LANCommander/LANCommander.Documentation/Scripting/Cmdlets.md

---
title: Cmdlets
---

# Overview
Since there is a full PowerShell runtime built into LANCommander, there are a few custom cmdlets that have been added to simplify common tasks that may be needed when installing or configuring a game. This page covers the definition and use of these cmdlets.

## `Convert-AspectRatio`
Calculates a resolution for the desired aspect ratio using an input width and height in pixels.

### Syntax
```powershell
Convert-AspectRatio
    -Width <int>
    -Height <int>
    -AspectRatio <double>
```

### Description
The `Convert-AspectRatio` cmdlet is most useful for calculating a resolution for a specific aspect ratio that will fit within a display by either using pillar or letter boxing. For example, some games may only support 4:3 displays and you may want to calculate the correct 4:3 resolution from your 16:9 display. This cmdlet is really useful when paired with `Get-PrimaryDisplay`. 

### Example
```powershell
Convert-AspectRatio -Width 2560 -Height 1440 -AspectRatio (4 / 3)

# Returns <DisplayResolution>
Width     : 1920
Height    : 1440
```

## `ConvertTo-StringBytes`
Converts an input string into a byte array.

### Syntax
```powershell
ConvertTo-StringBytes
    -Input <string>
    -Utf16 <bool>
    -BigEndian <bool>
    -MaxLength <int>
    -MinLength <int>
```

### Description
`ConvertTo-StringBytes` is extremely useful for patching strings in binary files. It will take any input string and convert it to a byte array. Length can be controlled using the `-MaxLength` and `-MinLength` parameters. Endianness can be set using `-BigEndian`. If the string must be UTF-16 (easily identifiable as characters separated by `0x00`), use `-Utf16`.

### Example
```powershell
ConvertTo-StringBytes -Input "Hello, world!" -Utf16 1
72 0 101 0 108 0 108 0 111 0 44 0 32 0 119 0 111 0 114 0 108 0 100 0 33 0

ConvertTo-StringBytes -Input "Hello, world!" -MaxLength
72 101 108 108 111

ConvertTo-StringBytes -Input "Hello" -MaxLength 10 -MinLength 10
72 101 108 108 111 0 0 0 0 0

ConvertTo-StringBytes -Input "Hello" -Utf16 1 -BigEndian 1
0 72 0 101 0 108 0 108 0 111
```

## `Edit-PatchBinary`
Patches binary files at a specified offset.

### Syntax
```powershell
Edit-PatchBinary
    -Offset <long>
    -Data <byte[]>
    -FilePath <string>
    -MaxLength <int>
    -MinLength <int>
```

### Description
This cmdlet is useful when a binary file has to be patched at a specific offset. It can be extremely useful when paired with `ConvertTo-StringBytes` to update a player name in a binary file.

### Example
```powershell
$bytes = ConvertTo-StringBytes -Input "Master Chief" -Utf16 1 -MaxLength 16 -MinLength 16

Edit-PatchBinary -FilePath "$($env:LOCALAPPDATA)\Microsoft\Halo 2\Saved Games\S0000000\profile" -Offset 0x08 -Data $bytes
```

## `Get-GameManifest`
Parses a game's manifest YAML file from the specified install directory.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-GameManifest
    -Path <string>
```

### Description
Used to deserialize a game's manifest file (`Manifest.yml`) from the specified install directory. Returns the game manifest as an object.

### Examples
```powershell
$manifest = Get-GameManifest -Path "C:\Games\Age of Empires II - The Age of Kings"
Write-Host $manifest.Title

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
```

## `Get-PrimaryDisplay`
Gets the bounds of the machine's current primary display.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-PrimaryDisplay
```

### Description
The `Get-PrimaryDisplay` cmdlet takes no parameters and will only return the bounds of the current primary display attached to the machine. This is highly useful in where you might want to automatically set the game's resolution to match the primary display's resolution.

### Example
```powershell
$Display = Get-PrimaryDisplay

Write-Host "$($Display.Width)x$($Display.Height) @ $($Display.RefreshRate)Hz"

1920x1080 @ 120Hz
```

## `Update-IniValue`
Updates the value of an INI file.

### Syntax
```powershell
Update-IniValue
    -Section <string>
    -Key <string>
    -Value <string>
    -FilePath <string>
    -WrapValueInQuotes <bool> (optional)
```

### Description
`Update-IniValue` should be used when updating the values of an INI file. These files are typically used for configuring games and may be hard to edit using `Write-ReplaceContentInFile` and regular expressions. INI files are comprised of sections (text surrounded in square brackets, (`[Display]`), and key-value pairs (`Width=1024`).

### Example
```powershell
# Change the resolution
$Display = Get-PrimaryDisplay
Update-IniValue -Section "Display" -Key "Width" -Value "$($Display.Width)" -FilePath "$InstallDirectory\config.ini"
```

## `Write-GameManifest`
Serializes a `GameManifest` object and writes it to disk.

### Syntax
```powershell
Write-GameManifest
    -Path <string>
    -Manifest <LANCommander.SDK.GameManifest>
```

### Example
```powershell
$manifest = Get-GameManifest -Path "C:\Games\Age of Empires II - The Age of Kings"
$manifest.SortTitle = "Age of Empires 2"

Write-GameManifest -Path "C:\Games\Age of Empires II - The Age of Kings\.lancommander\$($manifest.Id)\Manifest.yml"
```

## `Write-ReplaceContentInFile`
Find and replace a string in a text file.

### Syntax
```powershell
Write-ReplaceContentInFile
    -Pattern <string>
    -Substitution <string>
    -FilePath <string>
```

### Description
`Write-ReplaceContentInFile` can be used when you want to edit a text file and replace content. The `-Pattern` parameter accepts regular expressions.

### Example
```powershell
# Changes the player's multiplayer name in Call of Duty (2003)
Write-ReplaceContentInFile -Pattern '^seta name (.+)' -Substitution "seta name ""$NewPlayerAlias""" -FilePath "$InstallDirectory\Main\config_mp.cfg"
```

## `Get-UserCustomField`
Retrieves the value of a custom field from the user's profile from the server.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-UserCustomField
    -Name <string>
```

### Description
This cmdlet can be useful if you have a game that might require a persistent ID attached to your user. Often times games will assign a unique ID to a player upon creation of a profile, and that ID will be used on a server to keep track of stats, inventory, etc. The list of custom fields added to a user can be viewed under their profile in the server's web UI.

### Example
```powershell
Get-UserCustomField -Name "SteamId"
```

## `Get-RedistributableOptions`
Retrieves the resolved options for a redistributable assigned to a game.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-RedistributableOptions
    -Path <string>
    -Id <Guid>
    -Name <string>
```

### Description
The `Get-RedistributableOptions` cmdlet reads the game manifest and returns the resolved option values for the specified redistributable as a nested `PSObject`. Options are resolved in order: schema defaults, then per-game configured values. Nested options in the schema are represented as nested properties on the returned object.

This cmdlet is useful in [Install](/Scripting/Script Types/Install), [Before Start](/Scripting/Script Types/Before Start), and [Run Wrapper](/Scripting/Script Types/Run Wrapper) scripts where you need to access compatibility shim configuration.

### Example
```powershell
$options = Get-RedistributableOptions -Path $InstallDirectory -Id $GameManifest.Id -Name "umu-launcher"

# Access nested options
Write-Host $options.Game.GAMEID        # "umu-default" or admin-configured value
Write-Host $options.Proton.PROTONPATH  # "GE-Proton" or admin-configured value

# Use in a script
if ($options.Proton.PROTONPATH -eq "GE-Proton") {
    Write-Host "Using default Proton version"
}
```

## `Update-UserCustomField`
Updates the value of a custom field on a users profile.

### Syntax
```powershell
Update-UserCustomField
    -Name <string>
    -Value <string>
```

### Description
The companion to `Get-UserCustomField`, this cmdlet lets you update or set the value of a custom field on a user's profile directly within your scripts. The most common use case is generating a new user ID on install, writing it to the game's configuration file, and then updating the custom field on the user's profile to store it for subsequent installs.

### Example
```powershell
Update-UserCustomField -Name "SteamId" -Value "34950494"
```

## `ConvertFrom-SerializedBase64`
Deserializes a Base64-encoded YAML string back into an object.

### Syntax
```powershell
ConvertFrom-SerializedBase64
    -Input <string>
```

### Description
The `ConvertFrom-SerializedBase64` cmdlet takes a Base64-encoded string containing YAML-serialized data, decodes it, and deserializes it back into a PowerShell object. This is the companion to `ConvertTo-SerializedBase64` and is useful for reading data that was previously serialized and encoded for storage or transport. Accepts pipeline input.

### Example
```powershell
$data = ConvertFrom-SerializedBase64 -Input "TmFtZTogSGVsbG8="

# Or via pipeline
"TmFtZTogSGVsbG8=" | ConvertFrom-SerializedBase64
```

## `ConvertTo-SerializedBase64`
Serializes an object to YAML and encodes it as a Base64 string.

### Syntax
```powershell
ConvertTo-SerializedBase64
    -Input <object>
```

### Description
The `ConvertTo-SerializedBase64` cmdlet takes any object, serializes it to YAML, and then encodes the result as a Base64 string. This is useful for storing or transmitting structured data in a compact, text-safe format. Accepts pipeline input.

### Example
```powershell
$obj = @{ Name = "Hello"; Value = 42 }
$encoded = ConvertTo-SerializedBase64 -Input $obj

# Or via pipeline
$obj | ConvertTo-SerializedBase64
```

## `Edit-PatchGameSpy`
Patches GameSpy master server references in game files to point to a replacement server.

### Syntax
```powershell
Edit-PatchGameSpy
    -Path <string>
    -Hostname <string> (optional, default: "openspy.net")
    -PublicKey <string> (optional, default: OpenSpy public key)
    -BinariesToPatch <string[]> (optional, default: "*.dll", "*.exe")
    -TextFilesToPatch <string[]> (optional, default: "*.ini", "*.cfg", "*.conf")
```

### Description
The `Edit-PatchGameSpy` cmdlet scans a game's directory for binary and text files that reference GameSpy master servers and patches them to use a replacement server (OpenSpy by default). For binary files, it replaces the `gamespy.com` hostname and public key at the byte level. For text files, it handles Unreal Engine configuration patterns including UT99 and Unreal 2 master server list entries. The replacement hostname must be exactly 12 characters to match the original `gamespy.com` length.

### Example
```powershell
# Patch all GameSpy references to use OpenSpy (default)
Edit-PatchGameSpy -Path "$InstallDirectory"

# Patch with custom hostname and file patterns
Edit-PatchGameSpy -Path "$InstallDirectory" -Hostname "openspy.net" -BinariesToPatch "*.dll","*.exe","*.so"
```

## `Get-HorizontalFov`
Calculates a horizontal field of view scaled for the current display's aspect ratio.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-HorizontalFov
    -Width <int> (optional, defaults to primary display width)
    -Height <int> (optional, defaults to primary display height)
    -BaseFov <int> (optional, default: 90)
```

### Description
The `Get-HorizontalFov` cmdlet calculates a scaled horizontal field of view based on the display's aspect ratio relative to a 4:3 baseline. Many older games use a default 90-degree horizontal FOV designed for 4:3 displays. This cmdlet computes the correct horizontal FOV for wider aspect ratios so that the visible area matches what was intended. If `-Width` and `-Height` are not specified, the primary display's resolution is used automatically.

### Example
```powershell
# Get FOV for the current display with default 90-degree base
$fov = Get-HorizontalFov
Write-Host "Horizontal FOV: $fov"

# Get FOV for a specific resolution with a custom base FOV
$fov = Get-HorizontalFov -Width 2560 -Height 1440 -BaseFov 90
Write-Host "Horizontal FOV: $fov"  # Returns 106
```

## `Get-VerticalFov`
Calculates a vertical field of view scaled for the current display's aspect ratio.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-VerticalFov
    -Width <int> (optional, defaults to primary display width)
    -Height <int> (optional, defaults to primary display height)
    -BaseFov <int> (optional, default: 75)
```

### Description
The `Get-VerticalFov` cmdlet calculates a scaled vertical field of view based on the display's aspect ratio relative to a 4:3 baseline. Some games use vertical FOV for their configuration. This cmdlet computes the correct vertical FOV for wider aspect ratios. If `-Width` and `-Height` are not specified, the primary display's resolution is used automatically.

### Example
```powershell
# Get vertical FOV for the current display
$fov = Get-VerticalFov
Write-Host "Vertical FOV: $fov"

# Get vertical FOV for a specific resolution
$fov = Get-VerticalFov -Width 1920 -Height 1080 -BaseFov 75
Write-Host "Vertical FOV: $fov"  # Returns 59
```

## `Get-SanitizedPath`
Removes invalid filename characters from a path string.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-SanitizedPath
    -Path <string>
```

### Description
The `Get-SanitizedPath` cmdlet strips invalid filename characters from the provided path string. This is useful when constructing file paths from user input or game titles that may contain characters not allowed in file names. Accepts pipeline input.

### Example
```powershell
$clean = Get-SanitizedPath -Path "Game: The Sequel?"
Write-Host $clean  # Returns "Game The Sequel"

# Or via pipeline
"Game: The Sequel?" | Get-SanitizedPath
```

## `Expand-LatestArchive`
Downloads and extracts the latest archive for a game, redistributable, or tool.

### Syntax
```powershell
Expand-LatestArchive
    -DestinationPath <string> (optional, defaults to current directory)
    -GameId <Guid> (optional, resolved from $GameManifest or $Game)
    -RedistributableId <Guid> (optional, resolved from $Redistributable)
    -ToolId <Guid> (optional, resolved from $Tool)
```

### Description
The `Expand-LatestArchive` cmdlet extracts the latest archive for a game, redistributable, or tool. When run in a server-side packaging context (where `$LatestArchivePath` is set), it reads directly from the local archive file. When run in a client-side context, it downloads the archive from the LANCommander server via the API. The target ID is automatically resolved from context variables (`$Redistributable`, `$Tool`, `$GameManifest`, or `$Game`) if not explicitly provided. Returns a `DirectoryInfo` object pointing to the extraction destination.

### Example
```powershell
# Extract to the current directory using the context variable
Expand-LatestArchive

# Extract to a specific directory
Expand-LatestArchive -DestinationPath "C:\Games\MyGame"

# Extract a specific game's archive
Expand-LatestArchive -GameId "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890" -DestinationPath "C:\Staging"

# Extract a redistributable's archive
Expand-LatestArchive -RedistributableId "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890"

# Extract a tool's archive
Expand-LatestArchive -ToolId "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890"
```

## `New-Package`
Creates a package result object for the packaging pipeline.

### Syntax
```powershell
New-Package
    -Path <string>
    -Version <string>
    -Changelog <string> (optional)
```

### Description
The `New-Package` cmdlet creates a `Package` object with the specified path, version, and optional changelog, and sets it as the script's return value. This cmdlet is used in [Package](/Scripting/Script Types/Package) scripts to define the output of the packaging process. The `-Path` parameter should point to the directory containing the package contents to be archived.

### Example
```powershell
# Create a package from a build output directory
New-Package -Path "C:\Build\Output" -Version "1.0.0" -Changelog "Initial release"

# Minimal usage
New-Package -Path "$BuildDirectory" -Version "2.1.0"
```

## `Out-PlayerAvatar`
Downloads the current player's avatar from the server.

### Syntax
```powershell
Out-PlayerAvatar
```

### Description
The `Out-PlayerAvatar` cmdlet retrieves the current authenticated player's avatar from the LANCommander server. Returns the avatar file path as a string. This cmdlet takes no parameters and must be run within a LANCommander script context where the player is authenticated.

### Example
```powershell
$avatarPath = Out-PlayerAvatar
Write-Host "Avatar saved to: $avatarPath"
```

# Steam-Related Cmdlets

The following cmdlets provide functionality for interacting with SteamCMD and the Steam Store API. These cmdlets enable you to install Steam games, manage SteamCMD profiles, search for games, and retrieve Steam assets.

# Connection Management

## `Connect-SteamCmd`
Connects to SteamCMD with the specified username and optional password.

### Syntax
```powershell
Connect-SteamCmd
    -Username <string>
    -Password <SecureString> (optional)
```

### Description
The `Connect-SteamCmd` cmdlet authenticates with SteamCMD using the provided username and optional password. This is required before installing Steam content that requires authentication. Returns a `SteamCmdStatus` object indicating the connection result.

### Example
```powershell
$securePassword = ConvertTo-SecureString "mypassword" -AsPlainText -Force
Connect-SteamCmd -Username "myusername" -Password $securePassword
```

## `Disconnect-SteamCmd`
Disconnects from SteamCMD for the specified username.

### Syntax
```powershell
Disconnect-SteamCmd
    -Username <string>
```

### Description
The `Disconnect-SteamCmd` cmdlet logs out the specified username from SteamCMD. Returns a `SteamCmdStatus` object indicating the logout result.

### Example
```powershell
Disconnect-SteamCmd -Username "myusername"
```

## `Get-SteamCmdConnectionStatus`
Gets the connection status for a SteamCMD username.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-SteamCmdConnectionStatus
    -Username <string>
```

### Description
The `Get-SteamCmdConnectionStatus` cmdlet retrieves the current connection status for the specified username. Returns a `SteamCmdConnectionStatus` object containing information about whether the user is connected and authenticated.

### Example
```powershell
$status = Get-SteamCmdConnectionStatus -Username "myusername"
Write-Host "Connected: $($status.IsConnected)"
```

# SteamCMD Configuration

## `Get-SteamCmdPath`
Gets the path to the SteamCMD executable.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-SteamCmdPath
```

### Description
The `Get-SteamCmdPath` cmdlet attempts to auto-detect the SteamCMD executable path on the system. Returns the path as a string if found, or nothing if SteamCMD is not detected.

### Example
```powershell
$steamCmdPath = Get-SteamCmdPath
if ($steamCmdPath) {
    Write-Host "SteamCMD found at: $steamCmdPath"
}
```

## `Get-SteamCmdProfile`
Gets a SteamCMD profile for the specified username.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-SteamCmdProfile
    -Username <string>
```

### Description
The `Get-SteamCmdProfile` cmdlet retrieves the SteamCMD profile configuration for the specified username. Returns a `SteamCmdProfile` object containing the username and install directory, or nothing if the profile doesn't exist.

### Example
```powershell
$profile = Get-SteamCmdProfile -Username "myusername"
if ($profile) {
    Write-Host "Install Directory: $($profile.InstallDirectory)"
}
```

## `Get-SteamCmdProfiles`
Gets all SteamCMD profiles.

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-SteamCmdProfiles
```

### Description
The `Get-SteamCmdProfiles` cmdlet retrieves all configured SteamCMD profiles. Returns a collection of `SteamCmdProfile` objects.

### Example
```powershell
$profiles = Get-SteamCmdProfiles
foreach ($profile in $profiles) {
    Write-Host "$($profile.Username): $($profile.InstallDirectory)"
}
```

## `Set-SteamCmdProfile`
Creates or updates a SteamCMD profile.

### Syntax
```powershell
Set-SteamCmdProfile
    -Username <string>
    -InstallDirectory <string>
```

### Description
The `Set-SteamCmdProfile` cmdlet creates or updates a SteamCMD profile with the specified username and install directory. This profile is used to store SteamCMD configuration settings.

### Example
```powershell
Set-SteamCmdProfile -Username "myusername" -InstallDirectory "C:\Steam\Content"
```

## `Remove-SteamCmdProfile`
Removes a SteamCMD profile.

### Syntax
```powershell
Remove-SteamCmdProfile
    -Username <string>
```

### Description
The `Remove-SteamCmdProfile` cmdlet deletes the SteamCMD profile for the specified username.

### Example
```powershell
Remove-SteamCmdProfile -Username "myusername"
```

# Steam Content Installation

## `Install-SteamContent`
Installs Steam content (game, DLC, etc.) using SteamCMD.

### Syntax
```powershell
Install-SteamContent
    -AppId <uint>
    -InstallDirectory <string>
    -Username <string> (optional)
```

### Description
The `Install-SteamContent` cmdlet queues an installation job to download and install Steam content using SteamCMD. The `AppId` parameter specifies the Steam App ID to install, and `InstallDirectory` is where the content will be installed. If `Username` is provided, it will use that profile's authentication. Returns a `SteamCmdInstallJob` object that can be used to track the installation progress.

### Example
```powershell
$job = Install-SteamContent -AppId 730 -InstallDirectory "C:\Games\Counter-Strike 2" -Username "myusername"
Write-Host "Installation job started: $($job.Id)"
```

## `Remove-SteamContent`
Removes Steam content from the specified install directory.

### Syntax
```powershell
Remove-SteamContent
    -InstallDirectory <string>
```

### Description
The `Remove-SteamContent` cmdlet removes Steam content from the specified installation directory. Returns a `SteamCmdStatus` object indicating the result of the operation.

### Example
```powershell
Remove-SteamContent -InstallDirectory "C:\Games\Counter-Strike 2"
```

# Steam Store

## `Search-SteamGames`
Searches for games on the Steam Store.

### Syntax
```powershell
Search-SteamGames
    -Keyword <string>
```

### Description
The `Search-SteamGames` cmdlet searches the Steam Store for games matching the specified keyword. Returns a collection of `GameSearchResult` objects containing the game name and App ID.

### Example
```powershell
$results = Search-SteamGames -Keyword "Counter-Strike"
foreach ($result in $results) {
    Write-Host "$($result.Name) - App ID: $($result.AppId)"
}
```

## `Get-SteamWebAssetUri`
Gets the URI for a Steam web asset (logo, header, etc.).

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-SteamWebAssetUri
    -AppId <int>
    -WebAssetType <WebAssetType>
```

### Description
The `Get-SteamWebAssetUri` cmdlet returns the URI for a specific web asset type for the given Steam App ID. The `WebAssetType` parameter accepts one of the following values:
- `Capsule` - Small capsule image (231x87)
- `CapsuleLarge` - Large capsule image (616x353)
- `Header` - Header image
- `HeroCapsule` - Hero capsule image
- `LibraryCover` - Library cover image (600x900)
- `LibraryHeader` - Library header image
- `LibraryHero` - Library hero image
- `Logo` - Game logo (PNG)

Returns a `Uri` object.

### Example
```powershell
$logoUri = Get-SteamWebAssetUri -AppId 730 -WebAssetType Logo
Write-Host "Logo URL: $logoUri"
```

## `Get-SteamAppInfo`
Gets app details from the Steam Store (no API key required) and the **changenumber** (build ID) and last updated time from Steam via SteamKit2 (PICS).

### Syntax
```powershell
Get-SteamAppInfo
    -AppId <uint>
```

### Description
The `Get-SteamAppInfo` cmdlet returns a `SteamAppInfo` object with name, short description, release date, developers, publishers, and store URL from the public Steam Store `appdetails` endpoint. It also connects to Steam via SteamKit2 (PICS) to fill **LastChangenumber** and **LastUpdated** for the public branch—no Web API key required. If SteamKit2 cannot connect or the app cannot be queried, those two properties are null.

### Example
```powershell
$info = Get-SteamAppInfo -AppId 413150
if ($info) {
    Write-Host "Name: $($info.Name)"
    Write-Host "Description: $($info.Description)"
    Write-Host "Release date: $($info.ReleaseDate)"
    Write-Host "Developer: $($info.Developer)"
}
```