PowerShell Notebook

PowerShell Notebook is a console host application for PowerShell to bring Jupyter Notebook-like user experience to PowerShell scripting.

The code editor adopts AvalonEdit and provides code completion, syntax highlighting and automatic indentation.

Installation

This module is published in the PowerShell Gallery.

Install-Module psnotebook

Getting started

Import the module and invoke the Start-Notebook cmdlet in the PowerShell console.

Import-Module psnotebook
Start-Notebook

As another way, you can execute NotebookApp.exe in the module directory ($HOME\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\psnotebook in the usual environment).

Key Bindings

Key stroke	Action
Ctrl+Up	Move to the previous command line.
Ctrl+Down	Move to the next command line.
Ctrl+Left	Move to the beginning of the command line.
Ctrl+Right	Move to the end of the command line.
Enter	Insert a line break and automatic indentation. (Editor mode)
Shift+Enter	Execute the command line and move to the next command line. (Editor mode)
Ctrl+Enter	Execute the command line and keep the cursor in the current command line. (Editor mode)
F5	Execute the command line and keep the cursor in the current command line.
Ctrl+F5	Execute all command lines in order.
Ctrl+Q	Show the context menu to operate command line cells.
Esc	Cancel the ongoing execution.

The other key strokes work in the same way as the standard edit control.

Editor mode/Shell mode

By default, the application is in the 'Editor mode'. In this mode, the Enter key will insert a line break and entering the Ctrl+Enter and Shift+Enter keys will execute the command line.

When this mode is set to off ('Shell mode'), the Enter key will immediately execute the command. The Ctrl+Enter and Shift+Enter keys will insert a line break.

You can set the Editor mode on and off in the 'Edit' menu or the context menu.

Context menu

By right-clicking on the cell index or enter Ctrl+Q in the code editor, the context menu will open.

Commands to insert, delete and move command line cells are available in the context menu.

Helper cmdlets

Cmdlet	Description
Start-Notebook	Start a new Notebook application.
New-WpfGrid	Create a WPF Grid object.
New-WpfImage	Create a WPF Image object.
Get-NotebookWindowDispatcher	Get a Dispatcher object that the Notebook's GUI exposes.
Invoke-WpfAction	Invoke a script block under the thread in which the Notebook application is running.

Limitations

The following limitations exist in the current version:

• Keyboard input
• Terminal escape sequences

By these limitations, the following cmdlets and operations do not work: Read-Host, Set-PSBreakpoint (console debugger) and $ErrorActionPreference='Inquire'.

Native applications that perform any console operations except just writing to stdout and stderr outputs do not work correctly on this console.

Notes

Using with OxyPlot CLI

To use OxyPlot CLI with this application, execute the following commands:

Import-Module oxyplotcli
Set-OxyPlotViewDispatcher (Get-NotebookWindowDispatcher)

The above commands should be written in Notebook_profile.ps1. You can also put them in profile.ps1 as follows:

if ($host.Name -match "PowerShell Notebook") {
    Import-Module oxyplotcli
    Set-OxyPlotViewDispatcher (Get-NotebookWindowDispatcher)
}

You should add the -AsPlotView parameter to each OxyPlot CLI cmdlet to show charts inline.

oxy.line -x 1,2,3 -y 1,2,3 -AsPlotView

License

This software is licensed under the MIT license.

The AvalonEdit library is subject to its own license. Refer to the project site.