New-PSFSupportPackage - Getting support and debugging information fast & comfortable
One of the latest additions to the PSFramework module, the function New-PSFSupportPackage enables the user to easily create a package of debugging information that can be used to troubleshoot issues the user might be having with a given powershell module / code.
User experience
New-PSFSupportPackage is designed to be fairly easy to use for the user:
New-PSFSupportPackage
This is all that is needed for it to get started and create a zip-file on the desktop, containing the information needed to troubleshoot the issue.
It will also tell the user just what it exported, as it might be easy to accidentally include confidential data.
Working with the export
The zip archive includes a single xml file. Extract that file, then import it into PowerShell:
$data = Import-Clixml "<path>\<to>\<file>.xml"
The object thus stored in $data contains all the information and contains the following properties:
Execution Data
ConsoleBuffer
Everything that is shown on the console screen and above it. Basically a screenshot of the entire PowerShell console.
History
Input history of the user
Messages
All messages logged to the PSFramework that are still available in memory.
Messages are written by Write-PSFMessage
Errors
All errors logged to the PSFramework that are still available in memory.
Errors are logged by Write-PSFMessage and Stop-PSFFunction
PSErrors
All errors stored in the $Error variable.
Environment Information
SnapIns
What PowerShell SnapIns were loaded
Modules
What PowerShell modules were imported at the time of export.
Note: This includes the full script code in case of script modules!
Assemblies
The DLL files imported into the process
PSVersion
Information on the PowerShell version
OperatingSystem
What Operating System the code was run on.
Ram
Information on computer memory.
CPU
Information on the computer’s CPU
Integration and supplement
PSFramework tries to support modules that contain their own debugging systems, by detecting their presence and if detected will include their debugging data.
dbatools
If the dbatools module is loaded, New-PSFSupportPackage will include their own debugging data by adding the following properties to the data package:
DbatoolsMessages
All messages logged within dbatools that are still available in memory.
DbatoolsErrors
All errors logged within dbatools that are still available in memory.