitsTransfer module from the current session.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 2 --------------------------

PS C:\>Get-Module | Remove-Module

This command removes all modules from the current session.

-------------------------- EXAMPLE 3 --------------------------

...

Whereas the current version of this help looks like this:

Examples

Example 1: Remove a module

PS C:\>Remove-Module -Name "BitsTransfer"


This command removes the BitsTransfer module from the current session.

Example 2: Remove all modules

PS C:\>Get-Module | Remove-Module

This command removes all modules from the current session.

Example 3: Remove modules by using the pipeline

...

If I correctly recall Jeffrey Snover talking about this on a webinar, he said he wanted the help system to make finding example commands REALLY easy -- hence, the gigantic and obvious text headers. Does the style guide for PoSH documentation say anything about the way examples should be formatted? The old way should be (re)instated if it's not a mistake.

Reference comment thread here about filename correction: https://windowsserver.uservoice.com/forums/301869-powershell/suggestions/15832144-powershell-5-on-windows-10-server-2012-helpfiles-a

PowerShell crashes when I run an invalid command such as $? = $false. Just enter and run $? = $false in powershell.exe or powershell_ise.exe.

[[[
Test-Path "C:\test"
if ( $? = $false ) {
Out-Host "Hello World"
}
]]]

I guess that PowerShell should display an error telling that I'm trying to perform an invalid action.

The problem reproduces on Windows 10 Pro and PowerShell 5.1.14393.206. The problem does not seem to reproduce with PowerShell 5.0 (5.0.10586.122).

bucket 127386360339, type 5
Event Name: PowerShell
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0
Problem signature:
P1: powershell.exe
P2: 10.0.14393.206
P3: stem.Management.Automation.PSInvalidCast
P4: stem.Management.Automation.PSInvalidCast
P5: ation.LanguagePrimitives.ThrowInvalidCastException
P6: ation.LanguagePrimitives.ThrowInvalidCastException
P7: Pipeli..ution Thread
P8:
P9:
P10:

Fault bucket 127391962405, type 5
Event Name: PowerShell
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0
Problem signature:
P1: PowerShellISE.exe
P2: 10.0.14393.206
P3: stem.Management.Automation.PSInvalidCast
P4: stem.Management.Automation.PSInvalidCast
P5: ation.LanguagePrimitives.ThrowInvalidCastException
P6: ation.LanguagePrimitives.ThrowInvalidCastException
P7: Pipeli..ution Thread
P8:
P9:
P10:
Attached files:
\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERDF0C.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WEREB13.tmp.mdmp
These files may be available here:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\CriticalPowerShellISE.e3ccf3a19c613a9feb51ab6f5ace193f8b16a82300000000055e009e
Analysis symbol:
Rechecking for solution: 0
Report Id: e94d6901-a40f-11e6-8307-005056c00008
Report Status: 8
Hashed bucket: 0ea4f41eff9bb383a623e479e00f4934

Box

DSC PULL Server : Windows Server 2012 R2 + WMF5 RTM
DSC PULL Client : Windows Server 2012 R2 + WMF5 RTM

Description of Issue:

In WMF5.0 there is PsDscRunAsCredential to target dedicated user to make it so. However mof document created by configuration with this property, will cause "Cannot find module PSDesiredStateConfiguration_1.0 from the server http://DSCPull:8080/PSDSCPullServer.svc/Modules(ModuleName='PSDesiredStateConfiguration',ModuleVersion='1.0')/ModuleContent" exception and could not apply configuration.

Reproduce Procedure:

• Note: It's no meaning with this configuration to target PsDscRunAsCredential, but please understand this is just a simple reproduce configuration




• Create configuration to use WMF5 functionality, in this case PsDscRunAsCredential.

```powershell
configuration FeatureNetCore
{

Import-DscResource -ModuleName PSDesiredStateConfiguration;


Node localhost

{

    WindowsFeature NET-Framework-Core

    {

        Ensure = "Present"

        Name = "NET-Framework-Core"

        IncludeAllSubFeature = $false

        LogPath = "C:\Logs\DSC\WindowsFeature\NET-Framework-Core.txt"

        PsDscRunAsCredential = [PSCredential]::New("USERNAME", ("SUPERNICEPASSWORD" | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force))

    }

}

}
```

1. Create mof. you'll see pretty like this.

```mof
/
@TargetNode='localhost'
@GeneratedBy=SYSTEM
@GenerationDate=07/31/2016 14:32:07
@GenerationHost=DSC
/

instance of MSFTRoleResource as $MSFTRoleResource1ref
{
ResourceID = "[WindowsFeature]NET-Framework-Core::[FeatureNetCore]FeatureNetCore";
IncludeAllSubFeature = False;
Ensure = "Present";
SourceInfo = "::10::9::WindowsFeature";
Name = "NET-Framework-Core";
ModuleName = "PSDesiredStateConfiguration";

ModuleVersion = "1.0";

ConfigurationName = "SAMPLE";

};
instance of OMI_ConfigurationDocument

                {

Version="2.0.0";

                    MinimumCompatibleVersion = "2.0.0";


                    CompatibleVersionAdditionalProperties= {"Omi_BaseResource:ConfigurationName"};

                    Author="SYSTEM";

                    GenerationDate="07/31/2016 14:32:07";

                    GenerationHost="DSC";

                    Name="SAMPLE";

                };

```

1. Set mof to your DscPullServer configuraiton Path, C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\DscService\Configuration.


2. Run Update-DscConfiguration -Verbose -Wait at you node.


3. You will get exception detailed.

User scenario, workaround and proposal:

This issue is highly not expected with user with many points.

Scenario 1. Even WMF5's PSDesiredStateConfiguration version is 1.1, mof document say as ModuleName = "PSDesiredStateConfiguration"; with ModuleVersion = "1.0";. There's no reasonable understanding with this behavior because other DSC Resource will use it's version on mof document, you know how it works withxWebAdministration or others.
-> Workaround : strictly describe 1.1 as a target in configuration. This will creat mof with PSDesiredStateConfiguration as 1.1! But you will lost compatibility with WMF4 the DSC v1.
-> Proposal : mof document that WMF5 PULL Server created mof should state PSDesiredStateConfiguration with 1.1 (Exact version of PSDSCPullServer)

```powershell
configuration FeatureNetCore
{

Import-DscResource -ModuleName PSDesiredStateConfiguration -ModuleVersion 1.1;


Node localhost

{

    WindowsFeature NET-Framework-Core

    {

        Ensure = "Present"

        Name = "NET-Framework-Core"

        IncludeAllSubFeature = $false

        LogPath = "C:\Logs\DSC\WindowsFeature\NET-Framework-Core.txt"

        PsDscRunAsCredential = [PSCredential]::New("USERNAME", ("SUPERNICEPASSWORD" | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force))

    }

}

}
```

Scenario 2. Exception can be avoid if you change ModuleVersion to 0.0 like following. Bacause 0.0 means "USE LATEST VERSION OF PULL NODE HAVE", pull node will ignore ModuleVersion = "1.0" and use "1.1" as WMF5 only have this version. However there's no implementation to target 0.0 with Import-DscResource and user must edit mof document directly. OK stop, PowerShell DSC is designed sugar syntax of DSC and User seldom check mof, I believe this is correct understanding of PowerShell Team's user scenario as link : https://windowsserver.uservoice.com/forums/301869-powershell/suggestions/11505069-please-clean-up-the-omi-configurationdocument-in-t
-> Workaround : Edit mof directly and change PSDesiredStateconfiguration's instance from ModuleVersion = "1.0" to ModuleVersion = "0.0" as following.
-> Proposal : Add new parameter like "-AllowUseLatest $true (default $false)" to Import-DscResource, then configuration author can handle mof document from configuration. (This is highly recomended than Scenario 1, because no side effect and more flexibility with Configuration syntax.)
-> Proposal2 : If possible it should support variable passing to targeting version. https://windowsserver.uservoice.com/forums/301869-powershell/suggestions/14897913-allow-variable-input-to-be-passed-to-import-dscres

```mof
/
@TargetNode='localhost'
@GeneratedBy=SYSTEM
@GenerationDate=07/31/2016 14:32:07
@GenerationHost=DSC
/

instance of MSFTRoleResource as $MSFTRoleResource1ref
{
ResourceID = "[WindowsFeature]NET-Framework-Core::[FeatureNetCore]FeatureNetCore";
IncludeAllSubFeature = False;
Ensure = "Present";
SourceInfo = "::10::9::WindowsFeature";
Name = "NET-Framework-Core";
ModuleName = "PSDesiredStateConfiguration";

ModuleVersion = "0.0";

ConfigurationName = "SAMPLE";

};
instance of OMI_ConfigurationDocument

                {

Version="2.0.0";

                    MinimumCompatibleVersion = "2.0.0";


                    CompatibleVersionAdditionalProperties= {"Omi_BaseResource:ConfigurationName"};

                    Author="SYSTEM";

                    GenerationDate="07/31/2016 14:32:07";

                    GenerationHost="DSC";

                    Name="SAMPLE";

                };

```