Improve Usability of PSScriptAnalyzer.psd1

[cawoodm]

Summary of the new feature
According to the docs it's as simple as adding rules to the Rules HashMap in PSScriptAnalyzer.psd1:

PSScriptAnalyzer.psd1

@{

  Rules             = @{
    'PSAvoidUsingCmdletAliases' = @{
      'allowlist' = @('cd', 'cls', 'copy', 'cp'')
    }
  }

  # Author of this module
  Author            = 'Microsoft Corporation'
...

Followed by running:

Import-Module PSScriptAnalyzer

However, in practice this does not work at all:

Import-Module: The '...\ms-vscode.powershell-2025.0.0\modules\PSScriptAnalyzer\1.23.0\PSScriptAnalyzer.psd1' module cannot be imported because its manifest contains one or more members that are not valid. The valid manifest members are ('ModuleToProcess', 'NestedModules', 'GUID', 'Author', 'CompanyName', 'Copyright', 'ModuleVersion', 'Description', 'PowerShellVersion', 'PowerShellHostName', 'PowerShellHostVersion', 'CLRVersion', 'DotNetFrameworkVersion', 'ProcessorArchitecture', 'RequiredModules', 'TypesToProcess', 'FormatsToProcess', 'ScriptsToProcess', 'PrivateData', 'RequiredAssemblies', 'ModuleList', 'FileList', 'FunctionsToExport', 'VariablesToExport', 'AliasesToExport', 'CmdletsToExport', 'DscResourcesToExport', 'CompatiblePSEditions', 'HelpInfoURI', 'RootModule', 'DefaultCommandPrefix').
Remove the members that are not valid ('Rules'), then try to import the module again.

I am sure this is just a beginners mistake and CAN work but it SHOULD JUST work.

Proposed technical implementation details (optional)

A clear and concise description of what you want to happen.

What is the latest version of PSScriptAnalyzer at the point of writing
1.24.0

[cawoodm]

Also, trying to install the latest version 1.24 does not work.

$ Install-Module -Name PSScriptAnalyzer -Force -MinimumVersion 1.24

$Get-Module PSScriptAnalyzer

ModuleType Version    PreRelease Name                 
---------- -------    ---------- ----                           
Script     1.23.0                PSScriptAnalyzer            

[bergmeister]

Summary of the new feature According to the docs it's as simple as adding rules to the Rules HashMap in PSScriptAnalyzer.psd1:

PSScriptAnalyzer.psd1

@{

Rules = @{
'PSAvoidUsingCmdletAliases' = @{
'allowlist' = @('cd', 'cls', 'copy', 'cp'')
}
}

Author of this module

Author = 'Microsoft Corporation'
...
Followed by running:

Import-Module PSScriptAnalyzer

However, in practice this does not work at all:

Import-Module: The '...\ms-vscode.powershell-2025.0.0\modules\PSScriptAnalyzer\1.23.0\PSScriptAnalyzer.psd1' module cannot be imported because its manifest contains one or more members that are not valid. The valid manifest members are ('ModuleToProcess', 'NestedModules', 'GUID', 'Author', 'CompanyName', 'Copyright', 'ModuleVersion', 'Description', 'PowerShellVersion', 'PowerShellHostName', 'PowerShellHostVersion', 'CLRVersion', 'DotNetFrameworkVersion', 'ProcessorArchitecture', 'RequiredModules', 'TypesToProcess', 'FormatsToProcess', 'ScriptsToProcess', 'PrivateData', 'RequiredAssemblies', 'ModuleList', 'FileList', 'FunctionsToExport', 'VariablesToExport', 'AliasesToExport', 'CmdletsToExport', 'DscResourcesToExport', 'CompatiblePSEditions', 'HelpInfoURI', 'RootModule', 'DefaultCommandPrefix').
Remove the members that are not valid ('Rules'), then try to import the module again.

I am sure this is just a beginners mistake and CAN work but it SHOULD JUST work.

Proposed technical implementation details (optional)

A clear and concise description of what you want to happen.

What is the latest version of PSScriptAnalyzer at the point of writing 1.24.0

@cawoodm
Yes, it is easily possible but I think you got confused, it says PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1 and not the PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1 file that is part of PSScriptAnalyzer. You just create a new file with that content and specify path to it in -Settings parameter. See Settings support here:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/utility-modules/psscriptanalyzer/using-scriptanalyzer?view=ps-modules#explicit