How do I get verbose messages to appear in the output of Start-Transcript?

Question

When using Start-Transcript verbose output is not captured in the transcript. For example:

Start-Transcript
Write-Verbose "This is a test of verbose output"
Stop-Transcript

Results in:

**********************
Windows PowerShell transcript start
Start time: 20170829110436
Username: xx\xx
RunAs User: xx\xx
Machine: SGC340 (Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1)
Host Application: C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
Process ID: 19596
PSVersion: 5.0.10586.117
PSCompatibleVersions: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0.10586.117
BuildVersion: 10.0.10586.117
CLRVersion: 4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion: 3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion: 2.3
SerializationVersion: 1.1.0.1
**********************
Transcript started, output file is C:\Users\xx\Documents\PowerShell_transcript.xx.EbGyj9PE.20170829110436.txt
PS C:\Users\xx> Write-Verbose "This is a test of verbose output"
PS C:\Users\xx> Stop-Transcript
**********************
Windows PowerShell transcript end
End time: 20170829110447
**********************

How do you capture Verbose output in a transcript?

Answer 1

As discussed in this issue, verbose output does not appear because the default setting of $VerbosePreference is 'SilentlyContinue'. If you change it to 'Continue' verbose output appears.

Equally if you had a script that made use of Start-Transcript, you could add [cmdletbinding()] to the top of your script and then execute it with the -Verbose switch to have Verbose messages both visible and in the transcript.

Note that running Start-Transcript -Verbose does not enable the logging of Verbose messages in the transcript (it just enables the Verbose output of the cmdlet itself).