OrionDesign Module - Quick Reference Guide

🎨 OrionDesign PowerShell UI Framework

Version 3.1.0 | A comprehensive collection of PowerShell functions for creating beautiful terminal user interfaces with consistent styling and configurable global settings.

Created and maintained by Sune Alexandersen Narud

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🆕 What's New in v3.1.0

Every public function now includes a -Demo parameter. Run any function with -Demo to see a live, self-contained demonstration of all its modes and options — including the exact code that produced each example.

# Examples
Write-Alert    -Demo   # Shows all 4 alert types
Write-Header   -Demo   # Shows all underline/numbering modes
Write-Chart    -Demo   # Bar chart and Pie chart examples
Write-Steps    -Demo   # All 4 step list styles
Set-OrionTheme -Demo   # All 13 available presets
# ... same for every public function

📦 Installation

From PowerShell Gallery (recommended):

Install-Module -Name OrionDesign
# or with PSResourceGet:
Install-PSResource -Name OrionDesign

From source (clone the GitHub repo):

Import-Module .\OrionDesign.psd1

⚙️ Global Configuration

Max Width Control

# Check current max width
Get-OrionMaxWidth

# Set custom max width (50-200 characters)
Set-OrionMaxWidth -Width 80

# Reset to default (100 characters)  
Set-OrionMaxWidth -Reset

🎯 Core UI Functions

Information Display

Function	Purpose	Example
Write-Banner	Script headers with decorative borders	Write-Banner -ScriptName "MyScript" -Author "User"
Write-Header	Section headers with underlines	Write-Header "Configuration"
Write-InfoBox	Highlighted information panels	Write-InfoBox "Title" "Content goes here" -Style Modern
Write-Alert	Attention-grabbing alerts	Write-Alert "Warning!" -Type Warning
Write-Panel	Content containers with border styles	Write-Panel "Details here" -Type Info -Style Box

Status & Results

Function	Purpose	Example
Write-Action	Action text (pairs with Result)	Write-Action "Processing files"
Write-Action -Complete	Standalone result with icon/details	Write-Action "Deploy" -Complete -Status Success -ShowIcon
Write-ActionResult	Right-aligned result (pairs w/ Action)	Write-ActionResult "Done" -Status Success
Write-ProgressBar	Progress bar in various styles	Write-ProgressBar 75 100 -Style Bar
Write-Steps	Step-by-step process lists	Write-Steps @("Step 1", "Step 2") -CurrentStep 1

Data Presentation

Function	Purpose	Example
Write-Chart	Bar and pie charts	Write-Chart @{CPU=75; RAM=60}

Interactive Elements

Function	Purpose	Example
Show-OrionSmartMenu	Arrow-key or numeric selection menu	Show-OrionSmartMenu "Title" "Pick:" @("A","B")
Write-Menu	Numeric selection menus	Write-Menu "Options" @("A", "B")
Write-MenuLine	Single custom menu line	Write-MenuLine 1 "Option Name"
Write-Question	User prompts (text/YesNo/Choice)	Write-Question "Continue?" -Type YesNo

Note: Write-Menu automatically includes an Exit option (X) as the last item in every menu.

Layout & Formatting

Function	Purpose	Example
Write-Separator	Section dividers	Write-Separator "Section" -Style Double

Utility Functions

Function	Purpose	Example
Export-OrionHelpers	Bundle functions for portability	Export-OrionHelpers -ScriptPath ".\MyScript.ps1"

🎨 Design Themes

Theme System

OrionDesign includes a comprehensive theme system with 13 preset themes across 6 categories:

# Apply a theme
Set-OrionTheme -Preset HighContrast

# View current theme
Get-OrionTheme

# See all themes in action
Show-OrionDemo

# List all 13 presets as a table
Set-OrionTheme -Demo

Available Themes

Standard Themes:

• Default - Standard cyan/green/yellow/red theme
• Dark - Dark theme with muted colors
• Light - Light theme with darker colors

Nature Themes:

• Ocean - Blue-based aquatic theme with wave dividers
• Forest - Green-based nature theme with tree-like elements

Retro/Vintage Themes:

• OldSchool - Classic amber terminal (DOS/Unix era)
• Vintage - Warm sepia/amber nostalgic feel
• Retro80s - Synthwave magenta/cyan neon pastels

Tech/Futuristic Themes:

• Matrix - Green-on-black digital rain aesthetic
• Cyberpunk - Futuristic cyan/purple tech aesthetic

Artistic Themes:

• Sunset - Orange/magenta warm evening colors
• Monochrome - Grayscale theme for high contrast

Accessibility Themes:

• HighContrast - Maximum contrast theme for accessibility (white on black)

📏 Width-Aware Functions

The following functions automatically respect the global max width setting:

• Write-Action / Write-ActionResult — Auto right-alignment to max width
• Write-Action -Complete — Truncates long details
• Write-Separator — Adjusts separator length
• Write-Banner — Adjusts border width
• Write-Panel — Wraps content appropriately

⚡ Real-Time Status Pattern

The Write-Action / Write-ActionResult pair provides elegant real-time status reporting with automatic alignment:

# Basic usage - result auto right-aligns to OrionMaxWidth
Write-Action "Connecting to database"
Write-ActionResult "Connected" -Status Success
# Output: Connecting to database                                         Connected

# Multiple steps with consistent alignment
Write-Action "Loading configuration"
Write-ActionResult "OK" -Status Success
Write-Action "Validating credentials"
Write-ActionResult "Valid" -Status Success
Write-Action "Fetching user data"
Write-ActionResult "125 users" -Status Success

# Auto-detection of status (no -Status needed)
Write-Action "Processing items"
Write-ActionResult "42 items processed"  # Auto-detects as Success

# Standalone complete action with details (replaces old Write-ActionResult)
Write-Action "Deploy Database" -Complete -Status Success -Duration "00:02:15" -ShowIcon
# Output: ✅ Deploy Database in 00:02:15

Write-Action "142" -Complete -Status Success -Subtext "tables updated" -ShowIcon
# Output: ✅ 142 tables updated

# Overflow handling - when text is too long, result moves to new line
Write-Action "This is a very long action description"
Write-ActionResult "This is also a long result" -Status Success
# Output:
#   This is a very long action description
#                              This is also a long result

Key Features:

• Write-Action + Write-ActionResult for real-time paired output
• Write-Action -Complete for standalone rich results with icons, duration, details
• Result automatically right-aligns to OrionMaxWidth
• Intelligent overflow handling when combined text exceeds width
• Auto-detection of Success/Failed/Warning patterns

🔧 Advanced Features

ANSI Support

• Automatic detection of PowerShell ISE vs terminal
• Full color and formatting support in compatible terminals
• Graceful fallback for limited environments

Validation

• Input validation on all parameters
• Range checking (e.g., max width 50-200)
• Type validation for enums and objects

Error Handling

• Comprehensive error messages
• Parameter validation
• Fallback rendering for compatibility

📚 Getting Help

# Get help for any function
Get-Help Write-Banner -Full
Get-Help Set-OrionMaxWidth -Examples

# Show all available functions
Get-Command -Module OrionDesign

# Run the built-in module showcase
Show-OrionDemo

# Run per-function demos (available on every public function)
Write-Alert      -Demo
Write-Banner     -Demo
Write-Chart      -Demo
Write-Header     -Demo
Write-InfoBox    -Demo
Write-Menu       -Demo
Write-MenuLine   -Demo
Write-Panel      -Demo
Write-ProgressBar -Demo
Write-Question   -Demo
Write-Separator  -Demo
Write-Steps      -Demo
Write-Action     -Demo
Write-ActionResult -Demo
Set-OrionTheme   -Demo   # Lists all 13 theme presets
Get-OrionTheme   -Demo
Set-OrionMaxWidth -Demo
Get-OrionMaxWidth -Demo
Export-OrionHelpers -Demo
Show-OrionSmartMenu -Demo

🚀 Quick Start Examples

# Script header
Write-Banner -ScriptName "Data Migration" -Author "IT Team" -Design Modern

# Section dividers
Write-Separator "Configuration" -Style Double
Write-Separator "Results"       -Style Single

# Real-time action/result pattern
Write-Action "Connecting to database"
Write-ActionResult "Connected" -Status Success

Write-Action "Processing files"
Write-ActionResult "42 files processed"   # auto-detects Success

# Standalone complete action
Write-Action "Backup Database" -Complete -Status Success -Duration "00:02:15" -ShowIcon

# Step-by-step process
Write-Steps @("Connect", "Validate", "Deploy", "Verify") -CurrentStep 3 -CompletedSteps @(1,2) -Style Checklist

# Progress bar
Write-ProgressBar 45 100 -Style Bar -Label "Processing Files"

# Interactive smart menu (supports arrow-key navigation)
$choice = Show-OrionSmartMenu "Select Environment" "Choose:" @("Development", "Staging", "Production")

# Numeric menu (with automatic Exit option)
$choice = Write-Menu "Select Environment" @("Development", "Staging", "Production")
if ($choice.Exit) {
    Write-Host "User chose to exit"
} else {
    Write-Host "Selected: $($choice.Value)"
}

# Highlighted info panel
Write-InfoBox "Deployment Info" @{Server="prod-01"; Version="2.4.1"; Region="EU-West"} -Style Modern

# Alert messages
Write-Alert "Configuration updated successfully" -Type Success
Write-Alert "Low disk space on C:" -Type Warning

# Chart
Write-Chart @{CPU=75; Memory=60; Disk=90} -Style Bar -Title "Resource Usage"

# Custom width for specific output
Set-OrionMaxWidth -Width 80
Write-Separator "Narrow Layout" -Style Double
Set-OrionMaxWidth -Reset

📦 Making Scripts Portable (v2.0.0)

The Export-OrionHelpers function allows you to bundle OrionDesign functions directly into your script's project folder, making scripts portable without requiring the module to be installed.

# Analyze a script and create a self-contained helper file
Export-OrionHelpers -ScriptPath "C:\Scripts\MyScript.ps1"

# Output to a specific directory
Export-OrionHelpers -ScriptPath ".\Deploy.ps1" -OutputPath ".\lib"

# Preview what would be exported without making changes
Export-OrionHelpers -ScriptPath ".\MyScript.ps1" -WhatIf

# Keep the Import-Module line (don't comment it out)
Export-OrionHelpers -ScriptPath ".\MyScript.ps1" -CommentOutImport:$false

What it does:

1. Analyzes your script to find all OrionDesign function calls
2. Resolves dependencies (including private helper functions)
3. Creates OrionDesign-Helpers.ps1 with all required functions
4. Comments out the Import-Module OrionDesign line in your script

After export, add this line to your script:

. "$PSScriptRoot\OrionDesign-Helpers.ps1"

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OrionDesign v3.1.0 | PowerShell UI Framework | 21 Functions | 13 Themes | Global Configuration | ANSI Support | -Demo on every function

🔗 PSGallery · GitHub