How can I set a shorthand alias for a variable?

Question

I am using a script that sets $Global:LastResult, how can I set an alias, say, last to access this variable

Answer 1

As TechNet description of Set-Alias goes:

You can create an alias for a cmdlet, but you cannot create an alias for a command with parameters and values. For example, you can create an alias for Set-Location, but you cannot create an alias for Set-Location C:\Windows\System32. To create an alias for a command, create a function that includes the command, and then create an alias to the function.

So you will need an alias to a function that simply returns your variable.

Answer 2

You can't define an alias for a variable (well, technically you can, as long as the variable isn't $null, but then your alias would have the value of the variable at the time of the assignment).

What you can do is define a function that returns the value of $global:LastResult and then an alias for that function:

function Get-LastResult { $global:LastResult }
New-Alias -Name last -Value Get-LastResult

However, I fail to see the advantage of an approach like this over directly using the variable $global:LastResult.