How to call a Scriptblock as a function parameter in Powershell

Question

I would like to have a function to run different ScriptBlocks. So, I need to use my Scriptblock as the parameter of the function. It does not work.

For example. This function returns the ScriptBlock as a string.

function Run_Scriptblock($SB) {
    return $SB
}

These are the outputs from my tries:

# 1st try
Run_Scriptblock {systeminfo}

>> systeminfo


# 2nd try
Run_Scriptblock systeminfo

>> systeminfo


# 3rd try
Run_Scriptblock [scriptblock]systeminfo

>> [scriptblock]systeminfo


# 4th try
$Command = [scriptblock]{systeminfo}
Run_Scriptblock $Command

>> [scriptblock]systeminfo


# 5th try
[scriptblock]$Command = {systeminfo}
Run_Scriptblock $Command

>> systeminfo

phuclv · Accepted Answer · 2023-06-10 10:28:43Z

4

If you want a function to run a scriptblock, you need to actually invoke or call that scriptblock, i.e.

function Run_Scriptblock($SB) {
    $SB.Invoke()
}

or

function Run_Scriptblock($SB) {
    & $SB
}

Otherwise the function will just return the scriptblock definition in string form. The return keyword is not needed, since PowerShell functions return all non-captured output by default.

The function would be called like this:

Run_Scriptblock {systeminfo}

As a side note, I would recommend you consider naming your function following PowerShell conventions (<Verb>-<Noun> with an approved verb), e.g.

function Invoke-Scriptblock($SB) {
    ...
}

edited Jun 10, 2023 at 10:28

phuclv

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answered Oct 4, 2019 at 12:05

Ansgar Wiechers

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2 Comments

M2065 Over a year ago

I'd also add the cmdlet 'invoke-expression' to this list too.

Ansgar Wiechers Over a year ago

@M2065 I wouldn't, and neither should you.

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