How to extend C# DirectoryServices UserContext with msTSProfilePath, msTSHomeDirectory etc

Question

I need to read/write ActiveDirectory User object Terminal Services properties. I tried this:

PrincipalContext context = new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain, "CA");

        using (context)
        {
            UserPrincipal user = UserPrincipal.FindByIdentity(context, IdentityType.SamAccountName, "CA\\vlekovic");
            if (user != null)
            {
                DirectoryEntry entry = (DirectoryEntry)user.GetUnderlyingObject();
                entry.Properties["msTSProfilePath"].Value = "";
                entry.Properties["msTSHomeDirectory"].Value = "";
                entry.Properties["msTSHomeDrive"].Value = "";
                entry.CommitChanges();
            }

        }

And I tried this:

PrincipalContext context = new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain, "CA");

        using (context)
        {
            UserPrincipal user = UserPrincipal.FindByIdentity(context, IdentityType.SamAccountName, "CA\\vlekovic");
            if (user != null)
            {
                DirectoryEntry entry = (DirectoryEntry)user.GetUnderlyingObject();
                entry.InvokeSet("msTSProfilePath", "");
                entry.InvokeSet("msTSHomeDirectory", "");
                entry.InvokeSet("msTSHomeDrive", "");
                entry.CommitChanges();
            }

        }

But nothing works.

I tried also with following property names:

• TerminalServicesProfilePath
• TerminalServicesHomeDirectory
• TerminalServicesHomeDrive

But no luck. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks, Vojin

Answer 1

If you're on .NET 3.5 and up and using the System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement (S.DS.AM) namespace, you can easily extend the existing UserPrincipal class to get at more advanced properties, like Manager etc.

Read all about it here:

• Managing Directory Security Principals in the .NET Framework 3.5
• MSDN docs on System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement

Basically, you just define a derived class based on UserPrincipal, and then you define your additional properties you want:

[DirectoryRdnPrefix("CN")]
[DirectoryObjectClass("Person")]
public class UserPrincipalEx : UserPrincipal
{
    // Implement the constructor using the base class constructor. 
    public UserPrincipalEx(PrincipalContext context) : base(context)
    { }

    // Implement the constructor with initialization parameters.    
    public UserPrincipalEx(PrincipalContext context,
                         string samAccountName,
                         string password,
                         bool enabled) : base(context, samAccountName, password, enabled)
    {} 

    // Create the "TermSrvProfilePath" property.    
    [DirectoryProperty("msTSProfilePath")]
    public string TermSrvProfilePath
    {
        get
        {
            if (ExtensionGet("msTSProfilePath").Length != 1)
                return string.Empty;

            return (string)ExtensionGet("msTSProfilePath")[0];
        }
        set { ExtensionSet("msTSProfilePath", value); }
    }
}

Now, you can use the "extended" version of the UserPrincipalEx in your code:

using (PrincipalContext ctx = new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain))
{
    // Search the directory for the new object. 
    UserPrincipalEx inetPerson = UserPrincipalEx.FindByIdentity(ctx, IdentityType.SamAccountName, "someuser");

    // you can easily access the TermSrvProfilePath now
    string path = inetPerson.TermSrvProfilePath;
}        

The same way, you can also add the other properties you're looking for.

Answer 2

I did exactly the same way you told us.

I tried with an other fiel as

    [DirectoryProperty("wWWHomePage")]
    public string wWWHomePage
    {
        get
        {
            if (ExtensionGet("wWWHomePage").Length != 1)
                return null;

            return (string)ExtensionGet("wWWHomePage")[0];

        }
        set { this.ExtensionSet("wWWHomePage", value); }
    }

But with the TermSrvProfilePath , it always return "empty" ...