PowerShell Format-Wide

last modified February 15, 2025

In this article, we will cover the Format-Wide cmdlet in PowerShell. This cmdlet formats output as a wide table with one property.

Format-Wide basics

The Format-Wide cmdlet displays objects in a multi-column layout. It shows only one property of each object by default. This is useful when you want a compact view of simple data. The cmdlet automatically adjusts column width based on terminal size.

Basic Format-Wide usage

The simplest way to use Format-Wide is by piping objects to it. By default, it displays the first property of each object. This creates a compact multi-column view. The output is optimized for terminal width.

formatwide1.ps1

Get-Process | Format-Wide

This command lists all processes in a multi-column format. Only the process names are shown by default. The column count adjusts to your terminal width.

Specifying the property to display

You can specify which property to display using the -Property parameter. This is useful when you want to show a specific property. The property name must be valid for the input objects. Multiple properties cannot be displayed with Format-Wide.

formatwide2.ps1

Get-Process | Format-Wide -Property Id

This command displays process IDs in a multi-column format. The output is more compact than the default table view. It’s useful for quick scanning.

Controlling column count

You can control the number of columns with the -Column parameter. This overrides the automatic column calculation. The value must be a positive integer. This is useful when you need consistent output formatting.

formatwide3.ps1

Get-ChildItem | Format-Wide -Column 3

This command displays files in exactly three columns. The output remains consistent regardless of terminal width. Each item is the file name by default.

Formatting services

Format-Wide works well with service information. It can display service names in a compact format. This is useful for quick service overviews. The cmdlet automatically handles the service objects.

formatwide4.ps1

Get-Service | Format-Wide -Property DisplayName

This command shows service display names in wide format. The output is more compact than the default table. It’s easier to scan through many services.

Combining with Select-Object

You can combine Format-Wide with Select-Object for custom output. First select the properties you need, then format them. This allows filtering before formatting. The pipeline handles the data flow.

formatwide5.ps1

Get-Process | Select-Object -First 10 -Property Name | Format-Wide

This command shows only the first 10 process names in wide format. The combination provides precise control over output. The result is clean and easy to read.

Formatting modules

Module information can be displayed compactly with Format-Wide. This is useful when listing many modules. The cmdlet shows one property per module. The default is the module name.

formatwide6.ps1

Get-Module -ListAvailable | Format-Wide -Property Name

This command lists available module names in wide format. The output is more compact than the default table. It’s easier to scan through many modules.

Customizing output width

You can combine Format-Wide with Out-String to control line width. This is useful for output redirection or logging. The -Width parameter specifies maximum line width. The cmdlet adjusts columns accordingly.

formatwide7.ps1

Get-Process | Format-Wide | Out-String -Width 80

This command formats process names to fit within 80 characters per line. The output is suitable for fixed-width displays or logs. Column count adjusts to stay within the limit.

Source

PowerShell documentation

In this article, we have covered the Format-Wide cmdlet in PowerShell.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

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