New-ModuleManifest

Syntax

New-ModuleManifest
   [-Path] <String>
   [-NestedModules <Object[]>]
   [-Guid <Guid>]
   [-Author <String>]
   [-CompanyName <String>]
   [-Copyright <String>]
   [-RootModule <String>]
   [-ModuleVersion <Version>]
   [-Description <String>]
   [-ProcessorArchitecture <ProcessorArchitecture>]
   [-PowerShellVersion <Version>]
   [-CLRVersion <Version>]
   [-DotNetFrameworkVersion <Version>]
   [-PowerShellHostName <String>]
   [-PowerShellHostVersion <Version>]
   [-RequiredModules <Object[]>]
   [-TypesToProcess <String[]>]
   [-FormatsToProcess <String[]>]
   [-ScriptsToProcess <String[]>]
   [-RequiredAssemblies <String[]>]
   [-FileList <String[]>]
   [-ModuleList <Object[]>]
   [-FunctionsToExport <String[]>]
   [-AliasesToExport <String[]>]
   [-VariablesToExport <String[]>]
   [-CmdletsToExport <String[]>]
   [-DscResourcesToExport <String[]>]
   [-CompatiblePSEditions <String[]>]
   [-PrivateData <Object>]
   [-Tags <String[]>]
   [-ProjectUri <Uri>]
   [-LicenseUri <Uri>]
   [-IconUri <Uri>]
   [-ReleaseNotes <String>]
   [-Prerelease <String>]
   [-RequireLicenseAcceptance]
   [-ExternalModuleDependencies <String[]>]
   [-HelpInfoUri <String>]
   [-PassThru]
   [-DefaultCommandPrefix <String>]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm] 
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The New-ModuleManifest cmdlet creates a new module manifest (.psd1) file, populates its values, and saves the manifest file in the specified path.

Module authors can use this cmdlet to create a manifest for their module. A module manifest is a .psd1 file that contains a hash table. The keys and values in the hash table describe the contents and attributes of the module, define the prerequisites, and determine how the components are processed. Manifests aren't required for a module.

New-ModuleManifest creates a manifest that includes all the commonly used manifest keys, so you can use the default output as a manifest template. To add or change values, or to add module keys that this cmdlet doesn't add, open the resulting file in a text editor.

Each parameter, except for Path and PassThru, creates a module manifest key and its value. In a module manifest, only the ModuleVersion key is required. Unless specified in the parameter description, if you omit a parameter from the command, New-ModuleManifest creates a comment string for the associated value that has no effect.

In PowerShell 2.0, New-ModuleManifest prompts you for the values of commonly used parameters that aren't specified in the command, in addition to required parameter values. Beginning in PowerShell 3.0, New-ModuleManifest prompts only when required parameter values aren't specified.

If you are planning to publish your module in the PowerShell Gallery, the manifest must contain values for certain properties. For more information, see Required metadata for items published to the PowerShell Gallery in the Gallery documentation.

Examples

Example 1 - Create a new module manifest

This example creates a new module manifest in the file that is specified by the Path parameter. The PassThru parameter sends the output to the pipeline and to the file.

The output shows the default values of all keys in the manifest.

New-ModuleManifest -Path C:\ps-test\Test-Module\Test-Module.psd1 -PassThru

#
# Module manifest for module 'Test-Module'
#
# Generated by: ContosoAdmin
#
# Generated on: 7/12/2019
#

@{

# Script module or binary module file associated with this manifest.
# RootModule = ''

# Version number of this module.
ModuleVersion = '0.0.1'

# Supported PSEditions
# CompatiblePSEditions = @()

# ID used to uniquely identify this module
GUID = 'e1826c6e-c420-4eef-9ac8-185e3669ca6a'

# Author of this module
Author = 'ContosoAdmin'

# Company or vendor of this module
CompanyName = 'Unknown'

# Copyright statement for this module
Copyright = '(c) ContosoAdmin. All rights reserved.'

# Description of the functionality provided by this module
# Description = ''

# Minimum version of the PowerShell engine required by this module
# PowerShellVersion = ''

# Name of the PowerShell host required by this module
# PowerShellHostName = ''

# Minimum version of the PowerShell host required by this module
# PowerShellHostVersion = ''

# Minimum version of Microsoft .NET Framework required by this module. This prerequisite is valid for the PowerShell Desktop edition only.
# DotNetFrameworkVersion = ''

# Minimum version of the common language runtime (CLR) required by this module. This prerequisite is valid for the PowerShell Desktop edition only.
# CLRVersion = ''

# Processor architecture (None, X86, Amd64) required by this module
# ProcessorArchitecture = ''

# Modules that must be imported into the global environment prior to importing this module
# RequiredModules = @()

# Assemblies that must be loaded prior to importing this module
# RequiredAssemblies = @()

# Script files (.ps1) that are run in the caller's environment prior to importing this module.
# ScriptsToProcess = @()

# Type files (.ps1xml) to be loaded when importing this module
# TypesToProcess = @()

# Format files (.ps1xml) to be loaded when importing this module
# FormatsToProcess = @()

# Modules to import as nested modules of the module specified in RootModule/ModuleToProcess
# NestedModules = @()

# Functions to export from this module, for best performance, do not use wildcards and do not delete the entry, use an empty array if there are no functions to export.
FunctionsToExport = @()

# Cmdlets to export from this module, for best performance, do not use wildcards and do not delete the entry, use an empty array if there are no cmdlets to export.
CmdletsToExport = @()

# Variables to export from this module
VariablesToExport = '*'

# Aliases to export from this module, for best performance, do not use wildcards and do not delete the entry, use an empty array if there are no aliases to export.
AliasesToExport = @()

# DSC resources to export from this module
# DscResourcesToExport = @()

# List of all modules packaged with this module
# ModuleList = @()

# List of all files packaged with this module
# FileList = @()

# Private data to pass to the module specified in RootModule/ModuleToProcess. This may also contain a PSData hashtable with additional module metadata used by PowerShell.
PrivateData = @{

    PSData = @{

        # Tags applied to this module. These help with module discovery in online galleries.
        # Tags = @()

        # A URL to the license for this module.
        # LicenseUri = ''

        # A URL to the main website for this project.
        # ProjectUri = ''

        # A URL to an icon representing this module.
        # IconUri = ''

        # ReleaseNotes of this module
        # ReleaseNotes = ''

        # Prerelease string of this module
        # Prerelease = ''

        # Flag to indicate whether the module requires explicit user acceptance for install/update/save
        # RequireLicenseAcceptance = $false

        # External dependent modules of this module
        # ExternalModuleDependencies = @()

    } # End of PSData hashtable

} # End of PrivateData hashtable

# HelpInfo URI of this module
# HelpInfoURI = ''

# Default prefix for commands exported from this module. Override the default prefix using Import-Module -Prefix.
# DefaultCommandPrefix = ''

}

Example 2 - Create a new manifest with some prepopulated settings

This example creates a new module manifest. It uses the PowerShellVersion and AliasesToExport parameters to add values to the corresponding manifest keys.

New-ModuleManifest -PowerShellVersion 1.0 -AliasesToExport JKBC, DRC, TAC -Path C:\ps-test\ManifestTest.psd1

Example 3 - Create a manifest that requires other modules

This example uses a string format to specify the name of the BitsTransfer module and the hash table format to specify the name, a GUID, and a version of the PSScheduledJob module.

$moduleSettings = @{
  RequiredModules = ("BitsTransfer", @{
    ModuleName="PSScheduledJob"
    ModuleVersion="1.0.0.0";
    GUID="50cdb55f-5ab7-489f-9e94-4ec21ff51e59"
  })
  Path = 'C:\ps-test\ManifestTest.psd1'
}
New-ModuleManifest @moduleSettings

This example shows how to use the string and hash table formats of the ModuleList, RequiredModules, and NestedModules parameter. You can combine strings and hash tables in the same parameter value.

Example 4 - Create a manifest that supports updateable help

This example uses the HelpInfoUri parameter to create a HelpInfoUri key in the module manifest. The value of the parameter and the key must begin with http or https. This value tells the Updatable Help system where to find the HelpInfo XML updatable help information file for the module.

$moduleSettings = @{
  HelpInfoUri = 'http://https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=603'
  Path = 'C:\ps-test\ManifestTest.psd1'
}
New-ModuleManifest @moduleSettings

For information about Updatable Help, see about_Updatable_Help. For information about the HelpInfo XML file, see Supporting Updatable Help.

Example 5 - Getting module information

This example shows how to get the configuration values of a module. The values in the module manifest are reflected in the values of properties of the module object.

The Get-Module cmdlet is used to get the Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics module using the List parameter. The command sends the module to the Format-List cmdlet to display all properties and values of the module object.

Get-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics -List | Format-List -Property *

LogPipelineExecutionDetails : False
Name                        : Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics
Path                        : C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics\Micro
                              soft.PowerShell.Diagnostics.psd1
Definition                  :
Description                 :
Guid                        : ca046f10-ca64-4740-8ff9-2565dba61a4f
HelpInfoUri                 : https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=210596
ModuleBase                  : C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics
PrivateData                 :
Version                     : 3.0.0.0
ModuleType                  : Manifest
Author                      : Microsoft Corporation
AccessMode                  : ReadWrite
ClrVersion                  : 4.0
CompanyName                 : Microsoft Corporation
Copyright                   : Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
DotNetFrameworkVersion      :
ExportedFunctions           : {}
ExportedCmdlets             : {[Get-WinEvent, Get-WinEvent], [Get-Counter, Get-Counter], [Import-Counter,
                              Import-Counter], [Export-Counter, Export-Counter]...}
ExportedCommands            : {[Get-WinEvent, Get-WinEvent], [Get-Counter, Get-Counter], [Import-Counter,
                              Import-Counter], [Export-Counter, Export-Counter]...}
FileList                    : {}
ModuleList                  : {}
NestedModules               : {}
PowerShellHostName          :
PowerShellHostVersion       :
PowerShellVersion           : 3.0
ProcessorArchitecture       : None
Scripts                     : {}
RequiredAssemblies          : {}
RequiredModules             : {}
RootModule                  :
ExportedVariables           : {}
ExportedAliases             : {}
ExportedWorkflows           : {}
SessionState                :
OnRemove                    :
ExportedFormatFiles         : {C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Event.format.ps1xml,
                              C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Diagnostics.format.ps1xml}
ExportedTypeFiles           : {C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\GetEvent.types.ps1xml}

Parameters

-AliasesToExport

-Author

-ClrVersion

-CmdletsToExport

-CompanyName

-CompatiblePSEditions

-Confirm

-Copyright

-DefaultCommandPrefix

-Description

-DotNetFrameworkVersion

-DscResourcesToExport

-ExternalModuleDependencies

-FileList

-FormatsToProcess

-FunctionsToExport

-Guid

-HelpInfoUri

-IconUri

-LicenseUri

-ModuleList

-ModuleVersion

-NestedModules

-PassThru

-Path

-PowerShellHostName

-PowerShellHostVersion

-PowerShellVersion

-Prerelease

-PrivateData

-ProcessorArchitecture

-ProjectUri

-ReleaseNotes

-RequiredAssemblies

-RequiredModules

-RequireLicenseAcceptance

-RootModule

-ScriptsToProcess

-Tags

-TypesToProcess

-VariablesToExport

-WhatIf

Inputs

None

You can't pipe input to this cmdlet.

Outputs

None or System.String

By default, New-ModuleManifest doesn't generate any output. However, if you use the PassThru parameter, it generates a System.String object representing the module manifest.

Notes

New-ModuleManifest running on Windows and non-Windows platforms creates module manifest (.psd1) files encoded as UTF8NoBOM.

Module manifests are usually optional. However, a module manifest is required to export an assembly that is installed in the global assembly cache.

To add or change files in the $pshome\Modules directory, start PowerShell with the Run as administrator option.

In PowerShell 2.0, many parameters of New-ModuleManifest were mandatory, even though they weren't required in a module manifest. Beginning in PowerShell 3.0, only the Path parameter is mandatory.

A session is an instance of the PowerShell execution environment. A session can have one or more session states. By default, a session has only a global session state, but each imported module has its own session state. Session states allow the commands in a module to run without affecting the global session state.

The caller's session state is the session state into which a module is imported. Typically, it refers to the global session state, but when a module imports nested modules, the caller is the module and the caller's session state is the module's session state.

Related Links

• Export-ModuleMember
• Get-Module
• Import-Module
• New-Module
• Remove-Module
• Test-ModuleManifest
• about_Modules