Run Powershell script from URL without temporary file

Question

I want to write a PowerShell script that runs a PowerShell script stored at a URL, passing both custom arguments and forwarding any arguments that are given to this PowerShell. Concretely, I can do:

$VAR=Invoke-WebRequest http://example.com/powershell.ps1
$TEMP=New-TemporaryFile
$FILE=$TEMP.FullName + ".ps1"
$VAR.Content | Out-File $FILE
& $FILE somearguments $args

I'd ideally like to do that without using a temporary file, however powershell -content - doesn't seem to allow also passing arguments. Is there any way to avoid the temporary file?

Look how chocolatey does it

user6811411
– user6811411

2017-05-10 21:50:38 +00:00
Commented May 10, 2017 at 21:50 — user6811411
– user6811411, Commented May 10, 2017 at 21:50

Daniel Agans · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-11 02:50:50Z

36

Stolen straight from chocolatey's site. I use this more often than i should

iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))

source

answered May 11, 2017 at 2:50

Daniel Agans

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3 Comments

scrthq Over a year ago

This is what I use, easiest and most direct way.... the DownloadString() method pulls the raw contents, then iex (Invoke-Expression) runs the string that's pulled

Neil Mitchell Over a year ago

That doesn't seem to permit additional command line arguments to be given to the remote powershell script.

Max Barrass Over a year ago

And will give you this error "This script contains malicious content and has been blocked by your antivirus software."

Neil Mitchell · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-16 21:36:09Z

14

You can convert content to script block and then invoke it as command with arguments

$Script = Invoke-WebRequest 'http://example.com/powershell.ps1'
$ScriptBlock = [Scriptblock]::Create($Script.Content)
Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock $ScriptBlock -ArgumentList ($args + @('someargument'))

edited May 16, 2017 at 21:36

Neil Mitchell

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answered May 10, 2017 at 21:47

Igor

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2 Comments

Neil Mitchell Over a year ago

$args + @('someargument') seems to be required, or it flattens the $args and turns it into a string

Igor Over a year ago

Thanks @NeilMitchell

SynCap · Accepted Answer · 2021-07-26 14:49:01Z

9

Automatic download and start remote PowerShell script w/0 save (on the fly):

iex (iwr $ScriptURL).Content

WTF:

alias iex,iwr

More help:

Get-Help Invoke-Expression
Get-Help Invoke-WebRequest

edited Jul 26, 2021 at 14:49

answered Jul 26, 2021 at 13:08

SynCap

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2 Comments

DaMaxContent Jul 2 at 6:58

This should be higher as it works in Constrained Language Mode. The other answers rely on C# APIs which are not permitted in CLM

DaMaxContent Jul 3 at 0:51

In order for this to work in Restricted Language Mode, you need to use iex (iwr $ScriptURL | select -ExpandProperty Content) as property assessors are not allowed in that PowerShell mode

Max Barrass · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-13 13:13:15Z

3

This one-liner will download and source the file from a URL

. ([Scriptblock]::Create((([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII).getString((Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "${FUNCTIONS_URI}").Content))))

example $FUNCTIONS_URI = "https://github.com/aem-design/aemdesign-docker/releases/latest/download/functions.ps1"

answered Mar 13, 2021 at 13:13

Max Barrass

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Comments

ornaras · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-13 08:06:38Z

0

work on PowerShell 2.0

Invoke-Expression (New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString($scriptUrl)

answered May 13 at 8:06

ornaras

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