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dsc resource test

Synopsis

Validates the actual state of a resource instance against a desired state.

Syntax

Instance properties from input option

dsc resource test --input <INPUT> --resource <RESOURCE>

Instance properties from file

dsc resource test --file <FILE> --resource <RESOURCE>

Instance properties from stdin

cat <FILE> | dsc resource test [Options] --resource <RESOURCE> --file -

Description

The test subcommand validates the actual state of a resource instance against a desired state.

This subcommand tests one instance of a specific DSC Resource. To test multiple resources, use a group resource, adapter resource, or the dsc config test command.

The desired state of the instance to test must be passed to this command as a JSON or YAML object with the --input or --file option.

If this command is invoked for a command resource that doesn't define its own test operation, DSC performs a synthetic test. The synthetic test compares each property for the desired state of an instance against the actual state. The synthetic test uses strict, case-sensitive equivalence. If the desired state for a property and the actual state aren't the same, DSC marks the property as out of the desired state.

This command only validates instance properties under two conditions:

  1. When the property is explicitly included in the desired state input.
  2. When the property has a default value and isn't explicitly included in the desired state input.

Examples

Example 1 - Testing a resource with properties from stdin

The command tests whether the Example key exists in the current user hive. It specifies the desired state for the resource instance as JSON and passes it from stdin.

'{
    "keyPath": "HKCU\\Example",
    "_exist": true
}' | dsc resource test --resource Microsoft.Windows/Registry --file -

Example 2 - Testing a resource with the input option

The command tests whether the Example key exists in the current user hive. It specifies the desired state for the resource instance as JSON and passes it with the --input option.

dsc resource test --resource Microsoft.Windows/Registry --input '{
    "keyPath": "HKCU\\Example",
    "_exist": true
}'

Example 3 - Testing a resource with properties from a YAML file

The command tests whether the Example key exists in the current user hive. It specifies the path to a YAML file defining the desired state for the resource instance with the --file option.

# example.yaml
keyPath: HKCU\\Example
_exist:  true

dsc resource test --resource Microsoft.Windows/Registry --path ./example.yaml

Options

-r, --resource

Specifies the fully qualified type name of the DSC Resource to use, like Microsoft.Windows/Registry.

The fully qualified type name syntax is: <owner>[.<group>][.<area>]/<name>, where:

  • The owner is the maintaining author or organization for the resource.
  • The group and area are optional name components that enable namespacing for a resource.
  • The name identifies the component the resource manages.
Type        : string
Mandatory   : true
LongSyntax  : --resource <RESOURCE>
ShortSyntax : -r <RESOURCE>

-i, --input

Specifies the desired state of the resource instance to validate against the actual state.

The instance must be a string containing a JSON or YAML object. DSC validates the object against the resource's instance schema. If the validation fails, DSC raises an error.

This option is mutually exclusive with the --file option.

Type        : string
Mandatory   : false
LongSyntax  : --input <INPUT>
ShortSyntax : -i <INPUT>

-f, --file

Defines the path to a file defining the desired state of the resource instance to validate against the actual state.

The specified file must contain a JSON or YAML object that represents valid properties for the resource. DSC validates the object against the resource's instance schema. If the validation fails, or if the specified file doesn't exist, DSC raises an error.

You can also use this option to pass an instance from stdin, as shown in Example 1.

This option is mutually exclusive with the --input option.

Type        : string
Mandatory   : false
LongSyntax  : --file <FILE>
ShortSyntax : -f <FILE>

-o, --output-format

The --output-format option controls which format DSC uses for the data the command returns. The available formats are:

  • json to emit the data as a JSON Line.
  • pretty-json to emit the data as JSON with newlines, indentation, and spaces for readability.
  • yaml to emit the data as YAML.

The default output format depends on whether DSC detects that the output is being redirected or captured as a variable:

  • If the command isn't being redirected or captured, DSC displays the output as the yaml format in the console.
  • If the command output is redirected or captured, DSC emits the data as the json format to stdout.

When you use this option, DSC uses the specified format regardless of whether the command is being redirected or captured.

When the command isn't redirected or captured, the output in the console is formatted for improved readability. When the command isn't redirected or captured, the output include terminal sequences for formatting.

Type        : string
Mandatory   : false
ValidValues : [json, pretty-json, yaml]
LongSyntax  : --output-format <OUTPUT_FORMAT>
ShortSyntax : -o <OUTPUT_FORMAT>

-h, --help

Displays the help for the current command or subcommand. When you specify this option, the application ignores all other options and arguments.

Type        : boolean
Mandatory   : false
LongSyntax  : --help
ShortSyntax : -h

Output

This command returns a formatted data object that includes the desired state of the instance, the actual state, the list of properties that are out of the desired state, and a boolean value indicating whether the instance is in the desired state. For more information, see dsc resource test result schema.

For more information about the formatting of the output data, see the --output-format option.