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Getting Started with Logging

In order to create logs, all you need to do is update existing scripts and replace all instances of ...

Write-Verbose

... with ...

Write-PSFMessage

This is all that it takes, your scripts are now creating logfiles.

Note: Replacing custom functions such as the often used Write-Log works just the same - just send it the message and Write-PSFMessage will handle the rest.

Example​

# Setting up the logging
$paramSetPSFLoggingProvider = @{
    Name         = 'logfile'
    InstanceName = '<taskname>'
    FilePath     = 'C:\Logs\TaskName-%Date%.csv'
    Enabled      = $true
    Wait         = $true
}
Set-PSFLoggingProvider @paramSetPSFLoggingProvider

# Start Logging
Write-PSFMessage "Starting Script"

# Add script code here, using Write-PSFMessage wherever you want to log
# ...

Write-PSFMessage "Script Completed"

# Wait for logging to complete
Wait-PSFMessage

Additional information​

  • The logs are written to Get-PSFConfigValue -FullName psframework.logging.filesystem.logpath | Invoke-Item
  • The logs are written asynchronously, writing logs will not slow your script
  • You can use the -Level parameter to change the way the command behaves, shifting it to behavior like Write-Host or Write-Warning (and still log)
  • All logs are automatically cleaned up. By default, after 7 days or when they exceed 100MB
  • Using Get-PSFMessage you can grab/search entries directly while still on the console, avoiding the need to inspect the files.

Further reading​