Can you overload functions in PowerShell?
I want to my function to accept a string, array or some switch.
An example of what I want:
In PowerShell functions are not overloaded. The last definition overrides the previous in the same scope or hides the previous in a parent scope. Thus, you should create a single function and provide a way to distinguish its call mode by arguments.
In V2 you may use an advanced function, see help about_Functions_Advanced_Parameters
and avoid some manual coding on resolving parameter set ambiguities:
# advanced function with 3 parameter sets
function Backup-UsersData
(
[Parameter(Position=0, ParameterSetName="user")]
[string]$user,
[Parameter(Position=0, ParameterSetName="array")]
[object[]]$array,
[Parameter(Position=0, ParameterSetName="all")]
[switch]$all
)
{
# use this to get the parameter set name
$PSCmdlet.ParameterSetName
}
# test
Backup-UsersData -user 'John'
Backup-UsersData 1, 2
Backup-UsersData -all
# OUTPUT:
# user
# array
# all
Note that this mechanism is sometimes strange. For example in the first test we have to specify parameter name -user
explicitly. Otherwise:
Backup-UsersData : Parameter set cannot be resolved using the specified named parameters.
At C:\TEMP\_101015_110059\try2.ps1:21 char:17
+ Backup-UsersData <<<< 'John'
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (:) [Backup-UsersData], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : AmbiguousParameterSet,Backup-UsersData
In many cases standard, not advanced, function with mixed parameters will do:
function Backup-UsersData
(
[string]$user,
[object[]]$array,
[switch]$all
)
{
if ($user) {'user'}
elseif ($array) {'array'}
elseif ($all) {'all'}
else {'may be'}
}
Backup-UsersData -user 'John'
Backup-UsersData -array 1, 2
Backup-UsersData -all
Backup-UsersData
But in this case you should resolve (or accept and ignore) ambiguities, e.g. to decide what to do if, say:
Backup-UsersData -user 'John' -array 1, 2 -all