How to Create a Collection Variable in Configuration Manager
Updated: November 1, 2013
Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
You create a collection variable for a System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager collection by adding instances of SMS_CollectionVariable Server WMI Class to the CollectionVariables property of SMS_CollectionSettings Server WMI Class.
To create a collection variable
Set up a connection to the SMS Provider. For more information, see About the SMS Provider in Configuration Manager.
Get an instance of SMS_CollectionSettings.
For each variable to be added, add instances of the embedded object SMS_CollectionVariable to the CollectionVariables array property.
Commit the changes to the SMS_CollectionSettings class instance.
Example
The following example method creates a collection variable and adds it to the collection identified by the supplied identifier. If the SMS_CollectionSettings object for the collection does not exist, it is created.
For information about calling the sample code, see Calling Configuration Manager Code Snippets.
Sub CreateCollectionVariable( connection, name, value, mask, collectionId, precedence)
Dim collectionSettings
Dim collectionVariables
Dim collectionVariable
Dim Settings
' See if the settings collection already exists. if it does not, create it.
Set settings = connection.ExecQuery _
("Select * From SMS_CollectionSettings Where CollectionID = '" & collectionID & "'")
If settings.Count = 0 Then
Wscript.Echo "Creating collection settings object"
Set collectionSettings = connection.Get("SMS_CollectionSettings").SpawnInstance_
collectionSettings.CollectionID = collectionId
collectionSettings.Put_
End If
' Get the collection settings object.
Set collectionSettings = connection.Get("SMS_CollectionSettings.CollectionID='" & collectionId &"'" )
' Get the collection variables.
collectionVariables=collectionSettings.CollectionVariables
' Create and populate a new collection variable.
Set collectionVariable = connection.Get("SMS_CollectionVariable").SpawnInstance_
collectionVariable.Name = name
collectionVariable.Value = value
collectionVariable.IsMasked = mask
' Add the new collection variable.
ReDim Preserve collectionVariables (UBound (collectionVariables)+1)
Set collectionVariables(UBound(collectionVariables)) = collectionVariable
collectionSettings.CollectionVariables=collectionVariables
collectionSettings.Put_
End Sub
public void CreateCollectionVariable( WqlConnectionManager connection, string name, string value, bool mask, string collectionId, int precedence) { try { IResultObject collectionSettings = null; // Get the collection settings. Create it if necessary. IResultObject collectionSettingsQuery = connection.QueryProcessor.ExecuteQuery( "Select * from SMS_CollectionSettings where CollectionID='" + collectionId + "'"); foreach (IResultObject setting in collectionSettingsQuery) { collectionSettings = setting; } if ( collectionSettings == null) { collectionSettings = connection.CreateInstance("SMS_CollectionSettings"); collectionSettings["CollectionID"].StringValue = collectionId; collectionSettings.Put(); collectionSettings.Get(); } // Create the collection variable. List<IResultObject> collectionVariables = collectionSettings.GetArrayItems("CollectionVariables"); IResultObject collectionVariable = connection.CreateEmbeddedObjectInstance("SMS_CollectionVariable"); collectionVariable["Name"].StringValue = name; collectionVariable["Value"].StringValue = value; collectionVariable["IsMasked"].BooleanValue = mask; // Add the collection variable to the collection settings. collectionVariables.Add(collectionVariable); collectionSettings.SetArrayItems("CollectionVariables", collectionVariables); // Set the collection variable precedence. collectionSettings["CollectionVariablePrecedence"].IntegerValue = precedence; collectionSettings.Put(); } catch (SmsException e) { Console.WriteLine("Failed to create collection variable: " + e.Message); throw; } }
Compiling the Code
The C# example has the following compilation requirements:
System
System.Collections.Generic
Microsoft.ConfigurationManagement.ManagementProvider
Microsoft.ConfigurationManagement.ManagementProvider.WqlQueryEngine
microsoft.configurationmanagement.managementprovider
adminui.wqlqueryengine
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.
Configuration Manager Operating System Deployment
Configuration Manager Objects
Configuration Manager Programming Fundamentals
How to Connect to an SMS Provider in Configuration Manager by Using Managed Code
How to Connect to an SMS Provider in Configuration Manager by Using WMI
How to Create a Computer Variable in Configuration Manager
How to Create a Configuration Manager Object by Using Managed Code
How to Create a Configuration Manager Object by Using WMI
Operating System Deployment Computer Management
The example method has the following parameters:
Parameter
Type
Description
Connection
Managed: WqlConnectionManager
VBScript: SWbemServices
A valid connection to the SMS Provider.
Name
Managed: String
VBScript: String
The name of the variable to be created.
Value
Managed: String
VBScript: String
The value of the variable
Mask
Managed: Boolean
VBScript: Boolean
Specifies whether the value is displayed in the Configuration Manager console.
true - the variable value is not displayed.
false - the variable value is displayed.
CollectionID
Managed: String
VBScript: String
The collection that the variable is added to.
Precedence
Managed: Integer
VBScript: Integer
The precedence of the variable over other variables in the array.