Add command-completion for PowerShell invocation command line

[Liturgist]

Summary of the new feature/enhancement

Command-completion (tab-completion) is a nice capability It would be helpful to have command-completion for parameters when invoking PowerShell from a PowerShell console.

[theJasonHelmick]

Hi @Liturgist, I want to verify I understand your feature request, from within a PowerShell console or terminal running PowerShell, you want tab-completion to complete the pwsh.exe syntax below? pwsh[.exe] [-Login] [[-File] <filePath> [args]] [-Command { - | [-args ] | [<CommandParameters>] } ] [-ConfigurationName ] [-CustomPipeName ] [-EncodedCommand <Base64EncodedCommand>] [-ExecutionPolicy <ExecutionPolicy>] [-InputFormat {Text | XML}] [-Interactive] [-MTA] [-NoExit] [-NoLogo] [-NonInteractive] [-NoProfile] [-OutputFormat {Text | XML}] [-SettingsFile <filePath>] [-SSHServerMode] [-STA] [-Version] [-WindowStyle

[SeeminglyScience]

@theJasonHelmick I'm pretty certain you're right and that's what they're asking for. A build in argument completer for it would be great, I always found it strange that there wasn't one.

[ghost]

This issue has been marked as "Waiting on Author" and has not had any activity for 7 day. It has been closed for housekeeping purposes.

[Liturgist]

@theJasonHelmick, yes, I believe you understand correctly. My apologies for inattention. I still think this would be a helpful addition.

[theJasonHelmick]

@Liturgist - Thank you for the response and the suggestion -- I think this could be a benefit to customers unfamiliar with pwsh.exe syntax. I'll discuss further with the working group and report back.

[iSazonov]

We could add completer for pwsh.exe (Register-ArgumentCompleter)

[theJasonHelmick]

@Liturgist @iSazonov -- After discussing this with the working group, we agree that this would be a beneficial feature for users. I'm marking this up-for-grabs if the community would like to consider building this solution.

[powercode]

Would it be OK to add a reference to System.CommandLine?

[SeeminglyScience]

Would it be OK to add a reference to System.CommandLine?

Any reference we add essentially version locks that library for anyone else who wants to consume it. There's a pretty high bar for impact that needs to be hit for that to be considered

[powercode]

On the other hand, others would run into issues using diffferent version of System.CommandLine. It may not be the worst to have it in a dependable way, and it would make writing native completers much easier.

[Liturgist]

This is still the case. Just waiting for someone to take it on.

PS C:> $psversionTable.psversion.ToString() 7.3.9

[Liturgist]

This is still the case.

PS C:> $PSVersionTable.PSVersion.ToString() 7.4.2

[jshigetomi]

@Liturgist I'll take this on. Let me know if someone is already working on it.

[jshigetomi]

I made an argument completer for pwsh!

https://gist.github.com/jshigetomi/58cb79de086c804cda3173ef63d7dddf

Please leave some comments and ideas. I hope we can incorporate this completer during runtime once it's approved.

Gist

Tab completion for PowerShell parameters and some parameter arguments

Tab completion for PowerShell parameters and some parameter arguments - PwshTabCompletion.ps1

[Liturgist]

@jshigetomi, I will look forward to trying it out. Thanks.

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[Liturgist]

@jshigetomi, many thanks for your work.

After running PwshTabCompletion.ps1, the completer produces the following parameter names.

-File, -f, -Command, -c, -CommandWithArgs, -cwa, -ConfigurationName, -config, ...

I was expecting...

-File, -Command, -ConfigurationFile, -ConfigurationName, CustomPipeName, ...

Where does CommandWithArgs come from? It does not appear to be in the pwsh help.

    Usage: pwsh[.exe]
        [-Login]
        [[-File] <filePath> [args]]
        [-Command { - | <script-block> [-args <arg-array>]
                      | <string> [<CommandParameters>] } ]
        [-ConfigurationFile <filePath>]
        [-ConfigurationName <string>]
        [-CustomPipeName <string>]
        [-EncodedCommand <Base64EncodedCommand>]
        [-ExecutionPolicy <ExecutionPolicy>]
        [-InputFormat {Text | XML}]
        [-Interactive]
        [-MTA]
        [-NoExit]
        [-NoLogo]
        [-NonInteractive]
        [-NoProfile]
        [-NoProfileLoadTime]
        [-OutputFormat {Text | XML}]
        [-SettingsFile <filePath>]
        [-SSHServerMode]
        [-STA]
        [-Version]
        [-WindowStyle <style>]
        [-WorkingDirectory <directoryPath>]