New-ExternalHelp
Creates external help file based on markdown supported by PlatyPS.
Syntax
Default (Default)
New-ExternalHelp
-Path <String[]>
-OutputPath <String>
[-ApplicableTag <String[]>]
[-Encoding <Encoding>]
[-MaxAboutWidth <Int32>]
[-ErrorLogFile <String>]
[-Force]
[-ShowProgress]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The New-ExternalHelp cmdlet creates an external help file based on markdown help files supported
by PlatyPS. You can ship this with a module to provide help using the Get-Help cmdlet.
If the markdown files that you specify don't follow the PlatyPS Schema, this cmdlet returns error messages.
Examples
Example 1: Create external help based on the contents of a folder
PS C:\> New-ExternalHelp -Path ".\docs" -OutputPath "out\platyPS\en-US"
Directory: D:\Working\PlatyPS\out\platyPS\en-US
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 5/19/2016 12:32 PM 46776 platyPS-help.xml
This command creates an external help file in the specified location. This command uses the best practice that the foldername includes the locale.
Example 2: Create help that uses custom encoding
PS C:\> New-ExternalHelp -Path ".\docs" -OutputPath "out\PlatyPS\en-US" -Force -Encoding ([System.Text.Encoding]::Unicode)
Directory: D:\Working\PlatyPS\out\PlatyPS\en-US
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 5/22/2016 6:34 PM 132942 platyPS-help.xml
This command creates an external help file in the specified location. This command specifies the Force parameter, therefore, it overwrites an existing file. The command specifies Unicode encoding for the created file.
Example 3: Write warnings and errors to file
PS C:\> New-ExternalHelp -Path ".\docs" -OutputPath "out\platyPS\en-US" -ErrorLogFile ".\WarningsAndErrors.json"
Directory: D:\Working\PlatyPS\out\platyPS\en-US
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 5/19/2016 12:32 PM 46776 platyPS-help.xml
This command creates an external help file in the specified location. This command uses the best
practice that the foldername includes the locale. This command writes the warnings and errors to the
WarningsAndErrors.json file.
Parameters
-ApplicableTag
Specify array of tags to use as a filter. If cmdlet has applicable in the yaml metadata and none
of the passed tags is mentioned there, cmdlet would be ignored in the generated help. Same applies
to the Parameter level applicable yaml metadata. If applicable is omitted, cmdlet or parameter
would be always present. See design issue for
more details.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String[] |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-Encoding
Specifies the character encoding for your external help file. Specify a System.Text.Encoding object. For more information, see about_Character_Encoding.
Parameter properties
| Type: | Encoding |
| Default value: | UTF8 without BOM |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-ErrorLogFile
The path where this cmdlet saves formatted results log file.
The path must include the location and name of the folder and filename with the json extension. The JSON object contains three properties: Message, FilePath, and Severity (Warning or Error).
If this path isn't provided, no log is generated.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-Force
Indicates that this cmdlet overwrites an existing file that has the same name.
Parameter properties
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-MaxAboutWidth
Specifies the maximum line length when generating "about" help text files. Other help file types are not affected by this parameter. For more information, see New-MarkdownAboutHelp.
Lines inside code blocks aren't wrapped and aren't affected by the MaxAboutWidth parameter.
Parameter properties
| Type: | Int32 |
| Default value: | 80 |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-OutputPath
Specifies the path of a folder where this cmdlet saves your external help file. The folder name
should end with a locale folder, as in the following example: .\out\PlatyPS\en-US\.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | True |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-Path
Specifies an array of paths of markdown files or folders. This cmdlet creates external help based on these files and folders.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String[] |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | True |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | True |
| Value from pipeline: | True |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | True |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-ShowProgress
Display progress bars under parsing existing markdown files.
If this is used generating of help is much slower.
Parameter properties
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutBuffer, -OutVariable, -PipelineVariable, -ProgressAction, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
Inputs
String
You can pipe an array of paths to this cmdlet.
Outputs
FileInfo
This cmdlet returns a FileInfo[] object for created files.
