PowerShell: Function Return Value and Statement

Return value

• Anything in function body that isn't captured is returned.
• Captured means assigned to a variable or redirected. 〔see PowerShell: Suppress Command Output〕
• When there are multiple outputs, they are collected in a array as return value.
• if no output, return value is $null.

# demo, of a function, anything not captured is returned.
# when there are multiple outputs, they are collected in a array as return value.

function ff {
    "something";
    4;
}

# call
$x = ff

$x
# something
# 4

# return type is array, because there are multiple outputs
$x.gettype().name
# Object[]

# suppress an output

function ff {
    "something";

    # suppress an output
    $null = 4;
}

# call
$x = ff

$x
# something

# return type is string
$x.gettype().name
# String

Return statement

• function can contain return statement with return expression or just return.
• return means the function exit at that point.
• return does not suppress previous outputs.

function ff {
    3;
    return 4;
    5;
}

# call
$x = ff

$x
# 3
# 4

# return type is array
$x.gettype().name
# Object[]