Converting the Windows Script Host Write Method

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Definition: Sends a string to an output stream.

Write

The Write method enables you to output data to the console window without appending a carriage return-linefeed (newline) character to the end of that output. What does that mean? Well, suppose you call the Write method and write the following to the screen:

ABC

Now suppose you call the Write method a second time, this time writing DEF to the screen. What’s your console window going to look like? You got it:

ABCDEF

Because there’s no carriage return-linefeed the new data is simply tacked onto the end of whatever else is on the current line.

And yes, that is kind of nice, isn’t it?

In Windows PowerShell you can accomplish this same feat by using the Write-Host cmdlet and the –noNewLine parameter. For example:

Write-Host "ABC" -noNewLine

Not very impressed? Then try the following script, which calls Write-Host several times, including four instances when the –noNewLine parameter is used:

Write-Host "ABCDEFG" -noNewLine
Write-Host "HIJKLMNO" -noNewLine
Write-Host "PQRSTUV" -noNewLine
Write-Host "WXYZ" -noNewLine
Write-Host

When you run the preceding script you should see the following appear on screen:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Here’s another example, one that uses the “escape character” `b (Backspace). Give it a try and see what happens:

Write-Host "5" -noNewLine
Start-Sleep 1
Write-Host "`b4" -noNewLine
Start-Sleep 1
Write-Host "`b3" -noNewLine
Start-Sleep 1
Write-Host "`b2" -noNewLine
Start-Sleep 1
Write-Host "`b1" -noNewLine
Start-Sleep 1
Write-Host

See conversions of other Windows Script Host methods and properties.
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