Active Directory Adding User Properties

Question

I am trying to add a property/attribute to a user entry in Active Directory. I don't have any trouble updating property values using the following code.

string LDAPString = "LDAP://DC=oc,DC=edu";
DirectoryEntry ou = new DirectoryEntry(LDAPString, "fakeUsername", "password");

DirectorySearcher searcher = new DirectorySearcher(ou);
searcher.Filter = "sAMAccountName=" + username;
SearchResult result = searcher.FindOne();

DirectoryEntry user = new DirectoryEntry(result.Path, "fakeUsername", "password");

user.Properties[propertyName].Value = propertyValue;

user.CommitChanges();

user.Dispose();

However when I try to add a new item and call CommitChanges() it throws an error:

The specified directory service attribute or value does not exist.

The ExtendedErrorMessage says the following:

00000057: LdapErr: DSID-0C090B8A, comment: Error in attribute conversion operation, data 0, v1db1

string propertyName = "test";
string propertyValue = "testValue";
user.Properties[propertyName].Add(propertyValue);
user.CommitChanges();

I have a feeling I am missing something simple but I can't seem to figure it out.

Answer 1

I did not understand that typically a property/attribute does not appear unless it is populated with a value. As marc_s alluded to the property is already there in the schema you just have to populate it with a value.