How to prompt for vmhost name?

[robertfriend]

I would like to re-purpose the script below (borrowed from Find ESXi installation date » VCDX56) and use it as a function and prompt me for a host name when I invoke it. Currently the script will run against all VMs in all connected vCenters. I would like for it to prompt me to run against a specific host. How can I accomplish this?

Function Get-InstallDate {

Get-VMHost | Sort Name | %{

  $thisUUID = (Get-EsxCli -VMHost $_.name).system.uuid.get()

  $decDate = [Convert]::ToInt32($thisUUID.Split("-")[0], 16)

  $installDate = [timezone]::CurrentTimeZone.ToLocalTime(([datetime]'1/1/1970').AddSeconds($decDate))

  [pscustomobject][ordered]@{

    Name="$($_.name)"

    InstallDate=$installDate

  } # end custom object

} # end host loop

}

Any help is appreciated.

[jpsider]

I am unclear if you want to specify this for "host" or "vm"

So I will leave a generic line here for you:

$userinput = Read-Host -Prompt 'Input your server  name'
write-host "The user input was '$userinput'"

This will prompt you to type something in, then echo it back out. Instead of the echo, you can use that variable in your script.

[MKguy · Accepted solution]

Add Powershell parameters in the function like this:

Function Get-InstallDate {
  Param(
    [string][parameter(Mandatory=$true)] $VMHost
  )

  $thisUUID = (Get-VMHost $VMHost | Get-EsxCli).system.uuid.get()
  $decDate = [Convert]::ToInt32($thisUUID.Split("-")[0], 16)
  $installDate = [timezone]::CurrentTimeZone.ToLocalTime(([datetime]'1/1/1970').AddSeconds($decDate))
  [pscustomobject][ordered]@{
    Name="$((Get-VMHost $VMHost).Name)"
    InstallDate=$installDate
  }
}

Just running Get-InstallDate will prompt you for the hostname, or you can supply the parameter directly in the command with Get-InstallDate -VMHost myesxi.local.

[robertfriend]

My apologies. I meant host.

[robertfriend]

That did the trick. Thanks!