Change output colour in Powershell script

Question

I want to modify my ActiveDirectory lookup script to output a certain result in color.

The Script Imports the AD module and then prompts you to enter a username and see certain properties such as Name, E-mail Address and Employee ID.

There are a couple of properties whose color I'd like to change depending on the output.

For example if 'LockedOut' or 'PasswordExpired' is 'True', I would like the text color to be red for these particular results.

Is that possible? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Here is the script

Import-Module ActiveDirectory

do{ 
   $username = (read-host "Please Enter Username to Lookup")

   get-aduser $username  -properties Created, Name, EmployeeID, EmailAddress, Enabled, LockedOut, LastBadPasswordAttempt, PasswordExpired, AccountExpires, LastLogonDate, Modified, LogonCount, HomeDirectory, Office, TelephoneNumber | Format-List Created, Modified, LogonCount, Name, EmailAddress, EmployeeID, Enabled, LockedOut, PasswordExpired, LastLogonDate, LastBadPasswordAttempt, HomeDirectory, Office, TelephoneNumber

   $response = Read-Host "Enter 'Y' to check another user, any other key to exit"
   Clear-Host
}
while ($response -eq "Y")

Dirk · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-18 22:02:08Z

2

Write-Host has parameters to specify foreground and backgroundcolor:

Import-Module ActiveDirectory
[string[]]$getADProps=echo Created, Name, EmployeeID, EmailAddress, Enabled, LockedOut, LastBadPasswordAttempt, PasswordExpired, AccountExpires, LastLogonDate, Modified, LogonCount, HomeDirectory, Office, TelephoneNumber
[string[]]$flProps=echo Created, Modified, LogonCount, Name, EmailAddress, EmployeeID, Enabled, LockedOut, PasswordExpired, LastLogonDate, LastBadPasswordAttempt, HomeDirectory, Office, TelephoneNumber
do{ 
    $username = (read-host "Please Enter Username to Lookup")
    $adUser=Get-ADUser $username  -properties $getADProps  
    if ($adUser.'LockedOut' -or $adUser.'PasswordExpired'){
        $adUser | Format-List $flProps  | Out-String | Write-Host -ForegroundColor Red
    }
    else{
        $adUser | Format-List $flProps
    }
    $response = Read-Host "Enter 'Y' to check another user, any other key to exit"
    Clear-Host
}while ($response -eq "Y")

edited Oct 18, 2013 at 22:02

answered Oct 18, 2013 at 15:32

Dirk

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2 Comments

James P Over a year ago

Thank you Dirk, unfortunately i receive the error when using your answer. Format-List : Cannot convert System.Management.Automation.PSObject to one of the following types {System.String, System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock}. At line:11 char:30 + $adUser | format-List <<<< $flProps + CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (:) [Format-List], NotSupportedException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DictionaryKeyUnknownType,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FormatListCommand

Dirk Over a year ago

Hi James, yes I see you are using PowerShell v2. I just tested on v3. I've made some changes to make it work on v2, too.

Bill_Stewart · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-18 15:33:28Z

1

$result = get-aduser $username  -properties Created,Name,EmployeeID,EmailAddress,`
  Enabled,LockedOut, LastBadPasswordAttempt, PasswordExpired, AccountExpires,`
  LastLogonDate,Modified, LogonCount, HomeDirectory, Office, `
  TelephoneNumber | format-list Created,Modified, LogonCount, Name, EmailAddress,`
  EmployeeID, Enabled, LockedOut,PasswordExpired, LastLogonDate,`
  LastBadPasswordAttempt,HomeDirectory, Office,TelephoneNumber |
  out-string
write-host -foregroundcolor Red $result

answered Oct 18, 2013 at 15:33

Bill_Stewart

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2 Comments

James P Over a year ago

Hi Bill, thank you for your help, it's nearly there but basically i just want the status to be a certain colour. For example when PS returns results i would like to change the colour of individual items; I would like 'Enabled' if 'True' to be green, if 'False' to be red. so that it stands out in a more clear and concise way

Bill_Stewart Over a year ago

In order to do that, you will need to construct your own output and combine write-host -nonewline and write-host -foregroundcolor. For example: write-host -nonewline "Account disabled: " then write-host -foregroundcolor Red "True" on the next line. You won't be able to use format-table since that's going to output an object in the current console colors.

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