Scout PS is a template engine for PowerShell. It allows you to dynamic text generation based on text or HTML templates.
- Parameterized templates
- Parameter escaping
- Layout/Master templates
- Template Directives
- All PowerSehll features available in templates (loops, conditions, cmdlets, etc.)
Install-Module -Name ScoutScout exposes a single function Invoke-ScoutRender that takes a template file, a context object, and an optional layout file. The function returns the rendered template as a string.
Method signature:
Invoke-ScoutRender [[-content] <string>] [[-ctx] <hashtable>] [[-layout] <string>]-
$varName: Interpolate the variable value at the template content. Only works with primitive context values hash tables, objects or arrays might be acceded using other directives. -
${ ... }$: Code block directive. Allows to execute PowerShell code inside the template. The code block must be enclosed by${and}$ -
$= ... =$: Print directive. Allows to print the result of a PowerShell expression inside the template. The expression must be enclosed by$=and=$and should not contain the $ character -
$# ... #$: Comment directive. Allows to add comments inside the template. The comment must be enclosed by$#and#$
The main use case is to render a template with a context object; the context object is a hashtable that contains the variables that will be interpolated in the template.
Import-Module Scout -Force
$context = @{
"title" = "Home";
"user" = "Ari";
"wHtml" = "<h1>hello world >:3</h1>";
"users" = @{
"data" = @(
@{"name" = "Ari"; "age"=23},
@{"name" = "Ayken"; "age"=22}
)
}
}
$page = "$(Get-Location)/index.html"
$layout = "$(Get-Location)/layout.html"
$result = Invoke-ScoutRender $page $context $layout<section id="greetings">
$# this variable is interpolated from the context object #$
$# RESULT: Hello Ari #$
Hello $user
$# this variable is not defined at context object so the engine ignore it #$
$# RESULT: Hello $asd #$
Hello $asd
<section/>
<section id="html-excape">
$# this variable has been escaped to be safety binded #$
$# RESULT: <h1>hello world >:3</h1> #$
$wHtml
<section/>
<section id="print-directive">
$# accessing to second user's name #$
$# RESULT: Ayken #$
$= ctx.users.data[1].name =$
<section/>
<section id="code-block">
${
<# conditionals #>
if ('$user' -eq 'admin') {
echo `<h1>Admin</h1>`
} else {
echo `<h1>Normal User</h1>`
}
<# pipes and loops #>
$ctx.t.data | ForEach-Object {
echo ($_.name + "<br>")
};
<# HTML prints #>
echo "<hr>";
<# loops using ForEach alias '%' #>
$ctx.t.data | % { echo ($_.name + "<br>") };
<# using http web request native method #>
$waifu = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://api.waifu.pics/many/sfw/wink" -Method Post -Body @{ "exclude" = @() };
$waifuFiles = ($waifu.Content | ConvertFrom-Json).files;
$waifuFiles | ForEach-Object {
echo "<img src='$($_)' alt='waifu' width='200px'>"
};
<# dynamic list of CPU process list #>
echo "<ul>";
Get-Process | % {
if($_.ProcessName.Length -gt 0){
echo "<li>" $_.ProcessName "</li>"
}
};
echo "</ul>";
}$
<section/><!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Scout - $title</title>
</head>
<body>
$content
</body>
</html>