azure powershell preview modules

[marchesir]

hi,
when installing Az module on linux only major versions are insatlled
Install-Module -Name Az

in this list they are coloured orange
https://github.com/Azure/azure-powershell/blob/master/documentation/azure-powershell-modules.md

is there any reason or is there a way to force all are insatlled?

regards

[dcaro]

So far, the Az module comprise only stable modules (version 1.0.0 or above). Stable modules are adhering to a policy of no more than two breaking changes per year.
We have been considering several ways to deliver preview modules in a simpler way and would like to hear the feedback and suggestions from the community on few ideas below.

• Option 1: Create a new module Az.Preview (name to be discussed) with all the Az module available.
  If a module has a preview and a stable version, we'd include the most recent preview version.
  What would you expect as the version of the module?

• Option 2: Change the installation procedure and leverage further the Az.Tools.Installer module.
  This changes the installation process. Existing scripts may not be simple to update and this may not be easy to leverage in certain environments like ADO / Automation / etc.

We are open to any other suggestions on how to deliver those modules to your systems. If you have other ideas, please let us know.

[marchesir]

hi,

thanks for reply, personally i prefer option 1 but i guess it wont be for everyone, another option would be to pass an option like env var eg export AZ_INSTALL_PREVIEW=true to the Install-Module command with default as now only major versions being installed otherwise using the env var to install also preview modules.

in anycase thanks its clear now how it works which is what my team was trying to figure out.

regards

[brwilkinson]

I am not sure I fully understand... however here is an example

find-module psreadline

Version Name       Repository Description
------- ----       ---------- -----------
2.1.0   PSReadLine PSGallery  Great command line editing in the PowerShell console host

Now if I want to install the preview i can search and install Modules marked as preview. The Cmdlets have the same names as the normal cmdlets, they are essentially just a new version. You can have both installed side by side and you can import-module with the version that you wish to use. You can also remove-module with any version in memory that you don't wish to use.

so now if I opt in for preview.

find-module psreadline -AllowPrerelease

Version     Name       Repository Description
-------     ----       ---------- -----------
2.2.0-beta2 PSReadLine PSGallery  Great command line editing in the PowerShell console host

if I install them both.

install-module psreadline -AllowPrerelease
gmo psreadline -ListAvailable -All

    Directory: C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

ModuleType Version PreRelease Name       PSEdition ExportedCommands
---------- ------- ---------- ----       --------- ----------------
Script     2.0.0              PSReadline Desk      {Get-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Remove-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Get-PSReadLineOption…}
Script     0.0                PSReadline Desk      PSConsoleHostReadLine
Script     2.2.0   beta2      PSReadLine Desk      {Get-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Remove-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Get-PSReadLineOption…}
Script     0.0                PSReadLine Desk      {Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Get-PSReadLineOption, Get-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Set-PSReadLineOption…}

So now if I want to use one particular version I can remove all... since they are loaded by default, which AZ Modules are not, so you can skip this step.

rmo psreadline

Now I can import a version that is not the latest... since normally the latest (which would default to the preview if you installed it, would load by default )

import-module -Name psreadline -RequiredVersion 2.0.0
gmo psreadline

ModuleType Version PreRelease Name       ExportedCommands
---------- ------- ---------- ----       ----------------
Script     2.0.0              psreadline {Get-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Get-PSReadLineOption, Remove-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler…}

Now let me go back to the latest

rmo psreadline
import-module psreadline -Passthru

ModuleType Version PreRelease Name       ExportedCommands
---------- ------- ---------- ----       ----------------
Script     2.2.0   beta2      psreadline {Get-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Get-PSReadLineOption, Remove-PSReadLineKeyHandler, Set-PSReadLineKeyHandler…}

[dcaro]

This is one possible option that we are considering. Having it in a different module give more flexibility in the way we'd manage it.

[brwilkinson]

I see so yeah the difference would be:

# if it was in the same module, however allows tagging of prerelease
install-module -Name AZ -allowprerelease

# if it was it's own container module
install-module -Name AZ.Preview

Would the module that it download be the same name in both cases ?

E.g. AZ.Storage ?

[dcaro]

Az.Preview would include modules in preview and stable modules that are functional and usable. If a stable module has a preview, the preview would be included.
In some cases, for example Az.Storage 4.0.2-preview, our quality bar is not met, and the module will not be included.

[brwilkinson]

Okay I think I have a better understanding after comparing the module list here

# install the released module (The blue ones)
Install-module -Name AZ

# consideration to install the non released modules (The orange ones)
install-module -Name AZ.Preview

Normally you would have to explicitly install the orange ones individually (if you need them).

and from my question earlier, since AZ.Storage is blue/release it would only install with AZ, not AZ.Preview ?

I guess I was wondering if there was a preview version of AZ.Storage would that show up in both install lists or are they mutually exclusive ?

[dingmeng-xue]

I have concern to install preview module by Az.Preview which already has GAed version. One reason is those modules are under the separate branch. The pipeline has to update wrapped module according to the version information from PSGallery instead of built result. Another concern is preview version may contain different version of shared assemblies among other Az.Service modules such as Azure.Core. It will make modules cannot work together.

[dcaro]

Thanks all for the inputs!
I have created feature request #14756 related to this conversation, feedbacks about the implementation should now go happen in the issue.