$Error.count # empty automatic variable

# throwing an error when file doesn't exists
Get-Item C:\Data\nosuchfile.txt
$Error.count # one error record logged

# supressing the error
Get-Item C:\Data\nosuchfile.txt -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
$Error.count # but still capturing the error

# supress the error but not logging it in $Error variable
Get-Item C:\Data\nosuchfile.txt -ErrorAction Ignore
$Error.count