Building Graphical PowerShell Tools: A Three-Part Guide

In this three-part guide, PowerShell expert Brien Posey takes you through the process of building a PowerShell-based application – in this case, a weather app. The series of articles is designed to equip readers with advanced PowerShell coding techniques while emphasizing practical utility, data integration, and graphical user interface development.

Part 1 introduces the core components and objectives of the weather app. Posey explains how the app uses external data sources, including a CSV file for zip code data, the National Weather Service API for weather information, and custom icons for graphical representation. He also provides strategies for managing complex PowerShell scripts.

Part 2 delves into the script’s logic, providing a detailed look at data acquisition, filtering, manipulation, and API calls to retrieve data.

Part 3 shifts its focus to developing the graphical user interface. The article explores creating user interface elements, working with Windows forms, organizing UI elements using group boxes, and implementing combo boxes. Additionally, it demonstrates how to display information within the GUI.

The guide concludes by providing the complete source code of the script for you to explore.

We hope this guide proves to be a valuable resource for advanced PowerShell enthusiasts looking to develop practical and interactive tools. Claim your free download below!