PowerShell CLI on Unix doesn't use the current terminal's window width when stringifying formatted output for outside callers with captured / redirected stdout output

[mklement0]

Prerequisites

• Write a descriptive title.
• Make sure you are able to repro it on the latest released version
• Search the existing issues.
• Refer to the FAQ.
• Refer to Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell.

Steps to reproduce

Scenario:

• A PowerShell CLI call is made that results in formatted output (such as implicit Format-Table) which is returned in stringified form to the CLI caller.

• Generally, if the call is made from a terminal, it is that terminal's window width that determines the max. length of the formatted lines.

  • On Windows, this is always true.
  • On Unix, if the stdout target isn't a terminal, a fixed width of 80 characters is unexpectedly applied.
    • Notably, this also applies when the caller redirects the CLI output to a file.

# On Unix, the output lines are unexpectedly limited to 80 characters, irrespective of terminal width.
pwsh -NoProfile -c "[pscustomobject] @{ Foo = 'x' * 500 }" | Write-Output

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On a related note, for the fundamental question as to whether the terminal width should be a factor in Out-String and Out-File / > calls, see:

• Formatting data for strings or when redirecting to a file should not be affected by the console width #15474

(In the case of the implicit stringification (implicit Out-String -Stream) that happens via the CLI, the decision as to whether to apply a limit or not could again be based on whether stdout is redirected or not).

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Expected behavior

The formatted output should fill the entire terminal width (assuming a width greater than 80 characters).
This is true on Windows, but not on Unix-like platforms.

Actual behavior

The output is cut off at 79 characters.

Error details

No response

Environment data

PowerShell 7.4.0-preview.4 on macOS 13.4.1 and Ubuntu 20.03 (via WSL)

Visuals

No response

[237dmitry]

Interesting, if run this from the current session then output respects terminal window width. But from another session pwsh -c .... ignores it and outputs (default?) 80-columns. Output difference between current and other session:

pwsh -NoProfile -c "[pscustomobject] @{ Foo = 'x' * 500 }" | Write-Output  # 80
pwsh -NoProfile -c "[pscustomobject] @{ Foo = 'x' * 500 } | Write-Output"  # full width

[nwsparks]

thanks for posting this. I've spent a mountain of time trying to figure out how to resolve Jenkins truncating powershell output at 80 characters and this explains it. hopefully it can get some more attention in the future.