multithreading - How does threading in powershell work? -

i want parallelize file-parsing actions network activity in powershell. quick google it, start-thread looked solution, but:

the term 'start-thread' not recognized name of cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. check spelling of name, or if path included, verify path correct , try again.

the same thing happened when tried start-job.

i tried fiddling around system.threading.thread

[system.reflection.assembly]::loadwithpartialname("system.threading") #this next errors, arguments can't figure out documentation of .net $tstart = new-object system.threading.threadstart({dosomething})  $thread = new-object system.threading.thread($tstart)  $thread.start() 

so, think best know wrong when use start-thread, because seems work other people. use v2.0 , don't need downward compatibility.

powershell not have built-in command named start-thread.

v2.0 does, however, have powershell jobs, can run in background, , can considered equivalent of thread. have following commands @ disposal working jobs:

name                              category  synopsis ----                              --------  -------- start-job                         cmdlet    starts windows powershell background job. get-job                           cmdlet    gets windows powershell background jobs running in current ... receive-job                       cmdlet    gets results of windows powershell background jobs in curren... stop-job                          cmdlet    stops windows powershell background job. wait-job                          cmdlet    suppresses command prompt until 1 or of windows powershell... remove-job                        cmdlet    deletes windows powershell background job. 

here example on how work it. start job, use start-job , pass script block contains code want run asynchronously:

$job  = start-job { get-childitem . -recurse } 

this command start job, gets children under current directory recursively, , returned command line immediately.

you can examine $job variable see if job has finished, etc. if want wait job finish, use:

wait-job $job 

finally, receive results job, use:

receive-job $job