Documentation for alias definitions for PowerShell arguments used with Get-ChildItem

Question

In an answer here on superuser.com, it is pointed out that gci -af is an alias for gci -File. That information is correct, and both command lines produce the same result of file listings.

However, I have not been able to find out a source of documentation where the -af alias is defined. For example, it is not defined in the primary documentation page for Get-ChildItem.

Is there another set of aliases for command line arguments when the command name itself is abbreviated, as in using gci for Get-ChildItem?

Answer 1

Is there another set of aliases for command line arguments when the command name itself is abbreviated, as in using gci for Get-ChildItem?

There are several alias for the Get-ChildItem cmdlet.

Source: Notes

However, I have not been able to find out a source of documentation where the -af alias is defined. For example, it is not defined in the primary documentation page for Get-ChildItem.

The alias for -File parameter most certainly is defined in the primary documentation page for Get-ChildItem

Source: Get-ChildItem

Answer 2

Down on the parameter lists of the documentation, you can find that -af is inded documented as an alias of -File.

-File

To get a list of files, use the File parameter. You can use the Recurse parameter with File.

Type:                                              SwitchParameter

Aliases:                                           af

Position:                                          Named

Default value:                                  None

Accept pipeline input:                      False

Accept wildcard characters:            False

Answer 3

All cmdlet and parameter aliases can be seen this way:

• # Get named aliases:
    Get-Alias |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Available aliases'
  Get cmdlet / function parameter aliases:
  (Get-Command Get-ChildItem).Parameters.Values |
    where aliases |
    select Name, Aliases |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Alias results for a given cmdlet or function.'
  

Another way of the above, but a bit different than your stated change, with the same results:

• Function Get-CommandAlias
  {
    [CmdletBinding()]
  [Alias('gca')]
  Param
    (
      [string]$CommandName
    )
  Get-Command $CommandName |
    Select-Object -expand ParameterSets |
    Foreach-Object { $PSItem.Parameters} |
    Where-Object { $PSItem.Aliases -ne $null } |
    Select-Object Name, Aliases -Unique |
    Sort-Object Name
  }
  gca -CommandName Get-Help
  Results:
  Name                  Aliases
  ----                  -------
  Debug                 {db}
  ErrorAction           {ea}
  ErrorVariable         {ev}
  InformationAction     {infa}
  InformationVariable   {iv}
  OutBuffer             {ob}
  OutVariable           {ov}
  PipelineVariable      {pv}
  Verbose               {vb}
  WarningAction         {wa}
  WarningVariable       {wv}
  
  

Yet another, before digging at parm aliases:

• # Get a list of all commandlets for the specified name:
    Get-Command -Name '*Help*'  -CommandType Cmdlet |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Available named cmdlet'
  Get-Command -CommandType Cmdlet |
    Where-Object { $PSItem.parameters.keys -match 'credential'} |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Available cmdlets which has a specific parameter'
  Get a list of all functions:
  Get-Command -CommandType Function |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Available functions'
  Get a list of all functions for the specified name:
  Get-Command -Name 'Help' -CommandType Function |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Available named functions'
  Find all cmdlets / functions with a target parameter:
  Get-Command -CommandType Function |
    Where-Object { $PSItem.parameters.keys -match 'credential'} |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Available functions which has a specific parameter'
  Get specifics for a module, cmdlet, or function:
  (Get-Command -Name Get-Help).Parameters
    (Get-Command -Name Get-Help).Parameters.Keys
    Get-help -Name Get-Help -Examples
    Get-help -Name Get-Help -Full
    Get-help -Name Get-Help -Online
  Get parameter that accepts pipeline input:
  Get-Help Get-ADUser -Parameter '' |
    Where-Object {$PSItem.pipelineInput -match 'true'} |
    Select-Object -Property ''
  Get property enums/options for a specifc cmdlet/function:
  1:
  (Get-Service | Select-Object -First 1).Status.GetType()
  [System.ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus]::GetNames([System.ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus])
  
  
  2:
  (Get-Service)[0].Status.GetType().GetEnumValues()
  (Get-ChildItem -Path $PWD)[0].GetType().GetMethods()
  
  
  List of all parameters that a given cmdlet supports along with a short description::
  Get-Help dir -para '*' |
    Format-Table Name, { $PSItem.Description[0].Text } -wrap
  List all loaded session modules and the exposed cmdlets / functions in them:
  Get-Module -Name '*' |
    ForEach-Object { Get-Command -Module $PSItem } |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title 'Available loaded modules and their cmdlets / functions'
  Get a list of specific cmdlets/functions in a module:
  (Get-Module -Name 'PSReadline' -All).ExportedCommands |
    Out-GridView -PassThru -Title "Available loaded modules and their cmdlets / functions"