Running PowerShell script that leverages Parameter Sets without any parameters

Question

How do I allow the option to run a PowerShell script that leverages parameter sets to run without passing any parameters? Is this possible?

param(

  [Parameter(Mandatory=$true,HelpMessage="GenSecureFile used to generate secure password file.",     ParameterSetName = 'GenSecureFile')]
  [switch]$GenSecureFile,

  [Parameter(Mandatory=$true,HelpMessage="GenSettingsFile used to generate settings file.", ParameterSetName = 'GenSettingsFile')]
  [switch]$GenSettingsFile

)

Attempted to use a default parameter but this does not let you run the script with no parameters.

This is possible but looking at your param block you have 2 switch parameters in different sets and these are the only 2 parameters. This leads be to believe your param should be reduced to only 1 [string] parameter that uses a [ValidateSet(...)] attribute decoration — Santiago Squarzon
– Santiago Squarzon, Commented Dec 30, 2022 at 17:40

Santiago Squarzon · Accepted Answer · 2022-12-30 18:40:53Z

2

For this to work properly the parameter being declared as DefaultParameterSetName shouldn't be flagged as Mandatory and possibly be set to $true which wouldn't make sense for a switch Parameter. switch Parameters are meant to be optional (should not be Mandatory) and should not have a default value.

For Example:

function Test-Parameter {
    [CmdletBinding(DefaultParameterSetName = 'GenSecureFile')]
    param(
        [Parameter(ParameterSetName = 'GenSecureFile')]
        [switch] $GenSecureFile = $true,

        [Parameter(Mandatory, ParameterSetName = 'GenSettingsFile')]
        [switch] $GenSettingsFile
    )

    end {
        $PSCmdlet.ParameterSetName
    }
}

Test-Parameter

What you should do instead is have only one parameter that uses a ValidateSet Attribute Declaration, by doing so there wouldn't be a need for Parameter Sets.

For Example:

function Test-Parameter {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    param(
        [Parameter()]
        [ValidateSet('SecureFile', 'SettingsFile')]
        [string] $Gen = 'SecureFile'
    )

    end {
        if($Gen -eq 'SecureFile') {
            # do something here when `SecureFile`
            return
        }

        # do something here when `SettingsFile`
    }
}

Test-Parameter

edited Dec 30, 2022 at 18:40

answered Dec 30, 2022 at 17:56

Santiago Squarzon

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2 Comments

RetiredGeek Over a year ago

it would seem to me that the END block is un-necessary? Is there something I'm missing?

Santiago Squarzon Over a year ago

@RetiredGeek It is un-necessary but also a preference. I like to be explicit. You're correct tho, a function or scriptblock with undeclared blocks assumes end

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