[PSS2014] Wishlist

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Bosparan
Posts: 290
Last visit: Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:59 am

[PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by Bosparan »

Hello Sapien Team,

I've been using Powershell Studio 2014 for a bit ...
First of all: Thanks! Generally working well and the new features are in most cases great. Most cases.

So here's the list of things I'd love to have, that I think might be within reach of reasonable development effort:

Script Formatter
Really a "WoW!" feature. Never was steal... *cough* borrowing other people's script simpler (Yes, I do keep the credits note, not to worry). The thing is, however: Would you mind including Comments for functions in it?
- Remove trailing spaces/tabs in comment lines
- Take care of proper indentation.
- Notify of invalid Comment entry points (like ".PAREMETER" instead of ".PARAMETER"). Those cause the comments to be invisible when calling the help cmdlet on the commented function.

Prefered Comment Location
For both the function builder (great feature, I like it a lot) and - if I get it - Script formatter I'd like to have the option to place the comment inside the function, instead of above it.
So, not ...
PowerShell Code
Double-click the code block to select all.
<#
    ....
#>
function Test-Function
{
    param(
... but rather ...
PowerShell Code
Double-click the code block to select all.
function Test-Function
{
    <#
        ....
    #>
    param(
On that note, while I'm at it: Thanks for implementing the option to select whether the opened curved braces are to be placed at the end of a line or at the beginning of the next. I remember asking for it some time back and I've been told it's nice to express gratitude when other people fulfill your whishes :)

Running Scripts
I would like to have the option back, to run a single file within a project, instead of having to either run the entire project or copying the page to an individual script.
I have to do that frequently, so it'd be a big time-saver for me.

Function Validator
One nice feature I'd kind of like, and which might be within reach, given your Script formatter: An option to validate a function.
- Are all comments set?
- Have the Parameter Object types declared?
- Probable conflicts when using multiple validations on a single parameter?
- Is the Begin, Process, End Block there and well-designed?
I think it might be a good idea to implement that as a separat menu, where the individual checks can be toggled/untoggled and the functions to be validated can be chosen...

Enhanced MSI Packager
I like the new MSI Packager, but I can't use it. Not because it doesn't work, but because the result can't be made compliant to company policies. What I'd like to have ...
... the choice for the install-path. (Like $env:ProgramFiles\[CompanyName]\[Category]\[SubCategory]\[Name])
... the ability to install x64 packages into the x64 ProgramFiles folder on x64 Systems.

Script Packager
The script packager updates are great. Except for that minor thing, that it's more cumbersome to package a project for multiple architectures. I need to assemble most of my products for both 32-Bit and 64-Bit environments, as well as for Windows 6.1 and 6.3 operating. This means I need to build 4 packages for each Project / File. Version 2 x86, Version 2 x64, Version 3 x86 and Version 3 x86.
This is due to the inability to rely on which version of .NET is available, what kind of APIs it has to interact with, etc.
Oh, and each needs to have a different, specific name, of course.

Sooo ... could I get the option to register multiple packages? So that when I build a package, it builds all four packages for the simple effort of one klick?


And that's all of my new requests ... for now :)
Cheers,
Bosparan
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davidc
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Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by davidc »

Thank you for the feedback. A lot of this is on our todo list. Particularly formatting help comments.

If you wish to run a individual file within a project, right click on the file's tab and select run from the context menu.

I will add a request for the multiple builds for the installers. Right now we wanted a simple solution and depending on user feedback (like yours) we will see what evolves from there.

David
David
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
Bosparan
Posts: 290
Last visit: Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:59 am

Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by Bosparan »

Hi David,
davidc wrote:If you wish to run a individual file within a project, right click on the file's tab and select run from the context menu.
Thanks for pointing that out, hadn't noticed it. Come to think of it, I could simply use "CTRL" + "A" & "CTRL" + "F8" as well ...

oh, while I'm at it ... :)

Key-Bindings in Tooltips
One of the things I'm missing from PSS 2012: The tooltip shown when doing a mouseover on a button no longer contains the Key-Bindings associated with it. This was quite helpful in reremembering just what that Key-Command was again. I rarely bother looking up the pdf with the full list ...

Format Script less destructive on intermediate tabs
The script formatter is - generally - a blessing. However it has a nasty tendency to murder my innocent tabs inside certain elements. Most notably, I use tabs in hash tables inbetween property names and property values, so that all values start at the same position. Which will then be slashed back by the auto-formatter.
These are helpful in making a Hash table immediately recognizable when skimming over the script.
Copy & Pasting content has the same effect on leading tabs. I'm perfectly fine with that if excess tabs are culled from the beginning of a line, however, if there is something else on the left side of the series of tabs.
I'd like to have an option to spare tabs that are neither leading nor trailing a line.

Cheers,
Bosparan
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Alexander Riedel
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Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by Alexander Riedel »

Enhanced MSI Packager
I like the new MSI Packager, but I can't use it. Not because it doesn't work, but because the result can't be made compliant to company policies. What I'd like to have ...
... the choice for the install-path. (Like $env:ProgramFiles\[CompanyName]\[Category]\[SubCategory]\[Name])
... the ability to install x64 packages into the x64 ProgramFiles folder on x64 Systems.
64 bit packages are installed into 64 bit folders.

I will check if we can add more control over the install path in future releases.
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
Bosparan
Posts: 290
Last visit: Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:59 am

Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by Bosparan »

And yet another wish :)

After I rebuilt an old program with PSS2014 (adding some features and doing plenty cleanup), users complained that a feature didn't work anymore. The thing is ... it was a feature I hadn't touched except for automatically formatting it.

Which is where the devil was in residence: The auto-formatter ruined a call to an external executable, by putting spaces into one of its parameters that contains a "=". Thus "=" was turned into " = ", which - while generally very neat and much prefered - turned this into nonfunctional code.

Now, I'm not clamouring for drowning the newborn babe. What I would like to have, is ...

... the ability to except individual lines from being auto-formatted.

That way I can keep auto-formatting happily and you don't have to catch every unlikely exception to the rule.

Cheers,
Bosparan
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davidc
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Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by davidc »

If possible, wrap the parameters in a string it will not treat the = as an operator and provide spacing. Unfortunately there is no way for the formatter to distinguish between content should or should not be spaced but we will look into a possible solution. In the meantime, formatting is trigger based and you can disable those options if need be.

David
David
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
Bosparan
Posts: 290
Last visit: Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:59 am

Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by Bosparan »

Hi Guys,

got some more minor features to add to my wishlist :)

Open files in folder option when Packaging / Deploying
I'd appreciate it, if there was a way to locally set the option on whether the containing folder ought to be opened when packaging or deploying a script / project. I know I can configure it globally, but it would really be a boon to be able to override the global settings in the project-settings ("Deploy > Packager > Settings" and "Deploy > Deployment > Settings").
The thing is, generally I am quite happy with having the folders opened, however I have a couple of projects where I really don't need it. Those two are the ones that permanently accompany me, where 10+ deployments per day are frequent, 50+ can happen too (when during final debugging phase of a major component: One deployment per fix Iteration). Those are simply numbers that keep adding up. Small numbers to be sure, but still a factor (and more to the point: A nuisance, even if it is easy to get rid of).
Being able to set this in the project settings would relieve me of having to deal with the explorer windows (and of having to mess with the global option during expected high-usage times).

Ribbon: Cutting the corner
A minor irritation since release of PSS2014 has been, that each segment in the ribbon has that icon in the lower right corner, that in Office products indicates additional options and is here a dead button.
I know, it has no practical consequence, but I thought I'd mention it, in case it's something as easy to get rid of as untoggling a checkbox somewhere.

Cheers,
Fred

Ps.: Yes, I know the impact of my recent request has been somewhat declining. Think of it as a compliment, I'm really quite happy with PSS as it currently is (though I'll take any further upgrade I can get my greedy hands on! ^^)
Bosparan
Posts: 290
Last visit: Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:59 am

Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by Bosparan »

Hi Guys,

and yet another feature request. This one would have a major impact for me on how I'd use one of the new features, the function Builder:

Function Builder Upgrades
Save Parameters:
I'd love to have the ability to store a parameter on something like a favorites list. Then when I build a new function, I could just pick it from a list (maybe a new panel on the right side of the menu).
Due to the scripting compliance rules I tend to keep implementing the same parameters over and over again (not always in the same combination), and managing them all via Snippets (with separate Snippets for comments and actual parameter) is not all that comfortable.
Then there are some common parameters to scripting in general ($ComputerName, for example), which also tend to keep recurring.

If those stored Parameters could be exported & imported (for example by storing them in the user profile analogous to user Snippets, which then can be copy & pasted - of course using powershell ;) ) it would be even better:
Standardizing parameter-configuration across a team would be easier, typos and different usages would decline. For example, we use the common parameters Silent and Quiet. They have by our internal naming convention different usages (The former suppresses host output, but retains output-objects; the latter replaces rich output-data into a simple $true/$false), but some juniors keep confusing them. If I could simply give them the preconfigured parameters, they would read it in the comments (or the parameter description, if there'd be a way to describe them as it is possible to describe a snippet).

Modify default Comment
The function builder automatically implements Synopsis, Description, Parameter and Example comment sections. It also proposes a Notes comment section.

I'd like to be able to customize this default setting as I desire. For example:
- Change Notes to contain some default information (like Author, company, Date of Creation, Date of latest Modification, with the current date using %date% like).
- Add a .Link comment section with some links and related resources.

Alter the way positional parameters are defined
In the function builder I can set the positional number for each parameter, if I want it to be positional.

I'd like it to be handled slightly differently:
When configuring a parameter I can either hard-set the positional number or simply toggle it by checking a checkbox.
Then, when finalizing the function, it automatically assigns positional numbers to those that were declared positional without hard-setting a number. The numbers are then assigned in the order in which the parameters occur on the parameters list (skipping hard assigned numbers, allowing multi-assignment in case of different parametersets).

Then another column in the parameters-list for position would be handy, as position-placement is interdependent on other positional parameters. Seeing which positions have already been assigned would make it easier. Clicking into the empty Positional Field of a parameter would turn it into a auto-assigned positional parameter. Clicking into it again would turn the field into a small textbox so a positional number can be assigned. If that textbox looses focus while empty it reverts to being a non-positional parameter.

This isn't much of an issue right now, however if my first request here with stored parameters should be realized it would make handling position-handling more smooth.

Cheers,
Bosparan
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davidc
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Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by davidc »

The icons on the ribbon will be removed in the next service release.

Adding a comment-Based help template is on our To-Do list.

We will look into adding a parameter template as well.

Note: You can move parameter up and down the list using the arrow buttons.

Thank you once again for the suggestions!

David
David
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
Bosparan
Posts: 290
Last visit: Fri Oct 08, 2021 11:59 am

Re: [PSS2014] Wishlist

Post by Bosparan »

Hi David,

looking forward to those :)
Davidc wrote:Note: You can move parameter up and down the list using the arrow buttons.
I noticed (and it's a handy function I do use). Just in case this means you assumed that the "position"-Part of my last post was about the ordering of the parameters: I was referring to the Position property ([Parameter(Position = X)]) of a parameter.

oh, on a related note ...

More Function Builder Goodness

Parameter Comments
When configuring a parameter you can set a comment for the CBH for it. This comment however is limited to a single line, which is rarely enough for my purposes (Compliance with our rules requires me to add a line for Aliases and Default values each). Not all that much of a problem currently, this becomes a lot more interesting should you do implement parameter templates (which after all include comments).

Handling multiple Aliases
When adding multiple Aliases to a parameter in the Function Builder, each will be added as a separate line:
[Alias('name1')]
[Alias('name2')]
[Alias('nameX')]
These however can be consolidated into a single line:
[Alias('name1','name2','nameX')]

My preference is the latter notation, as my Param block is usually already bloated enough. On the other hand, it's at worst a very minor irritation (like when you're slightly irritated when a subordinate perfectly finishes a task, but does it a bit differently than you would have ^^). Just thought I mentioned it while I was shooting feature-requests and comments at the Function Builder ;)

Cheers and thanks,
Bosparan
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