Checking command execution status using if condition

Question

I am using Powershell version 5.1 on Windows 10.

I have the below code where I am trying to check the execution status, if it works then output as success else failed.

When I run the code, the code works, but it gives an output as failed.

Below is the code

if(Enable-LocalUser -Name TEST)
{
    Write-Host "Success"
}
else
{
    Write-Host "Failed"
}

How can I get a proper confirmation of the command execution? Please help

the Enable-LocalUser cmdlet does not return ANYTHING. [grin] from the help for that cmdlet >>> OUTPUTS - None - This cmdlet does not generate any output. <<< ///// that means your IF will always test against a $NULL and $NULL coerces to $False just like zero does. ///// instead, run the cmdlet and use something like (Get-LocalUser -Name $env:USERNAME).Enabled to test if the account is enabled. — Lee_Dailey
– Lee_Dailey, Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 6:54

ClumsyPuffin · Accepted Answer · 2019-04-24 08:40:19Z

1

You can use $? to check whether the last powershell command executed successfully or not :

Enable-LocalUser -Name TEST
if($?)
{
    Write-Host "Success"
}
else
{
    Write-Host "Failed"
}

If you wanted exception details , then i would suggest try catch :

try{
    Enable-LocalUser -Name TEST2 -ErrorAction Stop
    #The below line will only run if enable-localuser did not generate any exception
    Write-Host "Success"
}
catch
{
    Write-Host "Failed,Due to :"
    $_.exception
}

$? Contains the execution status of the last operation. It contains TRUE if the last operation succeeded and FALSE if it failed.(Excerpt from: Powershell Automatic Variables Documentation)

edited Apr 24, 2019 at 8:40

answered Apr 24, 2019 at 7:06

ClumsyPuffin

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3 Comments

Rajiv Iyer Over a year ago

If I need to capture the Exception Message, can I use the above code in try block and catch the exception?

ClumsyPuffin Over a year ago

@RajivIyer I have updated the answer with a version that gives exception details

Rajiv Iyer Over a year ago

Thank you very much for your help

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