How PowerShell Can Download Files from the Internet
The purpose of this page is two fold; firstly, the practical task of downloading a file. Secondly, to explore one of the many uses of the New-Object cmdlet.
Windows PowerShell New-Object Topics
- Download a File from the Internet Using PowerShell
- Help with New-Object’s Parameters
- Research New-Object Methods and Properties
- PowerShell New-Object in Action
- PowerShell New Item
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Download a File from the Internet Using PowerShell
New-Object is one of the most versatile cmdlets, in this instance it creates a WebClient. The source is .Net Framework, and as we can see, this object has a method called .DownloadFile, which completes the task thanks to the $Url and $LocalPath variables.
# PowerShell script to download a file from the internet
$Url = "http://tinyurl.com/axthvc8"
$LocalPath = "C:\Downloads\Animals.themepack"
$Wget = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
$Wget.DownloadFileAsync($Url, $LocalPath)
Note 1: The .DownloadFileAsync method needs to know the internet URL and also the local path to paste the destination copy of the file.
Research New-Object Methods and Properties
Clear-Host
$Wget = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
$Wget | Get-Member
Note 3: System.Net.WebClient also has a method called plain DownloadFile; using this parameter seems to take longer, or at least to tie up the console, whereas DownloadFileAsync is more of a background operation.
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Help with New-Object’s Parameters
Clear-Host
Help New-Object -full
Note 2: -ComObject is one of the most interesting parameters.
Whereas we used a System.Net object in the script above, you can also access the -ComObjects. Examples of COM (Component Object Model) are Windows Script Host (WSH) and ActiveX applications such as Internet Explorer.
New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
New-Object -ComObject WScript.Network
New-Object -ComObject Scripting.Dictionary
New-Object -ComObject Scripting.FileSystemObject
See more examples of PowerShell’s -ComObject »
PowerShell New-Object in Action
New-Object is a concept. This particular PowerShell cmdlet enables you to build your own object, as we will see, you can combine properties of different underlying objects to create a new custom object.
#Preamble
This script uses two WMI classes to create the building blocks. Then look out for
# New-Object creates custom object.
#PowerShell New-Object Example
Clear-Host
# Preamble – Operating System Properties
$OS = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_OperatingSystem
$Boot = [Management.ManagementDateTimeConverter]::ToDateTime($OS.LastBootUpTime)
# Preamble – Bios Properties
$Bios = Get-WmiObject Win32_BIOS
# New-Object creates custom object
$Custom = New-Object –TypeName PSObject
$Custom | Add-Member –MemberType NoteProperty –Name BootTime –Value $Boot
$Custom | Add-Member –MemberType NoteProperty –Name OSBuild –Value $OS.BuildNumber
$Custom | Add-Member –MemberType NoteProperty –Name BiosMake –Value $Bios.Manufacturer
$Custom | Format-Table BiosMake, OSBuild, BootTime -AutoSize
Note: Observe and trace how $Custom is built of properties contained by two other objects (Operating System and Bios).
Research Other PowerShell ‘Object’ Cmdlets
You can use Get-Command to investigate additional members of PowerShell's 'Object' family. Simply append the -Noun parameter. Incidentally, you could also try -Verb New.
Clear-Host
Get-Command -Noun Object
Compare-Object
ForEach-Object
Group-Object
Measure-Object
New-Object
Select-Object
Sort-Object
Tee-Object
Where-Object
See PowerShell use New-Object to create a shortcut »
Summary of PowerShell New-Object
Scenario: You wish to download a file from the internet, or a network server. Solution: Call for PowerShell’s New-Object; create a system.net.webclient type of object. Specify the web url, and the local path in the .DownloadFile method.
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See more PowerShell examples of ‘Object’ cmdlets
• PowerShell Tutorials • Syntax • PowerShell Where-Object • Foreach-Object • Free WMI Monitor
• New-Item • Remove-Item • ItemProperty • PowerShell New Object • Sort-Object • Group-Object
• PowerShell Splatting • Select-String • -replace string • Compare-Object • Measure-Object
Please email me if you have a better example script. Also please report any factual mistakes, grammatical errors or broken links, I will be happy to correct the fault.
