Updated comment-based help .INPUTS and .OUTPUTS sections (#2358)

Author: johlju

.github/instructions/dsc-community-style-guidelines-powershell.instructions.md

@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ applyTo: "{**/*.ps1,**/*.psm1,**/*.psd1}"
 - Comment-based help: SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION (40+ chars), PARAMETER, EXAMPLE sections before function/class
 - Comment-based help indentation: keywords 4 spaces, text 8 spaces
 - Include examples for all parameter sets and combinations
-- INPUTS: List each pipeline‑accepted type (one per line) with a 1‑line description. Repeat keyword for each input type.
-- OUTPUTS: List each return type (one per line) with a 1‑line description. Repeat keyword for each output type. Must match both `[OutputType()]` and actual returns.
+- INPUTS: List each pipeline‑accepted type as inline code with a 1‑line description. Repeat keyword for each input type. If there are no inputs, specify `None.`.
+- OUTPUTS: List each return type as inline code with a 1‑line description. Repeat keyword for each output type. Must match both `[OutputType()]` and actual returns. If there are no outputs, specify `None.`.
 - .NOTES: Include only if it conveys critical info (constraints, side effects, security, version compatibility, breaking behavior). Keep to ≤2 short sentences.
 
 ## Functions

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Updated comment-based help `.INPUTS` and `.OUTPUTS` sections across all public
+  commands and private functions to comply with DSC community style guidelines
+  ([issue #2103](https://github.com/dsccommunity/SqlServerDsc/issues/2103)).
 - `Set-SqlDscDatabaseProperty`
   - Updated comment-based help to reference correct enum values.
   - Added SQL Server version requirements to version-specific parameter help.

source/Private/Assert-Feature.ps1

@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@
 
         Throws an exception if the feature is not supported.
 
+    .INPUTS
+        `System.String[]`
+
+        Accepts an array of feature names via the pipeline.
+
     .OUTPUTS
         None.
 #>

source/Private/Assert-ManagedServiceType.ps1

@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@
 
         Asserts that the computer managed service object is of the type Database Engine.
 
+    .INPUTS
+        `Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Wmi.Service`
+
+        Accepts a SQL Server managed service object via the pipeline.
+
     .OUTPUTS
         None.
 #>

source/Private/Assert-SetupActionProperties.ps1

@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 
         Throws an exception if the bound parameters are not in the correct state.
 
+    .INPUTS
+        None.
+
     .OUTPUTS
         None.
 

source/Private/ConvertFrom-ManagedServiceType.ps1

@@ -14,6 +14,16 @@
         ConvertFrom-ManagedServiceType -ServiceType 'SqlServer'
 
         Returns the normalized service type name 'DatabaseEngine' .
+
+    .INPUTS
+        `Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Wmi.ManagedServiceType`
+
+        Accepts a managed service type via the pipeline.
+
+    .OUTPUTS
+        `System.String`
+
+        Returns the normalized service type name.
 #>
 function ConvertFrom-ManagedServiceType
 {

source/Private/ConvertTo-AuditNewParameterSet.ps1

@@ -28,12 +28,10 @@
         Converts an existing audit object to a parameter set with a custom GUID.
 
     .INPUTS
-        None
-
-        This function does not accept pipeline input.
+        None.
 
     .OUTPUTS
-        System.Collections.Hashtable
+        `System.Collections.Hashtable`
 
         Returns a hashtable of parameters for New-SqlDscAudit.
 #>

source/Private/ConvertTo-FormattedParameterDescription.ps1

@@ -13,8 +13,11 @@
     .PARAMETER Exclude
         Array of parameter names to exclude from the formatted output.
 
+    .INPUTS
+        None.
+
     .OUTPUTS
-        System.String
+        `System.String`
 
         Returns a formatted string with parameters and their values.
 

source/Private/ConvertTo-ManagedServiceType.ps1

@@ -14,10 +14,21 @@
         ConvertTo-ManagedServiceType -ServiceType 'DatabaseEngine'
 
         Returns the manged service type name for the normalized service type 'DatabaseEngine'.
+
+    .INPUTS
+        `System.String`
+
+        Accepts a normalized service type name via the pipeline.
+
+    .OUTPUTS
+        `Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Wmi.ManagedServiceType`
+
+        Returns the managed service type.
 #>
 function ConvertTo-ManagedServiceType
 {
     [CmdletBinding()]
+    [OutputType([Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Wmi.ManagedServiceType])]
     param
     (
         [Parameter(Mandatory = $true, ValueFromPipeline = $true)]

source/Private/ConvertTo-RedactedText.ps1

@@ -27,10 +27,21 @@
         ConvertTo-RedactedText -Text 'My secret phrase: secret123' -RedactPhrase 'secret123' -RedactWith '----'
 
         Returns the text with the phrases redacted to '----'.
+
+    .INPUTS
+        `System.String`
+
+        Accepts text to be redacted via the pipeline.
+
+    .OUTPUTS
+        `System.String`
+
+        Returns the redacted text.
 #>
 function ConvertTo-RedactedText
 {
     [CmdletBinding()]
+    [OutputType([System.String])]
     param
     (
         [Parameter(Mandatory = $true, ValueFromPipeline = $true)]