PowerShell: Return values from a function through reference parameters

PowerShell has a special [ref] keyword to specify which parameters are used in a fuction to return values. It's usage is not directly clear however.

If the type of the variable to update is a value type, use the [ref] keyword in the declaration of the function parameter, this specifies that a "pointer" to the variable will be passed.

To pass the "pointer" to the variable, use ([ref]$variable) to create the pointer, and pass this as parameter. To set the value of the value variable pointed to by the "pointer", use the .Value field.

Simple example to show what [ref] does:

C:\Program Files\PowerGUI> $zz = "hoi"
C:\Program Files\PowerGUI> $xz = [ref]$zz
C:\Program Files\PowerGUI> $xz
Value
-----
hoi

This is only required for value types, not is the type is a referece type like for example Hashtable.

Some sample code:

function fn
{
param
(
[ref]$arg1,
[ref]$arg2,
$arg3
)

$arg1.Value = 1
$arg2.Value = "overwrite"
$arg3.key = "overwrite hash value"
}

$x = 0
$y = "original"
$z = @{"key" = "original hashvalue"}
$x
$y
$z.key
fn -arg1 ([ref]$x) -arg2 ([ref]$y) -arg3 $z
$x
$y
$z.key