DirectoryHelper

C# .NET Helper library for interaction with Active Directory objects such as users, contacts, groups (based on the DirectoryEntry class)

Nuget

Latest package available here

Summary

This library was written to provide some useful wrappers around common tasks I've encountered when dealing with LDAP and DirectoryEntry/DirectorySearcher classes in the System.DirectoryServices namespace.

Sample

To get things started, here's a code sample of the usage for a few of the types and extension methods provided:

namespace InitiateNorth.DirectoryHelper.Sample
{
    using System.DirectoryServices;
    using System.Linq;
    using InitiateNorth.DirectoryHelper;

    /// <summary>
    /// Class demonstrates the sample usage of the DirectoryHelper library.
    /// </summary>
    public class Program
    {
        
        /// <summary>
        /// Main entry point for the program.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="args">Command line arguments (ignored by this method).</param>
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var searchTerm = "Testy McTestington";

            // Removing primative obsession
            var fqdnResult = Fqdn.Create("internal.domain.local");

            if (fqdnResult.IsSuccess)
            {
                var fqdn = fqdnResult.Value;

                // Use the extensions to give us an LDAP connection string.
                using (var entry = new DirectoryEntry(fqdn.ToLdapConnectionString()))
                using (var searcher = new DirectorySearcher(entry))
                {
                    // Set the search filter up using the attributes, look for people with display name that matches the search term.
                    searcher.Filter = $"(&({DirectoryAttributes.ObjectClass}=person)({DirectoryAttributes.ObjectCategory}=person)({DirectoryAttributes.DisplayName}={searchTerm}))";

                    // No limit on the page size, so we don't have to page the results.
                    searcher.PageSize = 999;

                    // Add some properties we want to see on the returned results.
                    searcher.PropertiesToLoad.AddRange(
                        new string[]
                        {
                            DirectoryAttributes.DistinguishedName,
                            DirectoryAttributes.ObjectSid,
                            DirectoryAttributes.SamAccountName,
                            DirectoryAttributes.MemberOf,
                            DirectoryAttributes.DisplayName,
                            DirectoryAttributes.Mail,
                        });

                    using (var results = searcher.FindAll())
                    {
                        /* 
                         * Sadly the directory stuff doesn't implement any LINQ related goodness, 
                         * and we have to tell the compiler what we're expecting (a SearchResult from a SearchResultCollection)
                         */
                        foreach (SearchResult result in results)
                        {
                            var mail = result.Properties.GetReference<string>(DirectoryAttributes.Mail);
                            var displayName = result.Properties.GetReference<string>(DirectoryAttributes.DisplayName);
                            var memberOf = result.Properties.GetCollectionReference<string>(DirectoryAttributes.MemberOf).ToList(); // Force evaluation now so you can have a poke about.
                            var objectSid = result.Properties.GetReference<byte[]>(DirectoryAttributes.ObjectSid);
                            // ... etc. etc.

                            /* 
                             * NOTE: Be aware that if you are retrieving a group and want to check the 'members'
                             * property for example, AD will limit the results to 1500 per 'page' unless you are
                             * doing an 'attribute scope query'.
                             */

                            // Some examples of other extensions being used to get a SID
                            if (objectSid.IsSidResolvable())
                            {
                                var readableSid = objectSid.ToSidString();
                                var domainAndUser = objectSid.ToResolvedDomainAndUser();
                            }

                            if (result.GetDirectoryEntry().IsContactObject())
                            {
                                // This person is a contact, not a user.
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}