What is the difference between calling a powershell script like this:
powershell.exe -file "myfile.ps1"
and like this (which also works):
powershell.exe -command "myfile.ps1"
thanks, robert
2 Answers
Running powershell.exe -File will return the exit code set by the script, whereas running powershell.exe -Command will return 1 if the script terminated with a non-zero exit code, or 0 otherwise.
C:\>type "C:\path\to\test.ps1"
exit 5
C:\>powershell.exe -command "C:\path\to\test.ps1"
C:\>echo %errorlevel%
1
C:\>powershell.exe -file "C:\path\to\test.ps1"
C:\>echo %errorlevel%
5
1 Comment
Roman Kuzmin
Added this to PowerShellTraps as Exit-code-5-with-File-1-with-Command
powershell.exe -file "myfile.ps1" — that means: start PowerShell and execute file myfile.ps1 (file name considered to be relative to current directory) in global scope.
powershell.exe -command "myfile.ps1" — that means: start PowerShell and execute command myfile.ps1, and PowerShell allows you to execute script files by typing their names in command line.
Differences:
- In absence of dot source operator
. myfile.ps1PowerShell create new scope when command resolved to be script file. - PowerShell does not look in current directory as source of commands. So if file
myfile.ps1resides in current directory, and current directory not inPATHenvironment variable, then PowerShell fail to findmyfile.ps1command. - If file
myfile.ps1can be found in any directory mentioned inPATHenvironment variable before current directory, thenmyfile.ps1command will be resolved to that file rather then to filemyfile.ps1in current directory. - You can create alias in you profile like
New-Alias myfile.ps1 DoSomethingElse, and in this casemyfile.ps1command will be considered as reference to that alias rather then tomyfile.ps1file.
Comments
powershell.exe -?help? It explains the main differences. If you are interested in subtle differences then this is not clear from the question.