To ensure that your custom PowerShell modules are detected and loaded automatically when PowerShell starts, you can include the following lines in your `profile.ps1` file:
1. Module Import: Add a line to import your module. This ensures that the module is loaded every time PowerShell starts.
powershell
Import-Module -Name YourModuleName
Replace `YourModuleName` with the actual name of your module.
2. Module Path: If your module is not located in one of the default module paths, you need to add its path to the `$env:PSModulePath` environment variable. This allows PowerShell to find and load your module.
powershell
$env:PSModulePath = $env:PSModulePath + ";C:\Path\To\Your\Module"
Replace `C:\Path\To\Your\Module` with the actual path to your module.
3. Check for Module Existence: Optionally, you can add a check to ensure that the module exists before trying to import it. This prevents errors if the module is not installed or available.
powershell
if (Get-Module -ListAvailable -Name YourModuleName) {
Import-Module -Name YourModuleName
} else {
Write-Host "Module YourModuleName not found."
}
4. Auto-Loading Modules: If you want PowerShell to automatically load modules when you use a command from them, you can set the `$PSModuleAutoloadingPreference` variable to `'All'`. However, this is the default behavior, so you typically don't need to set it explicitly unless it has been changed elsewhere.
powershell
$PSModuleAutoloadingPreference = 'All'
By including these lines in your `profile.ps1`, your custom modules will be detected and loaded automatically when PowerShell starts.
Additionally, ensure that your PowerShell execution policy allows scripts to run. If you encounter issues with script execution, you might need to adjust the execution policy using the `Set-ExecutionPolicy` cmdlet. For example:
powershell
Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser
This command sets the execution policy to allow local scripts to run without signing, while still requiring remote scripts to be signed. Adjust the scope and policy as needed for your environment.
Citations:
[1] https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/tutorial/How-to-find-and-customize-your-PowerShell-profile
[2] https://superuser.com/questions/1268727/powershell-profile-does-not-load
[3] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_profiles?view=powershell-7.5
[4] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/learn/shell/creating-profiles?view=powershell-7.5
[5] https://devblogs.microsoft.com/scripting/understanding-the-six-powershell-profiles/
[6] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/24153554/powershell-profile-ps1-cannot-be-loaded-because-its-operation-is-blocked-by-soft
[7] https://superuser.com/questions/1519204/how-can-i-make-my-powershell-module-import-permanent
[8] https://www.red-gate.com/simple-talk/sysadmin/powershell/persistent-powershell-the-powershell-profile/
[9] https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/persistence-via-powershell-profile.html