Function with String Message, echos to screen, change the color of message

Question

Good Morning all, SOLVED Both responses worked hand in hand. Big Thanks to Scepticalist and Wasif Hasan for the examples!!

I have a logging function that has a message parameter. Through the function it writes the message with a text color of green. Is there a way to change that color for certain messages for the log? Below is the function.

Function Get-Logger { 
    param(
       [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)]
       [String]$message
    )

    $TimeStamp = Get-Date -Format "MM-dd-yyy hh:mm:ss"

    Write-Host $TimeStamp -NoNewline
    Write-Host `t $message -ForegroundColor Green
    $logMessage = "[$TimeStamp]  $message"
    $logMessage | Out-File -Append -LiteralPath $VerboseLogFile
}

For example as the log function is called it echo's back the message as green text, which is fine. But if I wanted to use the logging function to change the text of section headers to yellow is there a way to do that? Below is what I'm kind of talking about

Get-Logger "Hello Word Starting" -Foregroundcolor yellow -nonewline

programmer365 · Answer 1 · 2020-03-11T15:12:34.030

2

You need to add another switch "NoNewLine". So add this in param block:

[switch]$nonewline

And in the function body, do:

If ($nonewline){
  Write-Host `t $message -ForegroundColor $($messagecolour) -nonewline
}
Else {
  Write-Host `t $message -ForegroundColor $($messagecolour)
}

You can now add a validatescript on param block to validate color:

[validatescript({[enum]::getvalues([system.consolecolor]) -contains $_})][string]$messagecolor

Thanks to @Scepticalist

edited Mar 11 '20 at 15:12

answered Mar 11 '20 at 14:59

programmer365

12,641
3
7
28

Here you go - this will retrieve the colours: [enum]::GetValues([System.ConsoleColor]) – Scepticalist Mar 11 '20 at 15:07
@Scepticalst thanks for the help! Edited the answer and added ValidateScript. – programmer365 Mar 11 '20 at 15:13

Scepticalist · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-11T18:11:28.603

1

Like this?

Function Get-Logger { 
    param(
       [Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][String]$message,
       [validatescript({[enum]::getvalues([system.consolecolor]) -contains $_})][string]$messagecolor,
       [switch]$nonewline
    )

    $TimeStamp = Get-Date -Format "MM-dd-yyy hh:mm:ss"
    If ($nonewline){
        Write-Host `t $message -ForegroundColor $($messagecolor) -nonewline
    }
    Else {
        Write-Host `t $message -ForegroundColor $($messagecolor)
    }
    $logMessage = "[$TimeStamp]  $message"
    $logMessage | Out-File -Append -LiteralPath $VerboseLogFile
}

Then:

Get-Logger "Hello Word Starting" -messagecolour yellow -nonewline

edited Mar 11 '20 at 18:11

answered Mar 11 '20 at 14:35

Scepticalist

2,502
1
9
18

That does work, I'm trying to get some more flexibility out of it so I don't have to identify the whole acceptable color range in the function. Also the `-nonewline` section still pulls up as an error – Fitzgery Mar 11 '20 at 14:44
You can pull the default colours from PS with code and then use them as a validate set - I think I have an example somewhere, but it's relatively complex for such a small function. If you want -nonewline optional then you'll have to add it as a parameter for the function and code for it. Edit: As Wasan shows below :) – Scepticalist Mar 11 '20 at 15:01

Function with String Message, echos to screen, change the color of message

2 Answers2