ErrorAction

ErrorAction is a common parameter used in PowerShell to control how a command handles non-terminating errors. When supplied, it applies to that command’s execution and can override the global error handling behavior for that invocation. It is often written as -ErrorAction (abbreviated -EA) and is one of several common parameters that influence error flow.

The named values are SilentlyContinue, Continue, Stop, and Inquire. SilentlyContinue suppresses the error message and continues execution. Continue displays the error message and continues execution (this is the default behavior for many commands). Stop converts non-terminating errors into terminating errors, which stops the current pipeline and enables catch blocks. Inquire prompts the user for a choice when an error occurs, allowing the user to decide whether to continue or stop, and is supported only in interactive hosts.

ErrorAction affects only the command it accompanies and does not alter other error handling mechanisms, such as try/catch blocks, unless the error is converted to a terminating error. It can be overridden by the global preference variable $ErrorActionPreference, which sets a default behavior for all commands; explicit -ErrorAction values take precedence for the command they target.

Suitable use cases include suppressing expected but non-blocking failures (SilentlyContinue), ensuring a failure stops a pipeline to enable error handling (Stop), or prompting a user in interactive sessions (Inquire). In non-interactive environments, Inquire may be unavailable, and Stop is commonly used to integrate with try/catch for robust scripts.

Related concepts include the larger error-handling framework in PowerShell, such as the distinction between terminating and non-terminating errors, and other related parameters like -ErrorVariable and -WarningAction.