Scripting Games 2012 comments: #18 computer names
I have mentioned computer names a few times. One oddity is accessing the local machine.
There are three options
- dot .
- localhost
- $env:COMPUTERNAME
There are a number of occasions when . and localhost fail.
For example
PS> Get-EventLog -List -ComputerName .
Max(K) Retain OverflowAction Entries Log
------ ------ -------------- ------- ---
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 21,647 Application
512 7 OverwriteOlder 0 DemoMate
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 0 HardwareEvents
512 7 OverwriteOlder 0 Internet Explorer
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 0 Key Management Service
8,192 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 10 Media Center
512 7 OverwriteOlder 0 MyNewLog
128 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 364 OAlerts
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 1 Scripts
Security
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 56,135 System
15,360 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 10,918 Windows PowerShell
PS> Get-EventLog -List -ComputerName localhost
Get-EventLog : The network path was not found.
At line:1 char:13
+ Get-EventLog <<<< -List -ComputerName localhost
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-EventLog], IOException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.IO.IOException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetEventLogCommand
PS> Get-EventLog -List -ComputerName 'localhost'
Get-EventLog : The network path was not found.
At line:1 char:13
+ Get-EventLog <<<< -List -ComputerName 'localhost'
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-EventLog], IOException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.IO.IOException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetEventLogCommand
PS> Get-EventLog -List -ComputerName $env:COMPUTERNAME
Max(K) Retain OverflowAction Entries Log
------ ------ -------------- ------- ---
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 21,647 Application
512 7 OverwriteOlder 0 DemoMate
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 0 HardwareEvents
512 7 OverwriteOlder 0 Internet Explorer
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 0 Key Management Service
8,192 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 10 Media Center
512 7 OverwriteOlder 0 MyNewLog
128 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 364 OAlerts
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 1 Scripts
Security
20,480 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 56,135 System
15,360 0 OverwriteAsNeeded 10,918 Windows PowerShell
Get-EventLog fails with localhost
I always recommend using $env:COMPUTERNAME