Object display format changed after Connect-VIServer

[LukePruen]

I have found the Connect-VIserver effects the output format of my custom objects.For example

Without Connect-VIServer

$output=@()

$hosts = @("host1","host2")
$VMs = @("VM1","VM2")

$obj1 = New-Object psobject
$obj1 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "Host" $hosts[0]
$obj1 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "VM" $VMs[0]
$obj2 = New-Object psobject
$obj2 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "Host" $hosts[1]
$obj2 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "VM" $VMs[1]
     
$output = $output + ($obj1, $obj2)

$output

Provides this output:

With Connect-VIServer

Connect-VIServer localhost -user $VCuser -password $VCpass

$output=@()

$hosts = @("host1","host2")
$VMs = @("VM1","VM2")

$obj1 = New-Object psobject
$obj1 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "Host" $hosts[0]
$obj1 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "VM" $VMs[0]
$obj2 = New-Object psobject
$obj2 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "Host" $hosts[1]
$obj2 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "VM" $VMs[1]
     
$output = $output + ($obj1, $obj2)

$output

Output looks like

I cant find a way to correct this and was hoping someone may have a solution?

Thanks,

Luke

[LucD · Accepted solution]

For the explanantion of what you are seeing you have to understand how PowerShell handles objects in the output stream.

A very good explanation can be found in How PowerShell Formatting and Outputting REALLY works.

In short:

• the Connect-VIServer outputs a VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.VIServerImpl object
  
• there is no registered view (.ps1xml files) for this object type
  
• so Out-Default looks at the number of properties on the 1st object in the stream
  
• Connect-VIServer has more than 5 properties, so Out-Format goes for the Format-List
  
• and all the following objects in the output stream will also be displayed with Format-List
  

[LukePruen]

Thanks LucD, that help me get it fixed. I used Out-Default to return the formatting to default.

Connect-VIServer localhost -user $VCuser -password $VCpass
$output=@()
$hosts = @("host1","host2")
$VMs = @("VM1","VM2")
$obj1 = New-Object psobject
$obj1 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "Host" $hosts[0] 
$obj1 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "SVA" $VMs[0] 
$obj2 = New-Object psobject 
$obj2 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "Host" $hosts[1] 
$obj2 | Add-Member NoteProperty -Name "SVA" $VMs[1] 
$output = $output + ($obj1, $obj2) 
$output | Out-Default