New-Module
Creates a new dynamic module that exists only in memory.
Syntax
New-Module
[-ScriptBlock] <ScriptBlock>
[-Function <String[]>]
[-Cmdlet <String[]>]
[-ReturnResult]
[-AsCustomObject]
[-ArgumentList <Object[]>]
[<CommonParameters>]New-Module
[-Name] <String>
[-ScriptBlock] <ScriptBlock>
[-Function <String[]>]
[-Cmdlet <String[]>]
[-ReturnResult]
[-AsCustomObject]
[-ArgumentList <Object[]>]
[<CommonParameters>]Description
The New-Module cmdlet creates a dynamic module from a script block. The members of the dynamic
module, such as functions and variables, are immediately available in the session and remain
available until you close the session.
Like static modules, by default, the cmdlets and functions in a dynamic module are exported and the
variables and aliases are not. However, you can use the Export-ModuleMember cmdlet and the
parameters of New-Module to override the defaults.
You can also use the AsCustomObject parameter of New-Module to return the dynamic module as a
custom object. The members of the modules, such as functions, are implemented as script methods of
the custom object instead of being imported into the session.
Dynamic modules exist only in memory, not on disk. Like all modules, the members of dynamic modules run in a private module scope that is a child of the global scope. Get-Module cannot get a dynamic module, but Get-Command can get the exported members.
To make a dynamic module available to Get-Module, pipe a New-Module command to Import-Module, or
pipe the module object that New-Module returns to Import-Module. This action adds the dynamic
module to the Get-Module list, but it does not save the module to disk or make it persistent.
Examples
Example 1: Create a dynamic module
This example creates a new dynamic module with a function called Hello. The command returns a
module object that represents the new dynamic module.
New-Module -ScriptBlock {function Hello {"Hello!"}}
Name : __DynamicModule_2ceb1d0a-990f-45e4-9fe4-89f0f6ead0e5
Path : 2ceb1d0a-990f-45e4-9fe4-89f0f6ead0e5
Description :
Guid : 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Version : 0.0
ModuleBase :
ModuleType : Script
PrivateData :
AccessMode : ReadWrite
ExportedAliases : {}
ExportedCmdlets : {}
ExportedFunctions : {[Hello, Hello]}
ExportedVariables : {}
NestedModules : {}Example 2: Working with dynamic modules and Get-Module and Get-Command
This example demonstrates that dynamic modules are not returned by the Get-Module cmdlet. The
members that they export are returned by the Get-Command cmdlet.
new-module -scriptblock {function Hello {"Hello!"}}
Name : __DynamicModule_2ceb1d0a-990f-45e4-9fe4-89f0f6ead0e5
Path : 2ceb1d0a-990f-45e4-9fe4-89f0f6ead0e5
Description :
Guid : 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Version : 0.0
ModuleBase :
ModuleType : Script
PrivateData :
AccessMode : ReadWrite
ExportedAliases : {}
ExportedCmdlets : {}
ExportedFunctions : {[Hello, Hello]}
ExportedVariables : {}
NestedModules : {}
Get-Module
Get-Command Hello
CommandType Name Definition
----------- ---- ----------
Function Hello "Hello!"Example 3: Export a variable into the current session
This example uses the Export-ModuleMember cmdlet to export a variable into the current session.
Without the Export-ModuleMember command, only the function is exported.
New-Module -ScriptBlock {$SayHelloHelp="Type 'SayHello', a space, and a name."; function SayHello ($name) { "Hello, $name" }; Export-ModuleMember -function SayHello -Variable SayHelloHelp}
$SayHelloHelp
Type 'SayHello', a space, and a name.
SayHello Jeffrey
Hello, JeffreyThe output shows that both the variable and the function were exported into the session.
Example 4: Make a dynamic module available to Get-Module
This example demonstrates that you can make a dynamic module available to Get-Module by piping the
dynamic module to Import-Module.
New-Module creates a module object that is piped to the Import-Module cmdlet. The Name
parameter of New-Module assigns a friendly name to the module. Because Import-Module does not
return any objects by default, there is no output from this command. Get-Module that the
GreetingModule has been imported into the current session.
New-Module -ScriptBlock {function Hello {"Hello!"}} -name GreetingModule | Import-Module
Get-Module
Name : GreetingModule
Path : d54dfdac-4531-4db2-9dec-0b4b9c57a1e5
Description :
Guid : 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Version : 0.0
ModuleBase :
ModuleType : Script
PrivateData :
AccessMode : ReadWrite
ExportedAliases : {}
ExportedCmdlets : {}
ExportedFunctions : {[Hello, Hello]}
ExportedVariables : {}
NestedModules : {}
Get-Command hello
CommandType Name Definition
----------- ---- ----------
Function Hello "Hello!"The Get-Command cmdlet shows the Hello function that the dynamic module exports.
Example 5: Generate a custom object that has exported functions
This example shows how to use the AsCustomObject parameter of New-Module to generate a custom
object that has script methods that represent the exported functions.
The New-Module cmdlet creates a dynamic module with two functions, Hello and Goodbye. The
AsCustomObject parameter creates a custom object instead of the PSModuleInfo object that
New-Module generates by default. This custom object is saved in the $m variable.
The $m variable appears to have no assigned value.
$m = New-Module -ScriptBlock {
function Hello ($name) {"Hello, $name"}
function Goodbye ($name) {"Goodbye, $name"}
} -AsCustomObject
$m
$m | Get-Member
TypeName: System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject
Name MemberType Definition
---- ---------- ----------
Equals Method bool Equals(System.Object obj)
GetHashCode Method int GetHashCode()
GetType Method type GetType()
ToString Method string ToString()
Goodbye ScriptMethod System.Object Goodbye();
Hello ScriptMethod System.Object Hello();
$m.goodbye("Jane")
Goodbye, Jane
$m.hello("Manoj")
Hello, ManojPiping $m to the Get-Member cmdlet displays the properties and methods of the custom object. The
output shows that the object has script methods that represent the Hello and Goodbye functions.
Finally, we call these script methods and display the results.
Example 6: Get the results of the script block
This example uses the ReturnResult parameter to request the results of running the script block
instead of requesting a module object. The script block in the new module defines the SayHello
function and then calls the function.
New-Module -ScriptBlock {function SayHello {"Hello, World!"}; SayHello} -ReturnResult
Hello, World!Parameters
-ArgumentList
Specifies an array of arguments which are parameter values that are passed to the script block. For more information about the behavior of ArgumentList, see about_Splatting.
| Type: | Object[] |
| Aliases: | Args |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-AsCustomObject
Indicates that this cmdlet returns a custom object that represents the dynamic module. The module members are implemented as script methods of the custom object, but they are not imported into the session. You can save the custom object in a variable and use dot notation to invoke the members.
If the module has multiple members with the same name, such as a function and a variable that are both named A, only one member with each name can be accessed from the custom object.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Cmdlet
Specifies an array of cmdlets that this cmdlet exports from the module into the current session. Enter a comma-separated list of cmdlets. Wildcard characters are permitted. By default, all cmdlets in the module are exported.
You cannot define cmdlets in a script block, but a dynamic module can include cmdlets if it imports the cmdlets from a binary module.
| Type: | String[] |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Function
Specifies an array of functions that this cmdlet exports from the module into the current session. Enter a comma-separated list of functions. Wildcard characters are permitted. By default, all functions defined in a module are exported.
| Type: | String[] |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Name
Specifies a name for the new module. You can also pipe a module name to New-Module.
The default value is an autogenerated name that starts with __DynamicModule_ and is followed by a
GUID that specifies the path of the dynamic module.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | 0 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ReturnResult
Indicates that this cmdlet runs the script block and returns the script block results instead of returning a module object.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ScriptBlock
Specifies the contents of the dynamic module. Enclose the contents in braces ({}) to create a
script block. This parameter is required.
| Type: | ScriptBlock |
| Position: | 1 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
You can pipe a module name to this cmdlet.
Outputs
System.Management.Automation.PSModuleInfo, System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject, or None
This cmdlet generates a PSModuleInfo object, by default. If you use the AsCustomObject parameter, it generates a PSCustomObject object. If you use the ReturnResult parameter, it returns the result of evaluating the script block in the dynamic module.
Notes
You can also refer to New-Module by its alias, nmo. For more information, see
about_Aliases.