PSScriptPad

PSScriptPad is the tiny editor for Windows PowerShell and PowerShell 7. It requires no installation or configuration. It weighs in around 4Mbs, can edit, execute and debug PowerShell scripts, design Windows Forms, WPF Windows, and Package Executables. 
Download
You can download PSScriptPad from our website. It is just a .exe file. 
PowerShell Versions
PSScriptPad allows you to select the PowerShell version. The dropdown on the top of the window can be used to select the PS version. 
Integrated Version
The integrated version uses the PowerShell host within PSScriptPad rather than starting an external PowerShell process. 
Editing PowerShell
PSScriptPad supports editing PowerShell scripts. It supports syntax highlighting, syntax checking, IntelliSense and code folding. 
Creating a New PowerShell File
Click the New File button on the toolbar to create a new file. 
Opening a PowerShell Script
Click the Open File button on the toolbar to open a script. 
IntelliSense 
IntelliSense is automatically invoked. It will complete PowerShell cmdlet names, variables, paths, and parameter names. You can also press Ctrl+Space to manually invoke IntelliSense. As you type, the IntelliSense list will be filtered. Pressing tab will select and insert the current option. 
Code Folding 
Code Folding collapses blocks of PowerShell script that you wish to hide. You can collapse blocks such as if blocks, script blocks and functions blocks. Just click the minus and plus sign to close and open blocks. 
PSScriptAnalyzer Support
PSScriptPad will show PSScriptAnalyzer warnings if it is installed. You can customize your PSScriptAnalyzer settings by placing a configuration file in $Env:AppData\PowerShell Pro Tools\PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1.
Debugging 
PSScriptPad can also debug PowerShell scripts. It supports executing scripts, setting breakpoints, stepping through scripts and viewing the output of scripts in the terminal window. 
Setting a breakpoint 
You can set breakpoints by clicking in the editor margin or by using the F9 button to toggle a breakpoint on the selected line. 
Set a breakpoint
Running a Script
You can run a script by clicking the Run button or by pressing F5. It will run the currently open tab. 
Run a script
Stepping through a script
You can single step through a script using the following keys:
F10 - Step over
F11 - Step Into
Shift+F11 - Step Out
Stepping in a script
Packaging Scripts
PSScriptPad can package scripts to executables using package.psd1 files or by selecting a PS1 file and packaging with the default settings. 
Packaging Without a Package.PSD1 file
You can select an PS1 file and click the package button and the script will be packaged into an executable. Results of the packaging process will be shown within the Console. 
Package Script
Packaging with a Package.PSD1 File
​Package.psd1 files allow you to configure all the settings for the packaging process. You can create a package.psd1 file and then when you click the Package button, it will use that file for configuration.
Package.PSD1
​
Windows Form Designer
The Windows Form Designer allows you to create forms with PowerShell scripts. 
Creating a new Form
You can create a new form by click the drop arrow next to the new file button and click New Windows Form.
New Windows Form
Adding Controls to a Form
You can add controls to a form by expanding the toolbox pane, clicking the control you'd like to add and then clicking on the form.
Adding Controls to a Form
Setting Properties of Controls
You can set the properties of a control by selecting the control and then modifying properties in the Properties pane. 
Set Properties of a Control
Setting Event Handlers
You can set event handlers for a control by selecting the control, clicking the lightening bolt icon in the Properties pane and then typing the name of the event handler for the event you'd like to hook up. After saving the form, you can view the code-behind file to define what happens when the event takes place. 
Setting an Event Handler
Running a Form
You can run a form by open the PS1 file for your form and pressing F5 or by clicking the run button. 
Running a Form
Scratch Pad
The Scratch Pad is a way of quickly testing scripts. Open the Script Pad by clicking the Open Scratch Pad button on the toolbar. The Scratch Pad will save automatically and you can execute scripts immediately. 
Scratches are saved and visible in the Scratches window. Scratches contain the scratch that was executed and the output that was generated from the scratch. 
WPF Designer
The WPF designer allows you to visually create WPF forms. You can use the inline editor to adjust properties of the form and see it update in real time. You can then use the XAML in your PowerShell scripts.
Create a WPF Form
Click the New WPF Form button to create a new WPF form. It will open the WPF designer.
WPF Editor in PSScriptPad
Editing the Form
You can use the inline XAML editor to adjust properties of controls and add new ones. For example, you can add a button to your form by including the following XAML.
<Button>Click Me</Button>
Setting Control Properties
You can use the Property window to set properties of a control. To do so, select the control you'd like to modify and then set the specified property in the Property window. The designer and XAML will update after you press Enter . 
Setting Properties of a Window
Integrating with PowerShell
Depending on the PowerShell host, you may need to load the WPF framework.
[System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("PresentationFramework") | Out-Null
XAML can be loaded directly with PowerShell using WPF classes. To load a WPF form from XAML, you can use the Import-Xaml function below.
function Import-Xaml {
	[xml]$xaml = Get-Content -Path $PSScriptRoot\WpfWindow.xaml
	$manager = New-Object System.Xml.XmlNamespaceManager -ArgumentList $xaml.NameTable
	$manager.AddNamespace("x", "http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml");
	$xamlReader = New-Object System.Xml.XmlNodeReader $xaml
	[Windows.Markup.XamlReader]::Load($xamlReader)
}
To show the form, you can load the XAML, store the result in a  variable and then call ShowDialog.
$Window = Import-Xaml
$Window.ShowDialog()
You can configure event handlers by selecting the controls and then add script blocks to the events. You will need to ensure that you have names provided for your controls. For example, the XAML below defines a button with the name Button.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<Window xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008" xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" mc:Ignorable="d" x:Name="wpfWindow" Background="White" Title="WPF Window">
   <Button x:Name="Button">Click</Button>
</Window>
To select the button in PowerShell, you can use the Window's FindName method.
$Button = $Window.FindName('Button')
To set an event handler, like a button click, you can then use add_Click on the button.
$Button.add_Click({
   # Script Here
})
Options
Context Menu
Add an Open with PSScriptPad context menu item to Windows Explorer so you can right click on PS1 files and open them in the editor.
Font Size
Set the font size for the terminal and code editor windows.
Override Execution Policy
Set the execution policy for PSScriptPad to Bypass.
Themes
You can switch between dark and light themes using the options dialog. 
Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard Shortcuts
Action
Used In
Ctrl+S
Save
Script, Form Designers
F5
Start Debugging or Continue
Script
F8
Execute Selection
Script
F9
Toggle Breakpoint
Script
F10
Step Over
Script
F11
Step Into
Script
Shift+F11
Step Out
Script
Ctrl+F
Find
Script, Console
F3
Find Next
Script, Console
Shift+F3
Find Previous
Script, Console
Ctrl+C
Copy
Script, Console
Ctrl+X
Cut
Script, Console
Ctrl+V
Paste
Script, Console
Ctrl+H
Replace
Script, Console
Ctrl+Z
Undo
Script, Console
Ctrl+Y
Redo
Script, Console
Ctrl++
Zoom In
Script, Console
Ctrl+-
Zoom Out
Script, Console
​

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On this page

Download

PowerShell Versions

Integrated Version

Editing PowerShell

PSScriptAnalyzer Support

Debugging

Setting a breakpoint

Running a Script

Stepping through a script

Packaging Scripts

Packaging Without a Package.PSD1 file

Packaging with a Package.PSD1 File

Windows Form Designer

Creating a new Form

Adding Controls to a Form

Setting Properties of Controls

Setting Event Handlers

Running a Form

Scratch Pad

WPF Designer

Create a WPF Form

Editing the Form

Setting Control Properties

Integrating with PowerShell

Options

Context Menu

Font Size

Override Execution Policy

Themes

Keyboard Shortcuts