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Enumerate and run installed PowerShell versions #4836
Description
Currently we changed semantic of -version command line parameter from "run Windows PowerShell 2.0" to "show current PowerShell version".
Now we need a way to address a side-by-side scenario - to enumerate installed PowerShell versions and run needed PowerShell version.
Suggesion
[ ] Enumerate installed versions:
>powershell -versions
[ ] Run needed version:
powershell -versions <ver spec>
Activity
iSazonov commentedon Sep 28, 2017
I am ready to implement enumeration of installed versions based on https://github.com/PowerShell/vscode-powershell/blob/c3e987c9e9add273e6699972bb017ccfbc47e873/src/platform.ts#L110
What directories we use on Linux and Mac?
joeyaiello commentedon Oct 4, 2017
I totally understand the need for this, but I think that it probably shouldn't be implemented in the host binary. Ultimately, this is the job of the package manager, but I get why we might need something like virtualenv as well.
However, at this point in the release cycle, it's a pretty high-risk change to bring in (and potentially get wrong), especially when you consider that there won't be any production scenarios for side-by-side 6.x's for at least a little while.
When we do want to bring it in, we should have an RFC for it (and I think we should have some alternate designs that include a PS module that enumerates versions as well as whether it should be a native tool to support bootstrap scenarios).
Ilya (@iSazonov) do you have a scenario today where this is critical? I think unpacking that is the first step to understanding the proper implementation here (and where having a
pwshalias for PS Core isn't enough).iSazonov commentedon Oct 5, 2017
Joey Aiello (@joeyaiello) I see that VS Code (see link above) discover installed PowerShell versions and allow users run desired version.
Also I know Microsoft SCOR 2012 product. It is based on PowerShell 2.0 (!!!). If users need new features they are forced to run needed version explicitly.
I believe it is better to have the discover feature natively (specially on Windows) - this will make other products more stable.
I'm not sure about launching, but it's also interesting, all the more so when we had
-Version 2.iSazonov commentedon Oct 12, 2017
Any news?
SteveL-MSFT commentedon Dec 6, 2017
@PowerShell/powershell-committee reviewed this and believes this is should be an RFC for a proposal that can be reviewed in its entirety with considerations for different potential design proposals. However, until we have multiple released versions of PSCore6 and customers depending on side-by-side, we believe that the current side-by-side differentiated by file path is sufficient and may not be worth the effort to draft an RFC as well as submit an implementation PR.
KirkMunro commentedon Jun 21, 2019
RFC: PowerShell/PowerShell-RFC#202.