Function overloading in PowerShell

In PowerShell functions are not overloaded. The last definition overrides the previous in the same scope or hides the previous in a parent scope. Thus, you should create a single function and provide a way to distinguish its call mode by arguments.

In V2 you may use an advanced function, see help about_Functions_Advanced_Parameters and avoid some manual coding on resolving parameter set ambiguities:

# advanced function with 3 parameter setsfunction Backup-UsersData(    [Parameter(Position=0, ParameterSetName="user")]    [string]$user,    [Parameter(Position=0, ParameterSetName="array")]    [object[]]$array,    [Parameter(Position=0, ParameterSetName="all")]    [switch]$all){    # use this to get the parameter set name    $PSCmdlet.ParameterSetName}# testBackup-UsersData -user 'John'Backup-UsersData 1, 2Backup-UsersData -all# OUTPUT:# user# array# all

Note that this mechanism is sometimes strange. For example in the first test we have to specify parameter name -user explicitly. Otherwise:

Backup-UsersData : Parameter set cannot be resolved using the specified named parameters.At C:\TEMP\_101015_110059\try2.ps1:21 char:17+ Backup-UsersData <<<<  'John'    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Backup-UsersData], ParentContainsErrorRecordException    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : AmbiguousParameterSet,Backup-UsersData

In many cases standard, not advanced, function with mixed parameters will do:

function Backup-UsersData(    [string]$user,    [object[]]$array,    [switch]$all){    if ($user) {'user'}    elseif ($array) {'array'}    elseif ($all) {'all'}    else {'may be'}}Backup-UsersData -user 'John'Backup-UsersData -array 1, 2Backup-UsersData -allBackup-UsersData

But in this case you should resolve (or accept and ignore) ambiguities, e.g. to decide what to do if, say:

Backup-UsersData -user 'John' -array 1, 2 -all

Here is a variant of Roman's answer that I think is a little more flexible:

function Backup{    [CmdletBinding(DefaultParameterSetName='Users')]    Param (        [parameter(mandatory=$true, ParameterSetName='Users', position=0, ValueFromPipeline=$true)][string[]]$User,        [parameter(mandatory=$true, ParameterSetName='AllUsers')][switch]$All    )    Begin    {        if ($All) { $User = @('User1', 'User2', 'User3') }    }    Process    {        foreach ($u in $User)        {            echo "Backup $u"        }    }}

1) Build a class...

class c1 {     [int]f1( [string]$x ){ return 1 }     [int]f1( [int ]$x ){ return 2 }    }

1+) Use STATIC METHODS if you prefer to call them without instantiation...

class c1 {     static [int] f1( [string]$x ){ return 1 }     static [int] f1( [int]$x ){ return 2 }     }

2) Call the methods in class or object... overload works OK

$o1 = [c1]::new()o1.f1( "abc" ) ~> returns 1o1.f1( 123 )   ~> returns 2

-OR-

[c1]::f1( "abc" ) ~> returns 1[c1]::f1( 123 )   ~> returns 2

3)If (like me)
you want to have "Overloaded Functions" placed in a libraries...
so your users can use them transparently...
from code or from Interactive Command Line (REPL)...

the closest I could came to
"Overloading functions in Powershell"
was something like this:

function Alert-String() { [c1]::f1( "abc" ) }function Alert-Strings(){ [c1]::f1( 123 ) }function Alert-Stringn(){ [c1]::f1( 123 ) }

Maybe in PS-Core v8??? ;-)

Hope it helps...