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Is there an ESCAPE key in Powershell?

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Yes there is. In other programming languages, you may have encountered the backslash ( \ ) and the start of an escape sequence. It is a little different in PowerShell. We use the backtick character ( ` ). It is usually found on the key to the left of the number ( 1 ) key and shares the key with the tilde ( ~ ). Here are a few examples

Character Escape Code

Null `0

Alert `a

Backspace `b

Form Feed `f

New Line `n

Carriage Return `r

Tab `t

Vertical quote `v

Below is a script the will demonstrate a few of these.

# ======================================

# Script Name: EscapeCodeDemo.PS1

# Author: Jason A.Yoder, MCT

# Company: MCTExpert, Inc.

# Website: www.MCTExpert.com

# Blog: www.MCTExpert.blogspot.com

# Version: 1.0

# Created: September 14, 2009

# Purpose: To demonstrate the different

# escape sequences in PowerShell.

# ======================================

# ======================================

# Script Body

# --------------------------------------

Clear-Host

Write-Host " Each of the following" `

"lines will demonstrate a different" `

"Escape Code"

Write-Host " "

Write-Host "Demonstration of TAB and " `

Write-Host "Form Feed"

Write-host "Name `t IPAddress `t Location `n"

Write-host "Apple `t 1.1.1.1 `t Indianapolis" `n

Write-Host "Orange `t 2.2.2.2 `t Tampa"

Write-host "Banana `t 3.3.3.3 `t Ancorage"

Write-host "Pear `t 4.4.4.4 `t London `f"

Write-host "Peach `t 5.5.5.5 `t Paris"

# ======================================

# End of Script Body

# ======================================


Should you need to use the backtick for something else, I suggest you read the following article from Lee Desmond

http://www.leedesmond.com/weblog/?p=35

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Comments

Anonymous said…
Do you know how to detect when the user presses the Esc key on their keyboard using the following?

$host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey("NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown")
September 9, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Anonymous said…
Nevermind, I found it. This is it:

$x = $host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey("NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown")
if ($x -eq [char]27) {Write-host "esc was pressed"}
September 9, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Anonymous said…
Whoops... actually, this works much better:

if ($x.VirtualKeyCode -eq 27) {write-host "esc was pressed"}
September 9, 2011 at 11:38 AM
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