PowerShell Scripting  Active Directory Basics

Introduction to PowerShell Scripting - Active Directory

Answer for: Example 4: Adding a Foreach Loop

Pre-requisites

• Experiment with the foreach loop in isolation so that you understand its mechanism.
• Research more LDAP properties.  For example the relationship between, GivenName (First name) and SN (Surname) and CN (Full name) .

Learning Points

Note 1:  By adding a filter, you can fine tune the output.  This should result in a lower total as displayed by:
"Total $i".  Talking of this tiny instruction on the last line, if you try: "Total " $i, frustratingly, the script does not work.  "Total " +$i works but is long-winded.

Note 2:  Observe the dollar sign in front of $Null.  $Null is a special PowerShell variable.  Omit the dollar and it does not work.

Note 3:  Going back to basics, PowerShell uses minus eq and not an equals sign.  -eq would be correct.  My point is that the negative, not equal, is -ne  (and not -neq).

Summary of PowerShell and Active Directory

It was with much relief that I discovered that PowerShell supplied a mechanism to query Active Directory.  The secret is starting with new-object, then choosing the specific Com objects, DirectoryServices.DirectoryEntry and DirectoryServices.DirectorySearcher.

See more Microsoft PowerShell tutorials:

• PowerShell Home  • Com  • Shell Application  • Active Directory  • QAD Snap-in  • Get-Member

Please write in if you see errors of any kind.  Please report any factual mistakes, grammatical errors or broken links, I will be happy to not only to correct the fault, but also to give you credit.

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