Strip PowerShell output that contains spinner, progress bar, or more than one empty line.

README.md

Strip-Progress

Strip PowerShell output that contains spinner, progress bar, or more than one empty line. Fixes download progress formatting by effectively removing extra space after the slash, often seen in winget (example 269 MB / 305 MB).

When to use

This function can be beneficial when you're capturing the output stream of a command, but don't want the extra characters in the text. See examples. Works great with winget.

Usage

Strip-Progress -ScriptBlock {
    # Your script block here
}

Example

Before

   - 
   \ 
                                                                                                                        
Found GIMP [GIMP.GIMP] Version 2.10.36
This application is licensed to you by its owner.
Microsoft is not responsible for, nor does it grant any licenses to, third-party packages.
Downloading https://download.gimp.org/gimp/v2.10/windows/gimp-2.10.36-setup.exe

   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
                                                                                                                        

  ΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  3.00 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  10.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  24.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  40.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  52.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  59.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  60.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  68.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  76.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  84.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ  95.0 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   104 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   115 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   122 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   136 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   145 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   156 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   169 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   178 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   192 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   203 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   214 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   224 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   231 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   240 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   247 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   255 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   265 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   275 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆΓûÆΓûÆ   284 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûÆ   295 MB /  305 MB
  ΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûêΓûê   305 MB /  305 MB
Successfully verified installer hash
Starting package install...

   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
   | 
   / 
   - 
   \ 
                                                                                                                        
Successfully installed

After

PS C:\Users\Administrator\desktop> Strip-Progress -ScriptBlock { winget install GIMP.GIMP --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --force | tee output.txt }

Found GIMP [GIMP.GIMP] Version 2.10.36
This application is licensed to you by its owner.
Microsoft is not responsible for, nor does it grant any licenses to, third-party packages.
Downloading https://download.gimp.org/gimp/v2.10/windows/gimp-2.10.36-setup.exe

    0.00 B / 305 MB
    9.00 MB / 305 MB
    16.0 MB / 305 MB
    26.0 MB / 305 MB
    38.0 MB / 305 MB
    47.0 MB / 305 MB
    54.0 MB / 305 MB
    62.0 MB / 305 MB
    74.0 MB / 305 MB
    83.0 MB / 305 MB
    92.0 MB / 305 MB
     100 MB / 305 MB
     109 MB / 305 MB
     118 MB / 305 MB
     128 MB / 305 MB
     139 MB / 305 MB
     150 MB / 305 MB
     157 MB / 305 MB
     165 MB / 305 MB
     174 MB / 305 MB
     180 MB / 305 MB
     188 MB / 305 MB
     198 MB / 305 MB
     210 MB / 305 MB
     224 MB / 305 MB
     238 MB / 305 MB
     245 MB / 305 MB
     255 MB / 305 MB
     261 MB / 305 MB
     268 MB / 305 MB
     274 MB / 305 MB
     283 MB / 305 MB
     294 MB / 305 MB
     304 MB / 305 MB
     305 MB / 305 MB
Successfully verified installer hash
Starting package install...

Successfully installed
PS C:\Users\Administrator\desktop>

Strip-Progress.ps1

function Strip-Progress {
    param(
        [ScriptBlock]$ScriptBlock
    )

    # Regex pattern to match spinner characters and progress bar patterns
    $progressPattern = 'Γû[Æê]|^\s+[-\\|/]\s+$'

    # Corrected regex pattern for size formatting, ensuring proper capture groups are utilized
    $sizePattern = '(\d+(\.\d{1,2})?)\s+(B|KB|MB|GB|TB|PB) /\s+(\d+(\.\d{1,2})?)\s+(B|KB|MB|GB|TB|PB)'

    $previousLineWasEmpty = $false # Track if the previous line was empty

    & $ScriptBlock 2>&1 | ForEach-Object {
        if ($_ -is [System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord]) {
            "ERROR: $($_.Exception.Message)"
        } elseif ($_ -match '^\s*$') {
            if (-not $previousLineWasEmpty) {
                Write-Output ""
                $previousLineWasEmpty = $true
            }
        } else {
            $line = $_ -replace $progressPattern, '' -replace $sizePattern, '$1 $3 / $4 $6'
            if (-not [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($line)) {
                $previousLineWasEmpty = $false
                $line
            }
        }
    }
}