🧠 TL;DR
Use New-HEMMFunction.ps1 to automatically generate PowerShell function files from a standard HEMM template. It ensures consistent naming, metadata, and folder structure, making script organization easy and repeatable.
📄 Overview
If you’re following the HEMM (Hay-Ellis Master Module) series for PowerShell development, maintaining consistency and structure in your functions is key. This script, New-HEMMFunction.ps1, automates the creation of new function files using a template. It injects metadata like the function name, category, and author, then saves the file in the correct subfolder.
This is Part 3 in the series, and it builds upon the previously discussed PowerShell Function Template by automating the otherwise manual setup process.
You can clone this from my git repo.
⚙️ What the Script Does
- Takes in a function name and category
- Copies the base template file from
.\common\FunctionTemplate.ps1 - Replaces placeholders for:
- Function name (
Get-Something) - Author name
- Date (
YYYY-MM-DD)
- Function name (
- Drops the new script in the appropriate subfolder under
.\functions\
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Creates a new PowerShell function from the standard HEMM template.
.DESCRIPTION
Copies the function template from the common folder, renames the function, updates metadata,
and places it into the appropriate functions subfolder (e.g. network, files, etc).
.PARAMETER Name
The name of the new function (e.g. Get-EmptyOUs).
.PARAMETER Category
The subfolder in .\functions\ to drop the file into (e.g. activedirectory, network).
.PARAMETER Author
Optional override for the author name.
.EXAMPLE
.\New-HEMMFunction.ps1 -Name Get-EmptyOUs -Category activedirectory
.NOTES
Author : Ashley Hay-Ellis
Version : 1.0
License : MIT
#>
function New-HEMMFunction {
[CmdletBinding()]
param (
[Parameter(Mandatory)]
[string]$Name,
[Parameter(Mandatory)]
[ValidateSet("activedirectory", "files", "network", "misc")]
[string]$Category,
[string]$Author = "Ashley Hay-Ellis"
)
# Paths
$TemplatePath = ".\common\FunctionTemplate.ps1"
$TargetFolder = ".\functions\$Category"
$TargetFile = Join-Path $TargetFolder "$Name.ps1"
# Check template exists
if (-not (Test-Path $TemplatePath)) {
Write-Error "Function template not found at $TemplatePath"
exit 1
}
# Check destination folder
if (-not (Test-Path $TargetFolder)) {
Write-Host "Creating category folder: $TargetFolder"
New-Item -Path $TargetFolder -ItemType Directory | Out-Null
}
# Copy and update content
$templateContent = Get-Content $TemplatePath -Raw
# Replace placeholders
$today = Get-Date -Format yyyy-MM-dd
$templateContent = $templateContent -replace 'function Get-Something', "function $Name"
$templateContent = $templateContent -replace 'Get-Something', $Name
$templateContent = $templateContent -replace 'Ashley Hay-Ellis', $Author
$templateContent = $templateContent -replace 'YYYY-MM-DD', $today
# Save to target
Set-Content -Path $TargetFile -Value $templateContent -Encoding UTF8
Write-Host "Created function: $TargetFile" -ForegroundColor Green
}🧪 Example Usage
New-HEMMFunction -Name Get-EmptyOUs -Category ActiveDirectoryThis will:
- Create a file at
.\functions\ActiveDirectory\Get-EmptyOUs.ps1 - Populate it with current metadata and structure
- Use your standard HEMM-style function format
🧠 Benefits
- Standardization: Enforces a consistent script layout
- Efficiency: Saves time when creating new utility functions
- Scalability: Keeps large function libraries tidy and easy to manage