Read AD Users and Create String to Update Email Address

You can use the System.DirectoryServices namespace to do this:

Dim ADGroups As Object
Dim ADGroup As Object
Dim ADEntry As New DirectoryEntry("WinNT://domainname/username")

ADGroups = ADEntry.Invoke("Groups")
For Each ADGroup In ADGroups
Console.WriteLine(ADGroup.Name)
Next


then you can split the name to get the first name

"Name" returns the full name.  When a tool like Dameware reads AD, it pulls First Name and Last Name, as well as the full name.  What are the fields for first name and last name? (Or, is it that obvious? lol).  Also, once I get that, how do I update the primary email address on Exchange.  Thanks.

Hello DJDoug,

AD attribute for first name is Given-Name and Surname for last name.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/adschema/adschema/a_givenname.asp
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/adschema/adschema/a_sn.asp

To get full name, that depends on how you create the user object. When you do that programmatically, it also depends on the type of ldap provider used to bind to AD.

To update primary email address in MS Exchange, you can make query to AD and for each user get one attribute named mail. However, mail is actually a proxyaddresses which stores multi-value of email addresses such as SMTP, x.400, etc. So your code needs to iterate the string array and find one that starts with "smtp" will be the primary address.

Thanks iHenry, that gets me pretty far along.  I have the following code so far which sets everything up:

        Sub Main()
            ' Add code to log each event.
            Dim RootDSE As New DirectoryServices.DirectoryEntry("LDAP://rootDSE")
            Dim DomainDN As String = RootDSE.Properties("DefaultNamingContext").Value
            Dim ADEntry As New DirectoryServices.DirectoryEntry("LDAP://" & DomainDN)
            Dim ADSearch As New System.DirectoryServices.DirectorySearcher(ADEntry)

            Dim ADSearchResult As System.DirectoryServices.SearchResult
            ADSearch.Filter = ("(objectClass=user)")
            ADSearch.SearchScope = DirectoryServices.SearchScope.Subtree
            Dim results As DirectoryServices.SearchResultCollection = ADSearch.FindAll()
            Dim UserFound As DirectoryServices.SearchResult
            For Each UserFound In results
                If Not IsNothing(UserFound) AndAlso Not Trim(UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("mail").Value) = "" _
                        AndAlso Not Trim(UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("givenName").Value) = "" AndAlso Not Trim(UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("sn").Value) = "" Then
                    Console.WriteLine("Name: " & UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("displayName").Value & " ")
                    Debug.WriteLine("Name: " & UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("displayName").Value & " ")

                    Dim oldEmail As String = UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("mail").Value.ToString().ToLower()
                    Console.WriteLine("Current Email: " & oldEmail)
                    Debug.WriteLine("Current Email: " & oldEmail)

                    Dim firstName As String = UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("givenName").Value.ToString().ToLower()
                    Dim lastName As String = UserFound.GetDirectoryEntry().Properties.Item("sn").Value.ToString().ToLower()
                    Dim newEmail As String = firstName & "." & lastName & "@mycompany.com"
                    Console.WriteLine("New Email: " & newEmail)
                    Debug.WriteLine("New Email: " & newEmail)

                    If oldEmail <> newEmail Then
                        ' Code here to update Exchange Server.
                        ' Need help with this part.
                    End If

                    Console.WriteLine(vbCrLf)
                    Debug.WriteLine(vbCrLf)
                End If
            Next
        End Sub

Can you help with the Exhange updating code, or point me to an article that can explain?  Also, I need to make sure that once I update the smtp with new email address, that the old email address is added as an alias.  Where do I add the alias?  Also, additional 250 points is added for this question (750 total).  Thanks.

mm..forgot something

If oldMail.Length > 0 Then
    values.Remove(oldMail)
    values.Add("smtp:" + newEmail)
    deUser.Properties("mail").Clear()
    deUser.Properties("mail").AddRange(values.ToArray())
    deUser.CommitChanges()
End If

Will this keep the old mail as an alias?

mm..nope sorry, forgot your requirement

comment out this line
values.Remove(oldMail)

Thanks ihenry!  That works perfect.  Saved many, many hours of manual updates.  Really appreciate that.  ...I had posted another 250 points earlier for this question.  Please post a generic comment in that question and I will give you those points as well.  Thanks again.  Here's the other question:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21201627/Need-Directory-Services-Help-with-AD-Exchange-Server-2003-750-Total-Points.html

DJ Doug

You're welcome DJ Doug, glad could help.