Module Framework

Modular Framework

AD-PowerAdmin has undergone an entire rework. This tool started with a single purpose, but over time, I kept adding more and more features, eventually turning a simple tool into a monolithic mess. To keep adding features, I needed to create a modular method of loading and managing new functions. I also wanted to enable others to add features without reading through all the tool's code. So, for AD-PowerAdmin to grow, I created a framework for adding functionality.

The core functions of the modular framework are...

1. Dynamicly build a main menu based on module-defined options of tools
2. Let the user select an option, which runs the a module function.
3. Let the user pull a help menu for each option.
4. Module-defined unattended jobs that can be run via a scheduled task.
5. Module-defined unattended jobs that should be run daliy and run via a scheduled task.

There is an example module you can use as a staring point at the below URL. https://github.com/Brets0150/AD-PowerAdmin/tree/main/Modules_Examples

Here is an overview of how the framework works.

graph TD;
subgraph MSL ["Main Script Loading"]
	A[AD-PowerAdmin.ps1]
	B[Import .psd1 Files from  Modules Folder]
	C[Loop Through Modules]
	D[Invoke Initialize-Module in Module]
	E[Append to $global:Menu]
	F[Build Main Menu from $global:Menu]
	M[Append $global:UnattendedJobs]
end
subgraph IM["Interactive Mode"]
	 G[Display Main Menu]
	 H{{User Selects Option}}
	 I[Run Function from a Module]
	 J[Help Option]
	 K[Output the options content of the functions .DESCRIPTION]
	 L[Quit]
end
subgraph UM["Unattended Mode"]
	Q[Run -JobName MyJob -JobVar1 test]
	R[Exit Script]
end
N{-Unattended Mode?}
    A --> B
    B --> C
    C --> D
    D -->|For Each| E
    F --> D
    F -->|All Modules Loaded| N
    E --> M
    M --> F
    G --> H
    I --> G
    H ---> |Select Option| J & L & I
    J -->  K
    K --> G
    N -->|True| Q
    N -->|False|G
    Q-->R

Loading