What Is the Powershell Equivalent Of Bash's Exec()?

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In Powershell, the equivalent of Bash's exec() function is the Start-Process cmdlet. This cmdlet is used to start a new process in the current PowerShell session. It allows you to specify the executable file, arguments, and other options for the new process. Additionally, you can use the Wait parameter with Start-Process to wait for the new process to complete before continuing with the script.


How to launch an external program in PowerShell?

To launch an external program in PowerShell, you can use the Start-Process cmdlet. Here's an example of how you can launch Notepad using PowerShell:

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Start-Process notepad.exe


You can also specify additional parameters when launching the external program. For example, if you want to open a specific file in Notepad, you can do the following:

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Start-Process notepad.exe -ArgumentList "C:\path\to\file.txt"


You can also specify the working directory for the external program using the -WorkingDirectory parameter:

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Start-Process notepad.exe -WorkingDirectory "C:\path\to\directory"


These are just a few examples of how you can launch an external program in PowerShell. The Start-Process cmdlet is quite versatile and allows you to customize how the external program is launched.


How to execute a command in PowerShell?

To execute a command in PowerShell, you simply need to open the PowerShell window and type in the command you want to execute. Press Enter on your keyboard to run the command. Here is an example:

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Get-Process


This command will list all the currently running processes on your computer. You can replace "Get-Process" with any other PowerShell command you want to run.


How to run a command as a different user in PowerShell?

To run a command as a different user in PowerShell, you can use the Invoke-Command cmdlet with the -Credential parameter. Here's an example:

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$cred = Get-Credential -Credential "username"
Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock { Get-Process } -Credential $cred


In this example:

  • The Get-Credential cmdlet prompts you to enter the credentials of the user you want to run the command as.
  • The Invoke-Command cmdlet is used to run the Get-Process cmdlet as the specified user.


Make sure to replace "username" with the actual username of the user you want to run the command as.


How to invoke a command in PowerShell?

To invoke a command in PowerShell, follow these steps:

  1. Launch PowerShell by searching for it in the Start menu or by pressing Win + X and selecting "Windows PowerShell" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" from the menu.
  2. Once PowerShell is open, you can type in the command you want to run. For example, if you want to list all the files in the current directory, you can type Get-ChildItem and press Enter.
  3. PowerShell will execute the command and display the results on the screen.
  4. You can also use parameters with the command by adding them after the command name, separated by a space. For example, to list only the files with a specific extension, you can use Get-ChildItem -Filter *.txt to list only text files.
  5. You can also use tab completion to help you type out commands more quickly. Just start typing the command or parameter and press Tab to autocomplete it.
  6. To see a list of available commands or get help with a specific command, you can use the Get-Help cmdlet. For example, Get-Help Get-ChildItem will display information about the Get-ChildItem command.


Using these steps, you can easily invoke commands in PowerShell and make use of its powerful functionality.

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