How to list all properties of a PowerShell WMI object

Question

When I look at the Win32_ComputerSystem class, it shows loads of properties like Status, PowerManagementCapabilities, etc. However, when in PowerShell I do the below I only get back a couple:

PS C:\Windows\System32\drivers> Get-WmiObject -Class "Win32_computersystem"

Domain              : YYY.com
Manufacturer        : VMware, Inc.
Model               : VMware Virtual Platform
Name                : LONINEGFQEF58
PrimaryOwnerName    : Authorised User
TotalPhysicalMemory : 2147016704

How can I see all properties?

Vinna

Answer 1

Try this:

Get-WmiObject -Class "Win32_computersystem" | Format-List *
Get-WmiObject -Class "Win32_computersystem" | Format-List -Property *

For certain objects, PowerShell provides a set of formatting instructions that can affect either the table or list formats. These are usually meant to limit the display of reams of properties down to just the essential properties. However there are times when you really want to see everything. In those cases Format-List * will show all the properties. Note that in the case where you're trying to view a PowerShell error record, you need to use "Format-List * -Force" to truly see all the error information, for example,

$error[0] | Format-List * -force

Note that the wildcard can be used like a traditional wilcard this:

Get-WmiObject -Class "Win32_computersystem" | Format-List M*

Harm

I prefer Get-WmiObject -Class win32_computersystem -Property *. It's short and sweet – Irrupt

@KellenStuart It is short n sweet. But it does not always list all properties. Not when I tried it. – Bairn

Answer 2

If you want to know what properties (and methods) there are:

Get-WmiObject -Class "Win32_computersystem" | Get-Member

Watermelon

I am not going to mark you down because of the wording of the original question. But it is worth pointing out that Get-Member does not list the properties and their values only the property/method names and types. – Coniah

This is very useful when scripting to know the type of data each field contains and to list all available field names without fetching data. Thanks! – Biforked

Answer 3

You can also use:

Get-WmiObject -Class "Win32_computersystem" | Select *

This will show the same result as Format-List * used in the other answers here.

Henderson

This is actually better than the method in the accepted answer, since using this method you still have rich objects, whereas using Format-List will destroy all of the objects down the pipeline. – Metralgia

Answer 4

I like

 Get-WmiObject Win32_computersystem | format-custom *

That seems to expand everything.

There's also a show-object command in the PowerShellCookbook module that does it in a GUI. Jeffrey Snover, the PowerShell creator, uses it in his unplugged videos (recommended).

Although most often I use

Get-WmiObject Win32_computersystem | fl *

It avoids the .format.ps1xml file that defines a table or list view for the object type, if there are any. The format file may even define column headers that don't match any property names.

Pescara

format-custom * seems the answer that really shows everything – Corotto

Answer 5

The most succinct way to do this is:

Get-WmiObject -Class win32_computersystem -Property *

Irrupt

Succinct, perhaps, but incomplete. This only lists the originally seen (5) properties vs the 83 that show up when using: Get-WmiObject -Class "Win32_computersystem" | Select * – Telegraph

Answer 6

You can list all properties of object using Four ways

Method-1: Format-Table

Get-Process | Format-Table -Property * -Wrap | Out-File abc.txt -Width 5000
OR
Get-Process | Format-Table * -Wrap | Out-File abc.txt -Width 5000
OR
Get-Process | FT * -Wrap | Out-File abc.txt -Width 5000

Method-2: Format-List

Get-Process | Format-List -Property *
OR
Get-Process | Format-List *
OR
Get-Process | FL *

Method-3: ConvertTo-Html

Get-Process | ConvertTo-Html | Out-File services1.html ; invoke-item services1.html

Method-4: Out-GridView

Get-Process | Select * | Out-GridView

Comparision of results to show parameters usage:

• Format-Table/Format-List If you want to include all columns then always use -Property * parameter

• Format-Table always capture output to a file using Out-File because sometime not all columns are included if you show result on screen.

• FormatTable always specify reasonable width using -Width parameter otherwise column values are truncated in result.

• Format-Table always use -Wrap so that column with large text is not trimmed but is shown in multiple line in long column.

• CovertTo-Html properties with collections will only display Type Name of Collection insted of comma seperated values of collection items. This display is bit different from how Format-Table, Format-List & ConvertTo-Html display property with collection

Tucson

using Out-GridView to format output of commands like Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem could be more user-friendly, if there was a way to transpose the table, so it lists all properties vertically instead of presenting the object as a extremely wide table – Magnetohydrodynamics