PowerShell Profile¶

PowerShell vs Windows PowerShell¶

PowerShell (pwsh.exe) is a different program from Windows PowerShell (powershell.exe).

PowerShell (called "pwsh" on this page) is the newer shell for Windows.

Any PowerShell version 7.0 or above is referencing pwsh.exe.

Profile¶

Since these two programs are different, both pwsh.exe and powershell.exe have different $PROFILE files.

Note: The $PROFILE variable will be set even if there is no profile file.
To create one, just start editing it with a text editor. (nvim $PROFILE).

You can check to see if your configuration file actually exists with the Test-Path cmdlet.

Test-Path -Path $PROFILE

If there is a file, Test-Path returns TRUE.
If no file is set, the response is FALSE.

Profile Locations¶

PowerShell (`pwsh.exe`) `$PROFILE` Location¶

By default, on Windows, the $PROFILE for pwsh will be set to:

C:\Users\kolkhis\OneDrive\Documents\PowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1  
# or 
~/OneDrive/Documents/PowerShell/Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

On Ubuntu/Debian systems:

/home/kolkhis/.config/powershell/Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

Windows PowerShell (`powershell.exe`) `$PROFILE` Location¶

The default $PROFILE location for powershell is:

C:\Users\kolkhis\OneDrive\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1  
# or  
~/OneDrive/Documents/WindowsPowerShell/Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1

Vi Mode¶

Install-Module PSReadLine

Then in your profile:

Set-PSReadLineOption -EditMode Vi  
Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler -Chord Ctrl+[ -Function ViCommandMode  
# If the above doesn't work for ESC:  
Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler -Chord Ctrl+Oem4 -Function ViCommandMode

Aliases¶

Set-Alias -Name vim -Value nvim

Customizing The Prompt¶

To customize the prompt, we make a function called prompt.

function prompt {
    "$pwd`nPS > "  
}

This prints the current directory, a newline (`n), and then the prompt PS >.
Escape sequences are done with backticks instead of backslashes in PowerShell.

Prompt Colors in Pwsh (7.x)¶

You can define colors in-line in the strings with $PSStyle, specifially the $PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb command:

function prompt  
{
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(102, 0, 0))${FirstSep} " -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(132, 65, 45))$env:USERNAME" -NoNewline  
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(64, 64, 64))@" -NoNewline  
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(128, 106, 0))$(hostname)" -NoNewline  
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(64, 64, 64)):" -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(0,106,128))${PWD} " -NoNewline  
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(204, 0, 0))$(Get-GitBranch)" 
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(102, 0, 0))${SecondSep}" -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(64, 64, 64)) $" -NoNewline 
    return "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(160, 160, 160)) "  
# Alternatively, return the 2nd line instead of using Write-Host:  
# return "$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(102, 0, 0))┖$($Global:PSStyle.Foreground.FromRgb(64, 64, 64)) $ "  
}

You can also use ANSI control sequences with the `e[5m syntax (PowerShell uses backticks for its escape sequences).

If your terminal supports it, you can use 255-colors with ANSI control sequences.

$BURNT_ORANGE="`e[38;5;130m"
$DARK_YELLOW="`e[38;5;58m"
$GREY="`e[38;5;241m"
$MUTED_BLUEGREEN="`e[38;5;30m"
$RED_256="`e[38;5;160m"
$DARK_RED="`e[38;5;88m"
$RESET="`e[0m"

$FIRST_SEP="┏"
$SECOND_SEP="┗"
function prompt
{
    # Return a blank prompt to let Write-Host handle everything
    Write-Host "${SEP_COLOR}${FIRST_SEP} " -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "${NAME_COLOR}$env:USERNAME" -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "${GREY}@" -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "${HOST_COLOR}$(hostname)" -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "${GREY}:" -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "${PATH_COLOR}${PWD}" -NoNewline
    Write-Host "${RED_256}$(Get-GitBranch)"
    Write-Host "${SEP_COLOR}${SECOND_SEP} " -NoNewline 
    Write-Host "${GREY}$" -NoNewline
    return " ${RESET}"
}

Prompt Colors in Powershell (5.x)¶

Since powershell 5.x doesn't have $PSStyle, you need to use
the default colors to customize the prompt (as far as I know).
Pass them into Write-Host with the -ForegroundColor argument:

name="__codelineno-10-1" href="#__codelineno-10-1"> $Global:NameColor = "DarkRed" $Global:HostColor = "DarkMagenta" $Global:PathColor = "DarkCyan" $Global:GitBranchColor = "DarkRed" $Global:SepColor = "DarkRed" $Global:VenvColor = "Yellow" class="k">function prompt class="p">{ Write-Host "$env:USERNAME" -NoNewline -ForegroundColor $Global:NameColor Write-Host "@" -NoNewline -ForegroundColor $Global:DarkGray Write-Host "$(hostname)" -NoNewline -ForegroundColor $Global:HostColor Write-Host ":" -NoNewline -ForegroundColor $Global:DarkGray Write-Host "${PWD} " -NoNewline -ForegroundColor $Global:PathColor Write-Host "$(Get-GitBranch)" -NoNewline -ForegroundColor $Global:GitBranchColor Write-Host "$" -NoNewline -ForegroundColor $Global:DarkGray return " " class="p">}

PSReadLine Terminal Output Colors¶

The -Colors argument to PSReadLine accepts a hash table (dictionary).
Dictionaries in PowerShell are defined with the syntax:

$MyDict = @{ "key" = "value" }

All variable definitions are started with $
- To make it Global, use $Global:MyDict or $Global:MyVar
Before the opening brace, use an @ symbol
- @{ ... }

There are 18 keys you can specify colors to with PSReadLine.

Key/Token	What it Colors
`"Number"`	The number token color.
`"Error"`	The error color.
`"Emphasis"`	The emphasis color.
`"Selection"`	The color to highlight the menu selection or selected text.
`"Default"`	The default token color.
`"Comment"`	The comment token color.
`"Keyword"`	The keyword token color.
`"String"`	The string token color.
`"Operator"`	The operator token color.
`"Variable"`	The variable token color.
`"Command"`	The command token color.
`"Parameter"`	The parameter token color.
`"Type"`	The type token color.
`"Member"`	The member name token color.
`"InlinePrediction"`	The color for the inline view of the predictive suggestion.
`"ListPrediction"`	The color for the leading `>` character and prediction source name.
`"ListPredictionSelected"`	The color for the selected prediction in list view.
`"ContinuationPrompt"`	The color of the continuation prompt.

With PowerShell 7.x, you can use the `e sequence for ANSI escape sequences.
- Example: "`e[38;5;39m"
For PowerShell 5.x, you need to use $([char]0x1b)
- Example: "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;39m"

`pwsh` PS 7.x PSReadLine Colors¶

######################/* PSReadLineOption Color Tokens */######################  
# PSReadLineOption -Colors {Hash Table}. Escape with `e for pwsh, $([char]0x1b) for powershell.exe (5.x)  
$colors = @{
    "Number"                    = "`e[38;5;39m"     # The number token color.  
    "Error"                     = "`e[38;5;1m"      # The error color. 
    "Emphasis"                  = "`e[38;5;200m"    # The emphasis color. 
    "Selection"                 = "`e[38;5;250m"    # The color to highlight the menu selection or selected text.  
    "Default"                   = "`e[38;5;254m"    # The default token color.  
    "Comment"                   = "`e[38;5;244m"    # The comment token color.  
    "Keyword"                   = "`e[38;5;45m"     # The keyword token color.  
    "String"                    = "`e[38;5;113m"    # The string token color.  
    "Operator"                  = "`e[38;5;206m"    # The operator token color.  
    "Variable"                  = "`e[38;5;82m"     # The variable token color.  
    "Command"                   = "`e[38;5;208m"    # The command token color.  
    "Parameter"                 = "`e[38;5;111m"    # The parameter token color.  
    "Type"                      = "`e[38;5;171m"    # The type token color.  
    "Member"                    = "`e[38;5;150m"    # The member name token color.  
    "InlinePrediction"          = "`e[38;5;240m"    # The color for the inline view of the predictive suggestion.  
    "ListPrediction"            = "`e[38;5;53m"     # The color for the leading `>` character and prediction source name.  
    "ListPredictionSelected"    = "`e[38;5;128m"    # The color for the selected prediction in list view.  
    "ContinuationPrompt"        = "`e[38;5;255m"    # The color of the continuation prompt.  
}
Set-PSReadLineOption -Colors $colors

`powershell` PS 5.x PSReadLine Colors¶

$colors = @{
    "Number"                    = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;39m"     # The number token color.
    "Error"                     = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;1m"      # The error color. 
    "Emphasis"                  = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;200m"    # The emphasis color. 
    "Selection"                 = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;245m"    # The color to highlight the menu selection or selected text.
    "Default"                   = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;254m"    # The default token color.
    "Comment"                   = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;244m"    # The comment token color.
    "Keyword"                   = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;45m"     # The keyword token color.
    "String"                    = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;113m"    # The string token color.
    "Operator"                  = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;206m"    # The operator token color.
    "Variable"                  = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;82m"     # The variable token color.
    "Command"                   = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;208m"    # The command token color.
    "Parameter"                 = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;111m"    # The parameter token color.
    "Type"                      = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;171m"    # The type token color.
    "Member"                    = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;150m"    # The member name token color.
    "InlinePrediction"          = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;240m"    # The color for the inline view of the predictive suggestion.
    "ListPrediction"            = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;53m"     # The color for the leading `>` character and prediction source name.
    "ListPredictionSelected"    = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;128m"    # The color for the selected prediction in list view.
    "ContinuationPrompt"        = "$([char]0x1b)[38;5;238m"    # The color of the continuation prompt.
}
Set-PSReadLineOption -Colors $colors

Troubleshooting¶

If your profile isn't loading when PowerShell starts, it could be an ExecutionPolicy problem.

Check the current ExecutionPolicy for your user account.

Get-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser

If it's set to Restricted or even Undefined, you can change it to RemoteSigned to enable running scripts on the system.

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned

Try reloading the shell again, and you should see your prompt.
To make sure, you can add a short output line to the end of your $PROFILE.

Write-Host '>>> Profile loaded.'