freedbygraceInvoke-PSThread
SYNOPSIS
Enables the ability to leverage multithreading within powershell whilst reducing the complexity to get started.
SYNTAX
Runspace (Default)
Invoke-PSThread -RunspaceDefinition <System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock> [-ApartmentState <System.Threading.ApartmentState>] [-AssemblyList <System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.SessionStateAssemblyEntry[]>] [-Confirm <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-ContinueOnError <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-FunctionList <System.Management.Automation.FunctionInfo[]>] [-ModuleList <System.Management.Automation.PSModuleInfo[]>] [-Runspace <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-RunspaceParameters <System.Collections.Hashtable>] [-SynchronizedHashtable <System.Management.Automation.PSVariable>] [-ThreadOption <System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSThreadOptions>] [-VariableList <System.Management.Automation.PSVariable[]>] [-WaitForAvailableRunspace <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-WhatIf <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [<CommonParameters>]
RunspacePool
Invoke-PSThread -InputObjectList <System.Object[]> -RunspaceDefinition <System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock> [-ApartmentState <System.Threading.ApartmentState>] [-AssemblyList <System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.SessionStateAssemblyEntry[]>] [-Confirm <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-ContinueOnError <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-FunctionList <System.Management.Automation.FunctionInfo[]>] [-MaximumRunspaces <System.UInt32>] [-ModuleList <System.Management.Automation.PSModuleInfo[]>] [-RunspaceParameters <System.Collections.Hashtable>] [-RunspacePool <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-SynchronizedHashtable <System.Management.Automation.PSVariable>] [-ThreadOption <System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSThreadOptions>] [-VariableList <System.Management.Automation.PSVariable[]>] [-WaitForAvailableRunspace <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-WhatIf <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [<CommonParameters>]
Await
Invoke-PSThread -ThreadList <System.Management.Automation.PSObject[]> [-Await <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-Confirm <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-ContinueOnError <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-LoopDuration <System.TimeSpan>] [-LoopTimeout <System.TimeSpan>] [-WaitForAvailableRunspace <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [-WhatIf <System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter>] [<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
This function aims to remove the enormous complexity out of multithreading within powershell. See the fully working examples below.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: EXAMPLE 1
Create a runspace
[ScriptBlock]$RunspaceDefinition = { Param ( $SynchronizedHashtable, $Title, $Message )
$Null = Add-Type -AssemblyName 'System.Windows.Forms'
$Null = Add-Type -AssemblyName 'System.Drawing'
$Form = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Windows.Forms.Form'
$Form.Size = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Drawing.Size' -ArgumentList @(300,150)
$TextBox = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Windows.Forms.RichTextBox'
$TextBox.Location = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Drawing.Point' -ArgumentList @(110,50)
$TextBox.BorderStyle = 0
$TextBox.BackColor = $Form.BackColor
$TextBox.Text = $Message
$Null = $Form.Controls.Add($TextBox)
$Null = $Form.ShowDialog()
}
$SynchronizedHashtable = [System.Collections.Hashtable]::Synchronized(@{}) $SynchronizedHashtable.ThreadIDList = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Collections.Generic.List[System.String]'
$InvokePSThreadParameters = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary'
$InvokePSThreadParameters.Runspace = $True
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceDefinition = $RunspaceDefinition
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters = [Ordered]@{}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters.Title = "This is my UI title"
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters.Message = "This is my UI message.rnThis is the second line of my UI message.rnThis is the third line of my UI message."
$InvokePSThreadParameters.SynchronizedHashtable = Get-Variable -Name 'SynchronizedHashtable' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
$InvokePSThreadParameters.FunctionList = Get-ChildItem -Path 'Function:' | Where-Object {($.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ModuleList = Get-Module | Where-Object {($.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.VariableList = Get-Variable | Where-Object {($_.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ContinueOnError = $False
$InvokePSThreadParameters.Verbose = $True
$InvokePSThreadResult = Invoke-PSThread @InvokePSThreadParameters
Write-Output -InputObject ($InvokePSThreadResult)
Example 2: EXAMPLE 2
Create a runspace pool, submit all jobs to the pool, and the pool will manage their execution.
[ScriptBlock]$RunspaceDefinition = {
Param
(
$InputObjectListItem,
$SynchronizedHashtable,
$AdditionalParameter1,
$AdditionalParameter2
)
#Set thread priority
[System.Threading.Thread]::CurrentThread.Priority = [System.Threading.ThreadPriority]::Lowest
$ThreadInfo = [System.Threading.Thread]::CurrentThread
$ThreadID = [System.AppDomain]::GetCurrentThreadId()
$SynchronizedHashtable.ThreadIDList.Add($ThreadID)
Write-Verbose -Message "Attempting to begin thread ID `"$($ThreadID)`".
Please Wait..." -Verbose
$SynchronizedHashtable.Add("Thread$($ThreadID)", (Get-Date))
Write-Output -InputObject ($InputObjectListItem)
Write-Output -InputObject ($AdditionalParameter1)
Write-Output -InputObject ($AdditionalParameter2)
$Null = Start-Sleep -Seconds (Get-Random -Minimum 10 -Maximum 25)
}
$SynchronizedHashtable = [System.Collections.Hashtable]::Synchronized(@{})
$SynchronizedHashtable.ThreadIDList = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Collections.Generic.List[System.String]'
$InvokePSThreadParameters = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary'
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspacePool = $True
$InvokePSThreadParameters.InputObjectList = 1..15
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceDefinition = $RunspaceDefinition
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters = [Ordered]@{}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters.AdditionalParameter1 = Get-Random -Minimum 0 -Maximum 10000
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters.AdditionalParameter2 = Get-Random -Minimum 0 -Maximum 10000
$InvokePSThreadParameters.SynchronizedHashtable = Get-Variable -Name 'SynchronizedHashtable' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
$InvokePSThreadParameters.FunctionList = Get-ChildItem -Path 'Function:' | Where-Object {($_.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ModuleList = Get-Module | Where-Object {($_.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.VariableList = Get-Variable | Where-Object {($_.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ContinueOnError = $False
$InvokePSThreadParameters.Verbose = $True
$InvokePSThreadResult = Invoke-PSThread @InvokePSThreadParameters
Write-Output -InputObject ($InvokePSThreadResult)
Example 3: EXAMPLE 3
Create a runspace pool, submit all jobs to the pool, and the pool will manage their execution. The function will be executed a second time to wait until all jobs have been completed, return their output, and cleanup.
[ScriptBlock]$RunspaceDefinition = {
Param
(
$InputObjectListItem,
$SynchronizedHashtable,
$AdditionalParameter1,
$AdditionalParameter2
)
#Set thread priority
[System.Threading.Thread]::CurrentThread.Priority = [System.Threading.ThreadPriority]::Lowest
$ThreadInfo = [System.Threading.Thread]::CurrentThread
$ThreadID = [System.AppDomain]::GetCurrentThreadId()
$SynchronizedHashtable.ThreadIDList.Add($ThreadID)
Write-Verbose -Message "Attempting to begin thread ID `"$($ThreadID)`".
Please Wait..." -Verbose
$SynchronizedHashtable.Add("Thread$($ThreadID)", (Get-Date))
Write-Output -InputObject ($InputObjectListItem)
Write-Output -InputObject ($AdditionalParameter1)
Write-Output -InputObject ($AdditionalParameter2)
$Null = Start-Sleep -Seconds (Get-Random -Minimum 10 -Maximum 25)
}
$SynchronizedHashtable = [System.Collections.Hashtable]::Synchronized(@{})
$SynchronizedHashtable.ThreadIDList = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Collections.Generic.List[System.String]'
$InvokePSThreadParameters = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary'
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspacePool = $True
$InvokePSThreadParameters.InputObjectList = Get-Process | Get-Random -Count 15
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceDefinition = $RunspaceDefinition
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters = [Ordered]@{}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters.AdditionalParameter1 = Get-Random -Minimum 0 -Maximum 10000
$InvokePSThreadParameters.RunspaceParameters.AdditionalParameter2 = Get-Random -Minimum 0 -Maximum 10000
$InvokePSThreadParameters.SynchronizedHashtable = Get-Variable -Name 'SynchronizedHashtable' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
$InvokePSThreadParameters.FunctionList = Get-ChildItem -Path 'Function:' | Where-Object {($_.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ModuleList = Get-Module | Where-Object {($_.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.VariableList = Get-Variable | Where-Object {($_.Name -iin @('Test'))}
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ContinueOnError = $False
$InvokePSThreadParameters.Verbose = $True
$InvokePSThreadResult = Invoke-PSThread @InvokePSThreadParameters
#Do some additional work here before beginning to wait for your runspace pool to be completed.
$InvokePSThreadParameters = New-Object -TypeName 'System.Collections.Specialized.OrderedDictionary'
$InvokePSThreadParameters.Await = $True
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ThreadList = $InvokePSThreadResult
$InvokePSThreadParameters.LoopTimeout = [System.TimeSpan]::FromHours(1)
$InvokePSThreadParameters.LoopDuration = [System.TimeSpan]::FromMilliseconds(15000)
$InvokePSThreadParameters.ContinueOnError = $False
$InvokePSThreadParameters.Verbose = $True
$ThreadAwaitResult = Invoke-PSThread @InvokePSThreadParameters
Write-Output -InputObject ($ThreadAwaitResult)
PARAMETERS
-ApartmentState
A valid apartment state that will be used to create each thread within the runspace.
Type: System.Threading.ApartmentState
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: AS
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-AssemblyList
A list of one or more additional assemblies that will be loaded into the inital session state, and made available to each thread.
Type: System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.SessionStateAssemblyEntry[]
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: AL
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-Await
Strictly places this function into "Await" mode.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: Await
Aliases: AW
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (Await)
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-Confirm
{{ Fill Confirm Description }}
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: cf
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (All)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-ContinueOnError
Ignore errors.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: COE
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (All)
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-FunctionList
A list of one or more additional functions that will be loaded into the inital session state, and made available to each thread.
Type: System.Management.Automation.FunctionInfo[]
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: FL
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-InputObjectList
A list of one or more objects to submit to the runspace pool. The runspace pool will create a job for each item and process them in a queue fashion (As new runspaces become available) until the list has been completed.
Type: System.Object[]
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool
Aliases: IOL
Accepted values:
Required: True (RunspacePool) False (None)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-LoopDuration
A valid timespan that will be used for designating how often to recheck the status of running threads.
Type: System.TimeSpan
Parameter Sets: Await
Aliases: LD
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (Await)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-LoopTimeout
A valid timespan that will be used for designating the maximum time allowed to monitor running threads.
Type: System.TimeSpan
Parameter Sets: Await
Aliases: LT
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (Await)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-MaximumRunspaces
The maximum runspaces available to the runspace pool. By default, the value will be set to double the amount of logical processors available to the current device.
Type: System.UInt32
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool
Aliases: MR
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool)
Position: Named
Default value: 0
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-ModuleList
A list of one or more additional modules that will be loaded into the inital session state, and made available to each thread.
Type: System.Management.Automation.PSModuleInfo[]
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: ML
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-Runspace
Strictly places this function into "Runspace" mode.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: Runspace
Aliases: RS
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-RunspaceDefinition
A valid scriptblock that will be executed by either a single thread within the runspace, or by each thread within the runspace pool.
Type: System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: RD
Accepted values:
Required: True (RunspacePool, Runspace) False (None)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-RunspaceParameters
A valid hashtable containing the key-value pairs for the additional parameters to be passed to each thread. If the order of the parameters needs to be preserved, use an ordered hashtable instead.
Type: System.Collections.Hashtable
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: RSP
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-RunspacePool
Strictly places this function into "RunspacePool" mode.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool
Aliases: RP
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool)
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-SynchronizedHashtable
A valid variable object that contains the synchronized hashtable. This is primarily used to share data between the main thread, and any additional threads that are created.
Type: System.Management.Automation.PSVariable
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: SHT
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-ThreadList
A list of one ore more objects that were returned in the output from a previous call of this function. The runspaces in this list will be monitored until they have completed.
Type: System.Management.Automation.PSObject[]
Parameter Sets: Await
Aliases: TL
Accepted values:
Required: True (Await) False (None)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-ThreadOption
A valid thread option that will be used to create each thread within the runspace.
Type: System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PSThreadOptions
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: TO
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-VariableList
A list of one or more additional variables that will be loaded into the inital session state, and made available to each thread.
Type: System.Management.Automation.PSVariable[]
Parameter Sets: RunspacePool, Runspace
Aliases: VL
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (RunspacePool, Runspace)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-WaitForAvailableRunspace
If there are no more available runspaces, the function will wait to submit any additional jobs to teh runspace pool as runspaces become available. This will drastically increase the time it takes to process the runspace pool.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: WFAR
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (All)
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
-WhatIf
{{ Fill WhatIf Description }}
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: wi
Accepted values:
Required: True (None) False (All)
Position: Named
Default value:
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
DontShow: False
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
NOTES
Any useful tidbits
RELATED LINKS
[] (https://www.codeproject.com/Tips/895840/Multi-Threaded-PowerShell-Cookbook)
[] (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/multithreading-powershell-scripts-alexey/)
[] (https://xkln.net/blog/multithreading-in-powershell--running-a-specific-number-of-threads/)
[] (https://markw.dev/#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20ways%20we,other%20is%20by%20using%20splatting.&text=The%20important%20part%20here%20is,plural)%20instead%20of%20AddParameter()%20.)