What is the output object list of a cmdlet in Windows PowerShell?

Many cmdlets do return a list of objects, not just a single object.

If there is no more cmdlet in the cmdlet pipeline, the output object list will converted to a text table with properties of each object displayed as fields in a row.

For example, cmdlet "get-service" will return a list of ServiceController objects.

PS C:\fyicenter> get-service  sql*

Status   Name               DisplayName
------   ----               -----------
Stopped  SQLAgent$SQLEXP... SQL Server Agent (SQLEXPRESS)
Stopped  SQLBrowser         SQL Server Browser
Stopped  SQLWriter          SQL Server VSS Writer

If there is a next cmdlet in the cmdlet pipeline, the entire list of objects will be passed to the next cmdlet for further processing:

PS C:\fyicenter> get-service  sql* | format-list

Name                : SQLAgent$SQLEXPRESS
DisplayName         : SQL Server Agent (SQLEXPRESS)
Status              : Stopped
DependentServices   : {}
ServicesDependedOn  : {MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS}
CanPauseAndContinue : False
CanShutdown         : False
CanStop             : False
ServiceType         : Win32OwnProcess

Name                : SQLBrowser
DisplayName         : SQL Server Browser
Status              : Stopped
DependentServices   : {}
ServicesDependedOn  : {}
CanPauseAndContinue : False
CanShutdown         : False
CanStop             : False
ServiceType         : Win32OwnProcess

Name                : SQLWriter
DisplayName         : SQL Server VSS Writer
Status              : Stopped
DependentServices   : {}
ServicesDependedOn  : {}
CanPauseAndContinue : False
CanShutdown         : False
CanStop             : False
ServiceType         : Win32OwnProcess

⇒ "Sort-Object" Cmdlet in Windows PowerShell

⇐ Cmdlet Pipeline Patterns in Windows PowerShell

⇑ Introduction of Windows PowerShell Cmdlet

⇑⇑ Windows PowerShell Tutorials