Strict-mode-ErrorRecord-formatting

ErrorRecord formatting may fail in the strict mode in the default host

• Fixed in v6-RC

Some internal code of ErrorRecord formatting is not well designed for the strict mode with some hosts. The code uses $host.UI.RawUI.BufferSize.Width but this property may not exist, for example in the default host.

The scripts below create an instance of [PowerShell] and invoke some code in its runspace. The code throws an error and in the catch block tries to output formatted information about the error. The formatting fails.

• Test-1.Out-String.ps1
• Test-2.Format-List.ps1

These scripts use Out-String and Format-List. Some other commands that trigger formatting are Out-File, Format-Custom, Format-Table, Format-Wide.

The scripts work fine if this line is removed

Set-StrictMode -Version 2

If the strict mode is required and a script is designed to work in any host then standard formatting of errors should be avoided.

The script Test-3.manual.formatting.ps1 shows how to manually format an error in a way similar to Out-String.

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• PowerShell/issues/11371
• Discussion of PowerShellPracticeAndStyle/issues/51
• Microsoft Connect 708182