René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"`Start-Transcript` throws when `$Transcript` is a `PSObject` wrapped `string`","articleBody":"### Prerequisites\n\n- [X] Write a descriptive title.\n- [X] Make sure you are able to repro it on the [latest released version](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases)\n- [X] Search the existing issues.\n- [X] Refer to the [FAQ](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/blob/master/docs/FAQ.md).\n- [X] Refer to [Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell](https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/scripting/whats-new/differences-from-windows-powershell).\n\n### Steps to reproduce\n\nFirst bug report I've filed for PowerShell ever, so go easy on me :-). [Here's the PowerShell doc's Github issue I had raised that is now closed with the suggestion of filing a bug report.](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.host/start-transcript?view=powershell-7.4#example-3-start-a-transcript-file-with-a-unique-name-and-store-it-on-a-file-share)\r\n\r\nI believe I've stumbled upon a bug with Start-Transcript when using one of the Start-Transcript examples when using preference variables in PowerShell 7.4.6 (on Windows and Linux) when using '~\\' in the path.\r\n\r\nUsing `Start-Transcript` after using the example #3 in the [docs](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.host/start-transcript?view=powershell-7.4#example-3-start-a-transcript-file-with-a-unique-name-and-store-it-on-a-file-share), I get an error:\r\n\r\n```PowerShell\r\nStart-Transcript: Unable to cast object of type 'Systme.Management.Automation.PSObject' to type 'System.String'.\r\n```\r\n\r\nHowever, if I use `Start-Transcript $Trasncript`, the command works and a transcript is created without issue. I do not get this error using the example with a UNC path or full local path. It seems to only happen when using '~\\' in both Windows and Linux. \n\n### Expected behavior\n\n```console\n$sharepath  = '~/PowerShell_Transcripts/'\r\n$username   = $env:USERNAME\r\n$hostname   = hostname\r\n$version    = $PSVersionTable.PSVersion.ToString()\r\n$datetime   = Get-Date -f 'yyyyMMddHHmmss'\r\n$filename   = \"Transcript-${username}-${hostname}-${version}-${datetime}.txt\"\r\n$Transcript = Join-Path -Path $sharepath -ChildPath $filename\r\nStart-Transcript # I should see \"Transcript Started, output file $filename here\"\n```\n\n\n### Actual behavior\n\n```console\n$sharepath  = '~/PowerShell_Transcripts/'\r\n$username   = $env:USERNAME\r\n$hostname   = hostname\r\n$version    = $PSVersionTable.PSVersion.ToString()\r\n$datetime   = Get-Date -f 'yyyyMMddHHmmss'\r\n$filename   = \"Transcript-${username}-${hostname}-${version}-${datetime}.txt\"\r\n$Transcript = Join-Path -Path $sharepath -ChildPath $filename\r\nStart-Transcript\r\nStart-Transcript: Unable to cast object of type 'System.Management.Automation.PSObject' to type 'System.String'.\n```\n\n\n### Error details\n\n```console\nException             : \r\n    Type       : System.InvalidCastException\r\n    TargetSite : \r\n        Name          : ChkCast_Helper\r\n        DeclaringType : [System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CastHelpers]\r\n        MemberType    : Method\r\n        Module        : System.Private.CoreLib.dll\r\n    Message    : Unable to cast object of type 'System.Management.Automation.PSObject' to type 'System.String'.\r\n    Source     : System.Private.CoreLib\r\n    HResult    : -2147467262\r\n    StackTrace : \r\n   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StartTranscriptCommand.BeginProcessing()\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.Cmdlet.DoBeginProcessing()\r\n   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoBegin()\r\nCategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Start-Transcript], InvalidCastException\r\nFullyQualifiedErrorId : System.InvalidCastException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.StartTranscriptCommand\r\nInvocationInfo        : \r\n    MyCommand        : Start-Transcript\r\n    ScriptLineNumber : 1\r\n    OffsetInLine     : 1\r\n    HistoryId        : 13\r\n    Line             : Start-Transcript\r\n    Statement        : Start-Transcript\r\n    PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1\r\n                       + Start-Transcript\r\n                       + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\r\n    InvocationName   : Start-Transcript\r\n    CommandOrigin    : Internal\r\nScriptStackTrace      : at \u003cScriptBlock\u003e, \u003cNo file\u003e: line 1\n```\n\n\n### Environment data\n\n```powershell\nName                           Value\r\n----                           -----\r\nPSVersion                      7.4.6\r\nPSEdition                      Core\r\nGitCommitId                    7.4.6\r\nOS                             Fedora Linux 41 (Workstation Edition)\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\nName                           Value\r\n----                           -----\r\nPSVersion                      7.4.6\r\nPSEdition                      Core\r\nGitCommitId                    7.4.6\r\nOS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.26100\r\nPlatform                       Win32NT\r\nPSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}\r\nPSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3\r\nSerializationVersion           1.1.0.1\r\nWSManStackVersion              3.0\n```\n\n\n### Visuals\n\n_No response_","author":{"url":"https://github.com/billkindle","@type":"Person","name":"billkindle"},"datePublished":"2025-01-05T18:50:45.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":4},"url":"https://github.com/24740/PowerShell/issues/24740"}