ConvertTo-Xml
SYNOPSIS
Creates an XML-based representation of an object.
SYNTAX
ConvertTo-Xml [-Depth <Int32>] [-InputObject] <PSObject> [-NoTypeInformation] [-As <String>]
[<CommonParameters>]
DESCRIPTION
The `ConvertTo-Xml` cmdlet creates an XML-based (/dotnet/api/system.xml.xmldocument)representation of one or more more .NET objects. To use this cmdlet, pipe one or more objects to the cmdlet, or use the InputObject parameter to specify the object.
When you pipe multiple objects to `ConvertTo-Xml` or use the InputObject parameter to submit multiple objects, `ConvertTo-Xml` returns a single, in-memory XML document that includes representations of all of the objects.
This cmdlet is similar to Export-Clixml (./Export-Clixml.md)except that `Export-Clixml` stores the resulting XML in a Common Language Infrastructure(CLI) XML (https://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-335.htm)file that can be reimported as objects with Import-Clixml (./Import-Clixml.md). `ConvertTo-Xml` returns an in-memory representation of an XML document, so you can continue to process it in PowerShell. `ConvertTo-Xml` does not have an option to convert objects to CLI XML.
EXAMPLES
Example 1: Convert a date to XML
PS C:\> Get-Date | ConvertTo-Xml
This command converts the current date (a DateTime object) to XML.
Example 2: Convert processes to XML
PS C:\> ConvertTo-Xml -As "Document" -InputObject (Get-Process) -Depth 3
This command converts the process objects that represent all of the processes on the computer into an XML document. The objects are expanded to a depth of three levels.
PARAMETERS
-As
Determines the output format. The acceptable values for this parameter are:
- String. Returns a single string. - Stream. Returns an array of strings. - Document. Returns an XmlDocument object.
The default value is Document.
Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Accepted values: Stream, String, Document
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Depth
Specifies how many levels of contained objects are included in the XML representation. The default value is 1.
For example, if the object's properties also contain objects, to save an XML representation of the properties of the contained objects, you must specify a depth of 2.
The default value can be overridden for the object type in the Types.ps1xml files. For more information, see about_Types.ps1xml (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Types.ps1xml.md).
Type: System.Int32
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-InputObject
Specifies the object to be converted. Enter a variable that contains the objects, or type a command or expression that gets the objects. You can also pipe objects to ConvertTo-XML .
Type: System.Management.Automation.PSObject
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: True
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-NoTypeInformation
Omits the Type attribute from the object nodes.
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
INPUTS
System.Management.Automation.PSObject
You can pipe any object to ConvertTo-XML .
OUTPUTS
System.String or System.Xml.XmlDocument
The value of the As parameter determines the type of object that ConvertTo-XML returns.