Passing an array to a function is extremely slow - arrays

Question

I have written a PowerShell script that requires passing large byte arrays between functions. The script runs extremely slowly. The sample code below reproduces the problem. It simply passes a 10 MiB array into a function that does nothing (other than log a message), and measures how long the call takes.
function do-nothing
{
param($foo)
Write-Verbose -Verbose "in the function"
}
$tenMiB = 10 * 1024 * 1024
$myFoo = New-Object byte[] $tenMiB
Write-Verbose -Verbose "about to do call a function that does nothing..."
$elapsed = Measure-Command -Expression { do-nothing -foo $myFoo }
Write-Verbose -Verbose "doing nothing took $($elapsed.TotalMilliseconds) milliseconds"
I expect this to take a few milliseconds. On my home PC it takes nearly 3000 ms and runs a CPU core at 100%. I get the same result with PowerShell 4 and PowerShell 5 (pre-production version). The same thing happens with my work PC and servers. However, one colleague gets the expected result - a few milliseconds to execute, minimal CPU usage.
The execution time is roughly proportional to the size of the array, which makes no sense to me. The size of the array should not matter.
I wondered if the array was somehow being copied. I do not think this is the case because calling GetHashCode() on the array returns the same value inside and outside of the function.
If the array is wrapped in a PSCustomObject, and the wrapper is passed to the function, then the code performs as expected. This is a bit ugly as a workaround, and I'd rather understand what is going on before resorting to it.
Can anyone explain this seemingly weird behaviour please?

Answer 1

I'm posting this as a community wiki, intended to be a place where we can post our individual environments and test results, since there seems to be some trouble reproducing. Maybe we can figure out the conditions that cause this, and from there determine why it's slow in the instances that it is. Formatting suggestions / changes welcome.
briantist
Workstation
HW (i7)
Windows 8.1
PowerShell 4.0
ISE and Console
Domain joined
byte[] Result: ~3,500ms
object[] Result: ~6,500ms
Server VM
VM (VMware ESXi)
Windows 2012 R2
PowerShell 5.0.10514.6 (Production Preview)
ISE
Domain joined
byte[] Result: > 7,000ms
object[] Result: ~100ms
Home Workstation
HW (i5)
Windows 10 build 1511
PowerShell 5
ISE and Console
Workgroup (No AD)
Result: 4-6ms first run, < 2ms subsequent runs
emanresu
PowerShell 4
Result: 1.8 - 2.4ms
Bacon Bits
Workstation
Windows 7 x64 SP1
Domain joined
PowerShell 4
Result: 100 executions, average of 1.16ms, min 0.67ms, max 13.88ms, 1.39ms stddev
VM (ESXi)
Windows Server 2012 R2
Domain joined
PowerShell 4
Result: 10 executions, average of 4221ms, min 4173ms, max 4302ms, 38.54ms stddev
Ansgar Wiechers
VM (VirtualBox)
Windows 2012 R2 (vanilla install)
PowerShell 4
CLRVersion: 4.0.30319.34014
BuildVersion: 6.3.9600.16394
Result: ~7.5ms
Windows 2012 R2 (same VM, fully patched)
PowerShell 4
CLRVersion: 4.0.30319.34209
BuildVersion: 6.3.9600.17400
Result: ~4000ms
Further investigation revealed that the issue was introduced by the November 2014 update rollup (MSKB 3000850). Not sure which of the collected hotfixes is the actual culprit, though.
beatcracker
Desktop
HW: Q6600#3.1 GHz/8GB RAM
Windows Server 2012
Workgroup (No AD)
PowerShell 5 (5.0.10018.0)
ISE and Console
Result: ~5000ms
Laptop
HW: i3#2.5 GHz/4GB RAM
Windows 8.1
Domain-joined PC
PowerShell 4
ISE and Console
Result: ~6000ms
David Brabant
PowerShell 5
Windows 10
Result: < 7 ms
sodawillow
HW (i5)
Windows 8.1
Workgroup (No AD)
PowerShell 5.0.10514.6
ISE
Result: > 3500 ms
Mathias R. Jessen
Home laptop
HW (i7-2620M)
Windows 10 (build 10240)
PowerShell 5.0
ISE and Console
byte[] Result: ~5,350ms
object[] Result: ~8,500ms
int[] Result: ~9,700ms

Answer 2

Thanks to stack traces posted by #Ansgar Wiechers, I was able to reproduce this behavior on my PC (Windows 10 build 1511, PowerShell 5.0.10586.0) with following code:
$Module = New-Module {
function do-nothing
{
param($foo)
Write-Verbose -Verbose "in the function"
}
}
$Module.LogPipelineExecutionDetails = $true
$myFoo = New-Object byte[] 10mb
Write-Verbose -Verbose "about to do call a function that does nothing..."
$elapsed = Measure-Command -Expression { do-nothing -foo $myFoo }
Write-Verbose -Verbose "doing nothing took $($elapsed.TotalMilliseconds) milliseconds"
Enabling LogPipelineExecutionDetails cause large slowdown of function execution. Judging from my digging with ILSpy, logging of pipeline execution details should be enabled only if function belong to module and module enable this option. Maybe that is exact behavior which kb3000850 altering.
It would be interesting to see if problem reproduced when do-nothing belong to module, but LogPipelineExecutionDetails explicitly set to $false.

Answer 3

Supplementary information, posted as an additional community wiki answer to avoid the character limit per answer.
As requested by #PetSerAl I ran the following code before and after installing kb3000850:
Add-Type -TypeDefinition #'
public static class C{
public static System.Collections.IEnumerable M(){
System.Console.WriteLine(new System.Diagnostics.StackTrace());
yield break;
}
}
'#
function do-nothing {
param($foo)
Write-Verbose -Verbose "in the function"
}
$myFoo = [C]::M()
Write-Verbose -Verbose "about to do call a function that does nothing..."
$elapsed = Measure-Command -Expression { do-nothing -foo $myFoo }
Write-Verbose -Verbose "doing nothing took $($elapsed.TotalMilliseconds) milliseconds"
Stacktrace before update:
at C.<M>d__0.MoveNext()
at System.Management.Automation.PSObject.ToStringEnumerable(ExecutionContext context, IEnumerable enumerable, String separator, String format, IFormatProvider formatProvider)
at System.Management.Automation.PSObject.ToString(ExecutionContext context, Object obj, String separator, String format, IFormatProvider formatProvider, Boolean recurse, Boolean unravelEnumeratorOnRecurse)
at System.Management.Automation.PSObject.ToStringParser(ExecutionContext context, Object obj)
at System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives.ConvertNonNumericToString(Object valueToConvert, Type resultType, Boolean recursion, PSObject originalValueToConvert, IFormatProvider formatProvider, TypeTable backupTable)
at System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives.ConversionData`1.Invoke(Object valueToConvert, Type resultType, Boolean recurse, PSObject originalValueToConvert, IFormatProvider formatProvider, TypeTable backupTable)
at System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives.ConvertTo(Object valueToConvert, Type resultType, Boolean recursion, IFormatProvider formatProvider, TypeTable backupTypeTable)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.CoerceTypeAsNeeded(CommandParameterInternal argument, String parameterName, Type toType, ParameterCollectionTypeInformation collectionTypeInfo, Object currentValue)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal parameter, CompiledCommandParameter parameterMetadata, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(UInt32 parameterSets, CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderController.BindPositionalParametersInSet(UInt32 validParameterSets, Dictionary`2 nextPositionalParameters, CommandParameterInternal argument, ParameterBindingFlags flags, ParameterBindingException& bindingException)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderController.BindPositionalParameters(Collection`1 unboundArguments, UInt32 validParameterSets, UInt32 defaultParameterSet, ParameterBindingException& outgoingBindingException)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParametersNoValidation(Collection`1 arguments)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParameters(Collection`1 arguments)
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.BindCommandLineParameters()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoPrepare(IDictionary psDefaultParameterValues)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.Start(Boolean incomingStream)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.InvokeWithPipeImpl(ScriptBlockClauseToInvoke clauseToInvoke, Boolean createLocalScope, Dictionary`2 functionsToDefine, List`1 variablesToDefine, ErrorHandlingBehavior errorHandlingBehavior, Object dollarUnder, Object input, Object scriptThis, Pipe outputPipe, InvocationInfo invocationInfo, Object[] args)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.<>c__DisplayClassa.<InvokeWithPipe>b__8()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.RunspaceBase.RunActionIfNoRunningPipelinesWithThreadCheck(Action action)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.InvokeWithPipe(Boolean useLocalScope, Dictionary`2 functionsToDefine, List`1 variablesToDefine, ErrorHandlingBehavior errorHandlingBehavior, Object dollarUnder, Object input, Object scriptThis, Pipe outputPipe, InvocationInfo invocationInfo, Object[] args)
at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MeasureCommandCommand.ProcessRecord()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoExecute()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalPipeline.InvokeHelper()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalPipeline.InvokeThreadProc()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineThread.WorkerProc()
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
Stacktrace after update (differences highlighted):
at C.<M>d__0.MoveNext()
at System.Linq.Buffer`1..ctor(IEnumerable`1 source)
at System.Linq.Enumerable.ToArray[TSource](IEnumerable`1 source)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal parameter, CompiledCommandParameter parameterMetadata, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderController.BindParameter(UInt32 parameterSets, CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptParameterBinderController.BindParameters(Collection`1 arguments)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParameters(Collection`1 arguments)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.EnterScope()
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.Complete()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.InvokeWithPipeImpl(ScriptBlockClauseToInvoke clauseToInvoke, Boolean createLocalScope, Dictionary`2 functionsToDefine, List`1 variablesToDefine, ErrorHandlingBehavior errorHandlingBehavior, Object dollarUnder, Object input, Object scriptThis, Pipe outputPipe, InvocationInfo invocationInfo, Object[] args)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.<>c__DisplayClassa.<InvokeWithPipe>b__8()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.RunspaceBase.RunActionIfNoRunningPipelinesWithThreadCheck(Action action)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.InvokeWithPipe(Boolean useLocalScope, Dictionary`2 functionsToDefine, List`1 variablesToDefine, ErrorHandlingBehavior errorHandlingBehavior, Object dollarUnder, Object input, Object scriptThis, Pipe outputPipe, InvocationInfo invocationInfo, Object[] args)
at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MeasureCommandCommand.ProcessRecord()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoExecute()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.Complete()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.Complete()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalPipeline.InvokeHelper()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalPipeline.InvokeThreadProc()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineThread.WorkerProc()
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
at C.<M>d__0.MoveNext()
at System.Management.Automation.PSObject.ToStringEnumerable(ExecutionContext context, IEnumerable enumerable, String separator, String format, IFormatProvider formatProvider)
at System.Management.Automation.PSObject.ToString(ExecutionContext context, Object obj, String separator, String format, IFormatProvider formatProvider, Boolean recurse, Boolean unravelEnumeratorOnRecurse)
at System.Management.Automation.PSObject.ToStringParser(ExecutionContext context, Object obj)
at System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives.ConvertNonNumericToString(Object valueToConvert, Type resultType, Boolean recursion, PSObject originalValueToConvert, IFormatProvider formatProvider, TypeTable backupTable)
at System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives.ConversionData`1.Invoke(Object valueToConvert, Type resultType, Boolean recurse, PSObject originalValueToConvert, IFormatProvider formatProvider, TypeTable backupTable)
at System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives.ConvertTo(Object valueToConvert, Type resultType, Boolean recursion, IFormatProvider formatProvider, TypeTable backupTypeTable)
at System.Management.Automation.LanguagePrimitives.ConvertTo(Object valueToConvert, Type resultType, IFormatProvider formatProvider)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.CoerceTypeAsNeeded(CommandParameterInternal argument, String parameterName, Type toType, ParameterCollectionTypeInformation collectionTypeInfo, Object currentValue)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderBase.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal parameter, CompiledCommandParameter parameterMetadata, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindParameter(UInt32 parameterSets, CommandParameterInternal argument, MergedCompiledCommandParameter parameter, ParameterBindingFlags flags)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderController.BindPositionalParametersInSet(UInt32 validParameterSets, Dictionary`2 nextPositionalParameters, CommandParameterInternal argument, ParameterBindingFlags flags, ParameterBindingException& bindingException)
at System.Management.Automation.ParameterBinderController.BindPositionalParameters(Collection`1 unboundArguments, UInt32 validParameterSets, UInt32 defaultParameterSet, ParameterBindingException& outgoingBindingException)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParametersNoValidation(Collection`1 arguments)
at System.Management.Automation.CmdletParameterBinderController.BindCommandLineParameters(Collection`1 arguments)
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.BindCommandLineParameters()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoPrepare(IDictionary psDefaultParameterValues)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.Start(Boolean incomingStream)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.Complete()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.InvokeWithPipeImpl(ScriptBlockClauseToInvoke clauseToInvoke, Boolean createLocalScope, Dictionary`2 functionsToDefine, List`1 variablesToDefine, ErrorHandlingBehavior errorHandlingBehavior, Object dollarUnder, Object input, Object scriptThis, Pipe outputPipe, InvocationInfo invocationInfo, Object[] args)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.<>c__DisplayClassa.<InvokeWithPipe>b__8()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.RunspaceBase.RunActionIfNoRunningPipelinesWithThreadCheck(Action action)
at System.Management.Automation.ScriptBlock.InvokeWithPipe(Boolean useLocalScope, Dictionary`2 functionsToDefine, List`1 variablesToDefine, ErrorHandlingBehavior errorHandlingBehavior, Object dollarUnder, Object input, Object scriptThis, Pipe outputPipe, InvocationInfo invocationInfo, Object[] args)
at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.MeasureCommandCommand.ProcessRecord()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoExecute()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.Complete()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][] pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.Interpreter.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.LightLambda.RunVoid1[T0](T0 arg0)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.RunClause(Action`1 clause, Object dollarUnderbar, Object inputToProcess)
at System.Management.Automation.DlrScriptCommandProcessor.Complete()
at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessorBase.DoComplete()
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.DoCompleteCore(CommandProcessorBase commandRequestingUpstreamCommandsToStop)
at System.Management.Automation.Internal.PipelineProcessor.SynchronousExecuteEnumerate(Object input, Hashtable errorResults, Boolean enumerate)
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalPipeline.InvokeHelper()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalPipeline.InvokeThreadProc()
at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineThread.WorkerProc()
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

Answer 4

VERBOSE: about to do call a function that does nothing...
VERBOSE: in the function
VERBOSE: doing nothing took 9345.0445 milliseconds
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_ref?view=powershell-7.1#writing-functions-to-accept-reference-parameters
function do-nothing
{
param([ref]$foo)
# When using references, you must use the Value property of
# the System.Management.Automation.PSReference type to access your data.
$foo.Value
Write-Verbose -Verbose "in the function"
}
$tenMiB = 10 * 1024 * 1024
$myFoo = New-Object byte[] $tenMiB
Write-Verbose -Verbose "about to do call a function that does nothing..."
$elapsed = Measure-Command -Expression { do-nothing -foo ([ref]$myFoo) }
Write-Verbose -Verbose "doing nothing took $($elapsed.TotalMilliseconds) milliseconds"
_
VERBOSE: about to do call a function that does nothing...
VERBOSE: in the function
VERBOSE: doing nothing took 1303.8049 milliseconds