How to Export Configuration Baselines and Configuration Items

 

Updated: November 1, 2013

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager

In System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, to export a configuration baseline or configuration item using the Configuration Manager SDK, read the relevant SMS_ConfigurationItem instance and write the SDMPackageXML property (string) to a file.

System_CAPS_importantImportant

The encoding of the XML file must be set to UTF-16 encoded Unicode.

To export Configuration Baselines and Configuration Items

  1. Set up a connection to the SMS Provider.

  2. Get the specific instance of SMS_ConfigurationItem class using the unique ID of the configuration item (CI_ID).

  3. Copy the configuration item XML (SDMPackageXML) into a variable.

  4. Write the configuration item XML content to a file.

Example

The following code example shows how to read an instance of a configuration baseline or configuration item and then export it to a file.

For information about calling the sample code, see Calling Configuration Manager Code Snippets.


Sub DCMExportBaselineOrCI(swbemServices, _
                          pathToFile,    _
                          configurationItemId)

' Set required variables.
fileContents          =    ""
configurationItemXML  =    null

' Get specified configuration item (configurationItemId variable).
Set getCIInfo = swbemServices.Get("SMS_ConfigurationItem.CI_ID=" & configurationItemId )

' Copy configuration item XML into variable. 
configurationItemXML = getCIInfo.SDMPackageXML

Wscript.Echo configurationItemXML

' Open file for write (Unicode option enabled by second true).
Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set textFile = FSO.CreateTextFile(pathToFile, true, true)

' Write XML content to file specified by pathToFile.     
textFile.Write configurationItemXML
textFile.Close 

Wscript.Echo " "
Wscript.Echo "Successfully wrote " & pathToFile

End Sub


public void DCMExportBaselineOrCI(WqlConnectionManager connection,
                                  string pathToOutputFile,
                                  string configurationItemId)
{

    // Set required variables.
    string configurationItemXML = null;

    try
    {
        // Get the specified configuration item (configurationItemId variable).
        IResultObject getCIInfo = connection.GetInstance(@"SMS_ConfigurationItem.CI_ID=" + configurationItemId);

        // Copy configuration item XML into variable. 
        configurationItemXML = getCIInfo["SDMPackageXML"].StringValue;
    }
    catch (SmsException ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Failed to retrieve configuration item xml. " + "\n" + ex.Message);
        throw;
    }

    StreamWriter sw = null;
    try
    {
        // Open file for output.
        sw = new StreamWriter(pathToOutputFile, false, System.Text.Encoding.Unicode);

        // Write XML to output file.
        sw.Write(configurationItemXML);
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Failed to write configuration item XML to: " + pathToOutputFile + "\n" + ex.Message);
        throw;
    }
    finally
    {
        if (sw != null)
        {
            sw.Close();
        }
    }

    Console.WriteLine("Wrote configuration item XML to: " + pathToOutputFile);
}

The example method has the following parameters:

Parameter

Type

Description

connection

  • Managed: WqlConnectionManager

  • VBScript: SWbemServices

A valid connection to the SMS Provider.

  • pathToOutputFile

  • pathToFile

  • Managed: String

  • VBScript: String

Path to the output file.

configurationItemId

  • Managed: String

  • VBScript: String

Identifier of a configuration item to export.

Compiling the Code

System

System.Collections.Generic

System.ComponentModel

Microsoft.ConfigurationManagement.ManagementProvider

Microsoft.ConfigurationManagement.ManagementProvider.WqlQueryEngine

adminui.wqlqueryengine

microsoft.configurationmanagement.managementprovider

Robust Programming

For more information about error handling, see About Configuration Manager Errors.

.NET Framework Security

For more information about securing Configuration Manager applications, see Securing Configuration Manager Applications.

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