> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.osdeploy.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.osdeploy.com/guide/cmdlets/show-osdeploylicense.md). # Show-OSDeployLicense Discover, inspect, and validate the Recast Software license candidate selected for OSDeploy. `Show-OSDeployLicense` searches the standard Recast Software license directory and returns the selected `.license2` candidate only when its structural validation succeeds. Use the returned properties to inspect its source file, identity, dates, authorized-command count, and schema validation results. A structurally valid candidate can still be expired. When no candidate can be selected, or when the selected candidate is invalid, the function displays Community License registration, installation, and verification instructions. That path writes host guidance and returns no object. An invalid selected candidate also produces a warning. ## Requirements Run the function from PowerShell 7.6 or later on Windows with the current [OSDeploy module](/guide/requirements/powershell-modules.md) installed. The function searches this directory: ``` C:\ProgramData\Recast Software\Licenses ``` A license file is not required to run the command. When the directory does not exist, license discovery attempts to create it. Reading an existing directory does not require an elevated session when the current account already has access. {% hint style="warning" %} Install Community License files with the `.license2` extension unchanged. Files with another extension are not discovered. Administrator rights can be required to create the ProgramData directory or copy a license into it. {% endhint %} See [Community Registration](/guide/registration.md) to download and install a free Recast Software Community License. ## Parameters `Show-OSDeployLicense` has no command-specific parameters and does not accept pipeline input. It does not support `-WhatIf` or `-Confirm` because it does not declare `SupportsShouldProcess`. The command supports standard common parameters such as `-Verbose`, `-ErrorAction`, and `-WarningAction`. ## Examples ### Show the selected license Discover the available `.license2` files and write the selected candidate to the pipeline: ```powershell Show-OSDeployLicense ``` When no valid candidate can be returned, the command displays registration guidance and returns no object. ### Capture the selected license Store the selected candidate and display its primary identity and status fields: ```powershell $license = Show-OSDeployLicense $license | Format-List ` FileName, ` Organization, ` Email, ` LicenseType, ` Expiration, ` ActivationExpiration, ` IsValid ``` `$license` is `$null` when discovery does not produce a candidate or selects an invalid candidate. ### Confirm structural validation Every object returned by the public command has `IsValid` set to `$true`. A null result means discovery found no candidate or selected one that failed structural validation. `IsValid` does not indicate that the expiration dates are current. ### Check expiration dates Evaluate expiration and activation expiration independently of schema validation: ```powershell $license = Show-OSDeployLicense $now = Get-Date [pscustomobject]@{ SchemaValid = $license.IsValid Expired = $license.Expiration -and $license.Expiration -lt $now ActivationExpired = $license.ActivationExpiration -and $license.ActivationExpiration -lt $now } ``` The command can return a structurally valid but expired candidate. It does not calculate `Expired` or `ActivationExpired` properties. ### Identify the selected source file Review the exact file used for the returned candidate: ```powershell $license = Show-OSDeployLicense $license | Select-Object FileName, FullName, LastWriteTime, LicenseGuid ``` Use `-Verbose` to display discovered file counts, skipped unreadable files, duplicate handling, and the selected file: ```powershell Show-OSDeployLicense -Verbose ``` ## License Discovery The command delegates discovery to `Get-OSDCoreLicense` with its default path. Discovery performs these operations: 1. Create `C:\ProgramData\Recast Software\Licenses` when the directory does not exist. 2. Enumerate root-level files matching `*.license2`. 3. Sort files by `LastWriteTime` descending so newer files are processed first. 4. Read each file as raw text and parse its JSON payload. 5. Treat each object in a JSON array as a separate candidate. 6. Validate expected fields and normalize GUID and date values. 7. Deduplicate candidates. 8. Rank the remaining candidates by email, modification time, and file name. 9. Return the first ranked candidate to `Show-OSDeployLicense` for its final validity check. Discovery is not recursive. A `.license2` file in a child directory is not considered. Unreadable files and files containing invalid JSON are skipped with verbose messages. A parseable entry can remain eligible even when required fields are missing or malformed; those conditions are recorded in `ValidationErrors`. ## Validation Discovery checks each parseable entry for these conditions: | Check | Validation error | | ----------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | Top-level `Data` property exists | `Missing Data object` | | Top-level `Signature` is present and nonempty | `Missing Signature` | | `Data.LicenseGuid` is present and parses as a GUID | `Missing Data.LicenseGuid` or `Invalid Data.LicenseGuid format` | | `Data.AuthorizedPluginCommands` contains at least one value | `Missing or empty Data.AuthorizedPluginCommands` | | Nonempty `Expiration` parses as `System.DateTime` | `Invalid Expiration date format` | | Nonempty `ActivationExpiration` parses as `System.DateTime` | `Invalid ActivationExpiration date format` | `IsValid` is `$true` only when no validation errors are recorded. {% hint style="warning" %} `IsValid` describes these structural and conversion checks only. The discovery code hashes the signature for identity and deduplication but does not cryptographically verify it. It also does not reject a candidate whose `Expiration` or `ActivationExpiration` is in the past. {% endhint %} Use the returned dates and validation details together when evaluating the selected candidate. ## Duplicate Handling Candidates are deduplicated in this order: 1. Use the normalized `LicenseGuid` when it is valid. 2. Otherwise, use the SHA256 hash of the nonempty signature. 3. Otherwise, use the source file path. The first candidate for an identity is retained. Because files are processed newest-first, a duplicate in a newer file normally takes precedence over the same identity in an older file. Multiple entries within one payload retain their JSON order. `SignatureHash` is a lowercase SHA256 hash of the signature text. It supports identity comparison without returning the signature itself. ## Candidate Selection `Show-OSDeployLicense` does not accept a preferred email. After deduplication, it applies this public selection precedence: 1. Select a candidate with a nonempty email other than `support@recastsoftware.com`. 2. Fall back to `support@recastsoftware.com`. 3. Fall back to an empty or null email. Within the same email rank, select the candidate with the newest source-file `LastWriteTime`. When timestamps match, sort by `FileName` ascending. Internal selection does not filter on `IsValid`, `Expiration`, `ActivationExpiration`, `LicenseType`, or authorized-command count. A higher-ranked invalid candidate can therefore prevent a lower-ranked valid candidate from being considered. The public command returns the selected candidate only when `IsValid` is `$true`; expiration alone does not prevent return. ## No-Candidate Behavior The function returns no object when: * The license directory cannot be created or accessed. * No root-level `.license2` files exist. * Every discovered file is unreadable or contains invalid JSON. * Parsing produces no candidate entries. * The selected candidate has `IsValid` set to `$false`. In this path, `Show-OSDeployLicense` displays instructions to: 1. Open the Recast Software Community Portal. 2. Download the Right Click Tools Community Edition license ZIP. 3. Extract and copy the `.license2` file into the standard license directory. 4. Verify the file with `Get-ChildItem`. The guidance is host output, not a structured return object. An invalid selected candidate also writes a warning before the guidance. ## Side Effects The command can create `C:\ProgramData\Recast Software\Licenses` when it does not exist. Failure to create the directory is handled as a no-candidate result. The command does not copy, rename, modify, or delete license files. It does not update `$global:OSDCoreLicense`; that global registration state is initialized separately by OSDeploy workflows that call `Initialize-OSDCoreLicense`. ## Output When a structurally valid candidate is selected, the command returns a `System.Management.Automation.PSCustomObject` with these properties: | Property | Description | | ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `FileName` | Leaf name of the source `.license2` file. | | `FullName` | Full path to the source file. | | `LastWriteTime` | Source file modification time used for tie-breaking. | | `LicenseGuid` | Normalized GUID string, or `$null` when missing or invalid. | | `Organization` | Organization value from `Data`, or `$null` when absent. | | `FirstName` | First-name value from `Data`, or `$null` when absent. | | `LastName` | Last-name value from `Data`, or `$null` when absent. | | `Email` | Email value from `Data`, or `$null` when absent. | | `LicenseType` | License-type value from `Data`, or `$null` when absent. | | `DeviceCount` | Device-count value from `Data`, or `$null` when absent. | | `UserCount` | User-count value from `Data`, or `$null` when absent. | | `Expiration` | Parsed `System.DateTime`, or `$null` when absent or empty. An invalid nonempty value also produces a validation error. | | `ActivationExpiration` | Parsed `System.DateTime`, or `$null` when absent or empty. An invalid nonempty value also produces a validation error. | | `AuthorizedPluginCommandCount` | Number of entries in `Data.AuthorizedPluginCommands`; `0` when absent or empty. | | `SignatureHash` | Lowercase SHA256 hash of the signature text, or `$null` when the signature is absent or empty. | | `IsValid` | `$true` when the candidate has no recorded schema validation errors. | | `ValidationErrors` | Array of validation-error strings; empty when `IsValid` is `$true`. | | `Data` | Original nested `Data` object from the parsed candidate, or `$null` when absent. | When no candidate is selected, the function returns no object and an assignment receives `$null`. See [Community Registration](/guide/registration.md) to download, install, and verify a Community License, or return to the [OSDeploy cmdlet guides](/guide/cmdlets.md) for related commands. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://www.osdeploy.com/guide/cmdlets/show-osdeploylicense.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.