liveBook · Manning

Get-Item

As explained in Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches: Fourth Edition, Covers Windows, Linux, and macOS

Get-Item is a PowerShell cmdlet that retrieves an item such as a file, directory, or registry key.

Get-Item retrieves an item such as a file, directory, or registry key. Its behavior depends on the parameter set selected by the parameters you provide. section 3.5.1

Use the help syntax to distinguish the two main ways to specify the item:

  • Use -Path for the parameter set that accepts a path value. section 3.5.1
  • Use -LiteralPath for the alternative parameter set; -Path and -LiteralPath are mutually exclusive. section 3.5.1
  • Use shared options such as -Filter in either set, while common parameters are available across cmdlets. section 3.5.1

Provide the path positionally

Get-Item ~ -Filter * is valid. Because -Path is the first positional parameter, PowerShell assigns ~ to -Path; the named -Filter parameter receives *. section 3.5.3

SYNTAX
    Get-Item [-Stream <String[]>] [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-Exclude 
   <String[]>] [-Filter <String>] [-Force] [-Include
    <String[]>] -LiteralPath <String[]> [<CommonParameters>]
 
    Get-Item [-Path] <String[]> [-Stream <String[]>] [-Credential 
   <PSCredential>] [-Exclude <String[]>] [-Filter <String>] [-Force]
    [-Include <String[]>] [<CommonParameters>]

Use the syntax listing to compare the -LiteralPath and -Path parameter sets and identify optional parameters. section 3.5.1

How Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches: Fourth Edition, Covers Windows, Linux, and macOS covers it

How deep it goes
Explains parameter sets and positional parameters with syntax rules and one command example, but does not develop item-specific operations.
Examples
Demonstrates Get-Item ~ -Filter * and displays syntax for -Path, -LiteralPath, and related options.
What it assumes
Assumes familiarity with running PowerShell commands while teaching parameter syntax and positional arguments directly.
What you can do after
Evaluate Get-Item help syntax, choose a compatible parameter set, and combine positional and named parameters.
How it connects
Connects Get-Item to parameter sets, positional parameters, common parameters, and the PowerShell help system.

Also explained in

Compare how 2 books explain Get-Item →

Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Learn PowerShell in a Month of Lunches: Fourth Edition, Covers Windows, Linux, and macOS. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.