Update-FormatData - Powershell 2.0 CmdLet

Microsoft Windows PowerShell is a command-line shell and scripting tool based on the Microsoft .NET Framework. It is designed for system administrators, engineers and developers to control and automate the administration of Windows and applications.

More than hundred command-line tools (so called "cmdlets") can be used to perform system administration tasks and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). These cmdlets are easy to use, with standard naming conventions and common parameters, and standard tools for piping, sorting, filtering, and formatting data and objects.

Update-FormatData

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Short description
Updates the formatting data in the current session.

Syntax
Update-FormatData [[-AppendPath] <string[]>] [-PrependPath <string[]>] [-Confirm] [-WhatIf] [<CommonParameters>]

Description
The Update-FormatData cmdlet reloads the formatting data from formatting files into the current session. This cmdle
t lets you update the formatting data without restarting Windows PowerShell.

Without parameters, Update-FormatData reloads the formatting files that it loaded previously. You can use the param
eters of Update-FormatData to add new formatting files to the session. 

Formatting files are text files in XML format with the format.ps1xml file name extension. The formatting data in th
e files defines the display of Microsoft .NET Framework objects in the session. 

When Windows PowerShell starts, it loads the format data from the formatting files in the Windows PowerShell instal
lation directory ($pshome) into the session. You can use Update-FormatData to reload the formatting data into the c
urrent session without restarting Windows PowerShell. This is useful when you have added or changed a formatting fi
le, but do not want to interrupt the session.

For more information about formatting files in Windows PowerShell, see about_Format.ps1xml.