I am having an issue when attempting to create a new user in active directory. I followed the steps provided in this link for using PrincipalContext (with the exception that I am only doing one user at a time when they are hired and entered into the system and not multiple so no loop is required). I am also using a UserPrincipal Extender.
Here is the code that I have:
protected void CreateUserPE()
{
try
{
PrincipalContext userCtx = new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain, DomainFQDN, DomainFull);
string UserName = txtFirstName.Text.ToLower() + " " + txtLastName.Text.ToLower();
string password = "superSecretPassword";
UserPrincipalsEx newUser = new UserPrincipalsEx(userCtx, UserName, password, true);
newUser.SamAccountName = txtFirstName.Text.ToLower() + "." + txtLastName.Text.ToLower();
newUser.UserPrincipalName = txtFirstName.Text.ToLower() + "." + txtLastName.Text.ToLower() + "@rasm.com";
newUser.EmployeeId = txtEmpID.Text;
newUser.LastName = txtLastName.Text;
newUser.GivenName = txtFirstName.Text;
newUser.DisplayName = txtFirstName.Text + " " + txtLastName.Text;
newUser.Name = txtFirstName.Text + " " + txtLastName.Text;
newUser.SetPassword(password);
newUser.HomePostalAddress = txtAddress.Text + ", " + txtCity.Text + ", " + txtState.Text + ", " + txtZip.Text;
newUser.CountryName = txtCountry.Text;
newUser.HomePhone = txtHomePhone.Text;
newUser.MobilePhone = txtMobilePhone.Text;
newUser.DateOfBirth = txtDOB.Text;
newUser.EmergencyContact = txtEmergencyCnt.Text;
newUser.EmergencyPhone = txtContactPhone.Text;
newUser.Relationship = ddlRelationship1.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.EmergencyContact2 = txtEmergencyCnt2.Text;
newUser.EmergencyPhone2 = txtContactPhone2.Text;
newUser.Relationship2 = ddlRelationship2.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.EyeColor = ddlEyeColor.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.HairColor = ddlHairColor.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.Height = txtHeight.Text;
newUser.Weight = txtWeight.Text;
newUser.Gender = ddlGender.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.PersonalEmail = txtPersonalEmail.Text;
newUser.PassportExpires = txtPassportExp.Text;
newUser.HomeBase = ddlHomeStation.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.WorkLocation = txtWorkLocation.Text;
newUser.PID = txtPID.Text;
newUser.Team = txtTeam.Text;
newUser.Manager = "CN=" + txtSupervisor.Text + "," + DomainFull;
newUser.Title = ddlJobTitle.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.JobCode = txtJobCode.Text;
newUser.PLC = txtPLC.Text;
newUser.BPLC = txtBPLC.Text;
newUser.Specialty = txtSpecialty.Text;
newUser.Position = txtPosition.Text;
newUser.DateOfHire = txtDOH.Text;
newUser.DateOnContract = txtDOC.Text;
newUser.TaskOrder = ddlTaskOrder.SelectedItem.ToString();
newUser.Classification = ddlClass.SelectedIndex.ToString();
newUser.Section = txtSection.Text;
newUser.GatePass = txtGatePass.Text;
newUser.GatePassExpires = txtGatePassExp.Text;
newUser.WorkPhone = txtWorkPhone.Text;
newUser.CompanyEmail = txtCompEmail.Text;
newUser.aKOEmail = txtMilEmail.Text;
newUser.aKOSponsor = txtMilEmailSp.Text;
newUser.CACSponsor = txtCacSponsor.Text;
newUser.CACSponsorEmail = txtCacSponsorEmail.Text;
newUser.CacCardExpires = txtCacExpires.Text;
newUser.Enabled = true;
newUser.ExpirePasswordNow();
newUser.Save();
newUser.Dispose();
}
catch
{
}
}
The program goes all the way to newUser.Save() and then throws the following error in the catch statement:
System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.PrincipalOperationException was caught
HResult=-2146233087
Message=The attribute syntax specified to the directory service is invalid.
Source=System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement
ErrorCode=-2147016693
StackTrace:
at System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.ADStoreCtx.Insert(Principal p)
at System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.Principal.Save()
at Personnel_Employee.CreateUserPE() in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\TestingFolder\Personnel\Add\Employee.aspx.cs:line 263
InnerException: System.DirectoryServices.DirectoryServicesCOMException
HResult=-2147016693
Message=The attribute syntax specified to the directory service is invalid.
Source=System.DirectoryServices
ErrorCode=-2147016693
ExtendedError=87
ExtendedErrorMessage=00000057: LdapErr: DSID-0C090D11, comment: Error in attribute conversion operation, data 0, v23f0
StackTrace:
at System.DirectoryServices.DirectoryEntry.CommitChanges()
at System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement.SDSUtils.ApplyChangesToDirectory(Principal p, StoreCtx storeCtx, GroupMembershipUpdater updateGroupMembership, NetCred credentials, AuthenticationTypes authTypes)
InnerException:
Where am I going wrong.
You can not update an attribute with null or empty. I personaly dislike solutions with dummy values. If you are using the context principle just simply check for null or empty and dont update if its the case like:
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(txtbox.Text)){ newUser.attributeName = txtbox.Text}
If you are using an directory entry instead of an usercontext you can do something like this:
string adPath = "LDAP://server.domain.com/CN=John,CN=Users,dc=domain,dc=com";
DirectoryEntry userEntry = new DirectoryEntry(adPath);
if (txtBox.text == "")
{
userEntry.Properties["proppertyName"].Clear();
}
else if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(txtBox.text))
{
userEntry.Properties[attribute.Key].Value = txtBox.text;
}
// dont do a thing when txtBox.Text is empty
It looks like more code but its much easier to make a foreachloop for it if you have a list with all attribute like:
private void UpdateEntryAttributes(DirectoryEntry entry, Dictionary<string, string> attributes)
{
foreach (KeyValuePair<string, string> attribute in attributes)
{
entry.Properties[attribute.Key].Value = attribute.Value;
if (attribute.Value == "")
{
entry.Properties[attribute.Key].Clear();
}
else if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(attribute.Value))
{
entry.Properties[attribute.Key].Value = attribute.Value;
}
}