René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"7.4.0 Breaking change: Passing -OutFile $null to Invoke-WebRequest fails","articleBody":"### Prerequisites\r\n\r\n- [X] Write a descriptive title.\r\n- [X] Make sure you are able to repro it on the [latest released version](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases)\r\n- [X] Search the existing issues.\r\n- [X] Refer to the [FAQ](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/blob/master/docs/FAQ.md).\r\n- [X] Refer to [Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell](https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/scripting/whats-new/differences-from-windows-powershell).\r\n\r\n### Steps to reproduce\r\n\r\nMinimal version\r\n\r\n```\r\nInvoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" -OutFile $null\r\n```\r\n\r\nVersion that is more closely related to how that sneaks in as a surprise script breaker\r\n\r\n```\r\nfunction DoTheThing($file) {\r\n  $Params=@{\r\n    Uri=\"http://www.microsoft.com\"\r\n    OutFile=$file\r\n    }\r\n  Invoke-WebRequest @Params\r\n}\r\n\r\nDoTheThing\r\n```\r\n\r\n\r\n### Expected behavior\r\n\r\n```console\r\nShould return the results of the web call to the output stream\r\n```\r\n\r\n\r\n### Actual behavior\r\n\r\n```console\r\nInvoke-WebRequest: Cannot validate argument on parameter 'OutFile'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.\r\n```\r\n\r\n(Works correctly in 7.2.17 and 7.3.3)\r\n```\r\n\r\n\r\n### Error details\r\n\r\n```console\r\nException             : \r\n    Type              : System.Management.Automation.ParameterBindingValidationException\r\n    Message           : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'OutFile'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try t\r\nhe command again.\r\n    ParameterName     : OutFile\r\n    ParameterType     : string\r\n    ErrorId           : ParameterArgumentValidationError\r\n    Line              : 1\r\n    Offset            : 46\r\n    CommandInvocation : \r\n        MyCommand        : Invoke-WebRequest\r\n        ScriptLineNumber : 1\r\n        OffsetInLine     : 1\r\n        HistoryId        : 35\r\n        Line             : Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" @h\r\n        Statement        : Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" @h\r\n        PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1\r\n                           + Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" @h\r\n                           + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\r\n        InvocationName   : Invoke-WebRequest\r\n        PipelineLength   : 1\r\n        PipelinePosition : 1\r\n    ErrorRecord       : \r\n        Exception             : \r\n            Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException\r\n            Message : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'OutFile'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the\r\n command again.\r\n            HResult : -2146233087\r\n        CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-WebRequest], ParentContainsErrorRecordException\r\n        FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeWebRequestCommand\r\n        InvocationInfo        : \r\n            MyCommand        : Invoke-WebRequest\r\n            ScriptLineNumber : 1\r\n            OffsetInLine     : 46\r\n            HistoryId        : 35\r\n            Line             : Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" @h\r\n            Statement        : @h\r\n            PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:46\r\n                               + Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" @h\r\n                               +                                              ~~\r\n            CommandOrigin    : Internal\r\n        ScriptStackTrace      : at \u003cScriptBlock\u003e, \u003cNo file\u003e: line 1\r\n    TargetSite        : \r\n        Name          : BindParameter\r\n        DeclaringType : System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase, System.Management.Automation, Version=7.4.0.500, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad\r\n364e35\r\n        MemberType    : Method\r\n        Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll\r\n    Data              : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal\r\n    InnerException    : \r\n        Type        : System.Management.Automation.ValidationMetadataException\r\n        ErrorRecord : \r\n            Exception             : \r\n                Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException\r\n                Message : The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.\r\n                HResult : -2146233087\r\n            CategoryInfo          : MetadataError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException\r\n            FullyQualifiedErrorId : ArgumentIsNull\r\n        TargetSite  : \r\n            Name          : Validate\r\n            DeclaringType : System.Management.Automation.ValidateNotNullOrAttributeBase\r\n            MemberType    : Method\r\n            Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll\r\n        Message     : The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.\r\n        Source      : System.Management.Automation\r\n        HResult     : -2146233087\r\n        StackTrace  : \r\n   at System.Management.Automation.ValidateNotNullOrAttributeBase.Validate(Object arguments, EngineIntrinsics engineIntrinsics)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal parameter, CompiledCommandParameter parameterMetadata, ParameterBinding\r\nFlags flags)\r\n    Source            : System.Management.Automation\r\n    HResult           : -2146233087\r\n    StackTrace        : \r\n   at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal parameter, CompiledCommandParameter parameterMetadata, ParameterBinding\r\nFlags flags)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, Paramet\r\nerBindingFlags flags)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(UInt32 parameterSets, CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParame\r\nter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindNamedParameter(UInt32 parameterSets, CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandP\r\narameter parameter)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderController.BindNamedParameters(UInt32 parameterSets, Collection`1 arguments)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParametersNoValidation(Collection`1 arguments)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParameters(Collection`1 arguments)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.BindCommandLineParameters()\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.Prepare(IDictionary psDefaultParameterValues)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoPrepare(IDictionary psDefaultParameterValues)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.Start(Boolean incomingStream)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input)\r\n--- End of stack trace from previous location ---\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElem\r\nentAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)\r\nCategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Invoke-WebRequest], ParameterBindingValidationException\r\nFullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeWebRequestCommand\r\nInvocationInfo        : \r\n    MyCommand        : Invoke-WebRequest\r\n    ScriptLineNumber : 1\r\n    OffsetInLine     : 46\r\n    HistoryId        : 35\r\n    Line             : Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" @h\r\n    Statement        : @h\r\n    PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:46\r\n                       + Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" @h\r\n                       +                                              ~~\r\n    CommandOrigin    : Internal\r\nScriptStackTrace      : at \u003cScriptBlock\u003e, \u003cNo file\u003e: line 1\r\n```\r\n\r\n\r\n### Environment data\r\n\r\n```powershell\r\nName                           Value\r\n----                           -----\r\nPSVersion                      7.4.0\r\nPSEdition                      Core\r\nGitCommitId                    7.4.0\r\nOS                             Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 (Ootpa)\r\nPlatform                       Unix\r\nPSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}\r\nPSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3\r\nSerializationVersion           1.1.0.1\r\nWSManStackVersion              3.0\r\n```\r\n\r\n\r\n### Visuals\r\n\r\nNo really necessary, literally just paste `Invoke-WebRequest \"http://www.microsoft.com\" -OutFile $null` into a shell and watch the error show up","author":{"url":"https://github.com/nowakca","@type":"Person","name":"nowakca"},"datePublished":"2023-11-21T18:16:21.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":6},"url":"https://github.com/20744/PowerShell/issues/20744"}