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Query Active Directory in asp.net c#

Hi Experts,

trying to learn about querying AD from an asp.net c# web page.

Never done this before, so started googling, tried to follow an example online:
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/9570/Querying-Microsoft-Active-Directory-Using-Microsof

so I added:

using System.DirectoryServices;

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and then copy pasted the first code example into my code behind:

string ExtractUserName(string path)
{
    string [] userPath = path.Split(new char [] {'\\'});
    return userPath[userPath.Length-1];
}

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I'm obviously being really stupid, the tutorial suggests that from this we now know the username, but I don't seem to get anything. Can someone point me in the direction of a more idiot proof tutorial, or help me out, I only want to query AD don't need to write to it at this stage.

Luis Pérez

Check this, I hope it will help you:
http://wiki.asp.net/page.aspx/462/how-to-query-active-directory-without-hard-coding-the-domain-name/

Hope so.

SOLUTION

Luis Pérez

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forsters

ASKER

Roland Thank you,

I had started reading your link but haven't got very far.

Re. you second comment I now have the following in my code-behind:

using System;
using System.DirectoryServices;

public partial class _Default : System.Web.UI.Page
{
    protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
               bool test = IsExistInAD("MYDOMAIN\\MYUSER");
    }
    string ExtractUserName(string path)
{
    string [] userPath = path.Split(new char [] {'\\'});
    return userPath[userPath.Length-1];
}

    bool IsExistInAD(string loginName)
    {
        string userName = ExtractUserName(loginName);
        DirectorySearcher search = new DirectorySearcher();
        search.Filter = String.Format("(SAMAccountName={0})", userName);
        search.PropertiesToLoad.Add("cn");
        SearchResult result = search.FindOne();

        if (result == null)
        {
            return false;
        }
        else
        {
            return true;
        }
        
       
    }
      
}

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But if I run the page, it's blank, so i'm obviously missing something obvious to those in the know...can you see what?

SOLUTION

Luis Pérez

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forsters

ASKER

D'oh of course, I was confusing return with response.write - good start...THANK YOU (sorry still a c# newbie too...easily confused)!

Hmm so apparently 'user doesn't exist'.

I wasn't sure - the code above is exactly what I am running, normally where text is to be replaced with actual values it's held in square brackets - in the absence of those I have run literally the code I posted, should I be populating the empty square brackets in :

string [] userPath = path.Split(new char [] {'\\'});

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Luis Pérez

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forsters

ASKER

Ahh I see, ok got it great that works.

Brilliant thanks, I'll go and read your attachment now, see how far I get before I'm back on here with another newbie question.

Thank you so much.