Trying to load a PowerShell module from a custom path

Question

We have a few modules residing on an SMB file share. We want to extend the module path where PowerShell looks for scripts (temporarily, not permanently).

By default, the contents of $env:PSModulePath environment variable is this:

> $env:PSModulePath -split ';'

C:\Users\xxx\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules
C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules
C:\windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Monitoring Agent\Agent\PowerShell\

As documented by Microsoft, I wanted to extend this environment variable by one or more locations, so that calling the Import-Module or even a #Required header would work.

Thus, I executed the following commands:

$customModulePaths = @('\\myServer\myShare\subfolder\module1\',
                       '\\myServer\myShare\subfolder\module2\')

$env:PSModulePath = $env:PSModulePath + [System.IO.Path]::PathSeparator + $($customModulePaths -join [System.IO.Path]::PathSeparator)

The scripts themselves are:

\\myServer\myShare\subfolder\module1\module1.psm1
\\myServer\myShare\subfolder\module2\module2.psm1

The module name is the same as the parent folder, and they have a manifest file (.psd1). I verified that the environment variable was indeed modified by checking the first command again.

Next, I executed Get-Module -ListAvailable -Refresh, expecting to see the 2 modules appear. However, the command's output only references items located in the original $env:PSModulePath's folders. Executing Import-Module module1 also results in an error, stating that the module can't be found.

Am I missing something or is what I'm trying to do not possible? Or is it due to the fact that I'm using UNC instead of local paths?

is there a corresponding module manifest for each module as well (ie. \\myServer\myShare\subfolder\module1\module1.psd1)? — Mathias R. Jessen
– Mathias R. Jessen, Commented May 12, 2020 at 12:36
@MathiasR.Jessen Yes (noted halfway), they each have a manifest generated using New-ModuleManifest. — DocZerø
– DocZerø, Commented May 12, 2020 at 12:37
Can the modules be imported successfully with Import-Module \\myServer\myShare\subfolder\module1 and Import-Module \\myServer\myShare\subfolder\module2? — stackprotector
– stackprotector, Commented May 12, 2020 at 12:39
Yes, both can be imported when referencing the module folder (both the statements are successful) — DocZerø
– DocZerø, Commented May 12, 2020 at 12:45
@ƘɌỈSƬƠƑ I see the problem now. You need to include \\myServer\myShare\subfolder, not the individual module folders — Mathias R. Jessen
– Mathias R. Jessen, Commented May 12, 2020 at 12:49

Mathias R. Jessen · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-12 13:04:49Z

2

Look at the module paths already in $env:PSModulePath - notice that there are no actual module folders - only root folders that contain module folders.

Add the parent of the module directories instead and it should work:

$env:PSModulePath = $env:PSModulePath,'\\myServer\myShare\subfolder' -join [System.IO.Path]::PathSeparator

answered May 12, 2020 at 13:04

Mathias R. Jessen

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