How to Create a Computer 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 computer variable for a computer that is running System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager by adding instances of SMS_MachineVariable to the SMS_MachineSettings class MachineVariables array property.
To create a computer 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_MachineSettings.
For each variable to be added, add instances of the embedded object a SMS_MachineVariable to the MachineVariables array property.
Commit the changes to the SMS_MachineSettings class instance.
Example
The following example method creates a collection variable and adds it to the collection identified by the supplied identifier.
In the example, the LocaleID property is hard-coded to English (U.S.). If you need the locale for non-U.S. installations, you can get it from the SMS_Identification Server WMI Class LocaleID property.
For information about calling the sample code, see Calling Configuration Manager Code Snippets.
Sub CreateComputerVariable(connection, siteCode, name, value, mask, computerId)
Dim computerSettings
Dim computerVariables
Dim computerVariable
Dim Settings
' See if the computer settings object already exists. if it does not, create it.
Set settings = connection.ExecQuery _
("Select * From SMS_MachineSettings Where ResourceID = '" & computerID & "'")
If settings.Count = 0 Then
Wscript.Echo "Creating computer settings object"
Set computerSettings = connection.Get("SMS_MachineSettings").SpawnInstance_
computerSettings.ResourceID = computerId
computerSettings.SourceSite = siteCode
computerSettings.LocaleID = 1033
computerSettings.Put_
End If
' Get the computer settings object.
Set computerSettings = connection.Get("SMS_MachineSettings.ResourceID='" & computerId &"'" )
' Get the computer variables.
computerVariables=computerSettings.MachineVariables
' Create and populate a new computer variable.
Set computerVariable = connection.Get("SMS_MachineVariable").SpawnInstance_
computerVariable.Name = name
computerVariable.Value = value
computerVariable.IsMasked = mask
' Add the new computer variable.
ReDim Preserve computerVariables (UBound (computerVariables)+1)
Set computerVariables(UBound(computerVariables)) = computerVariable
computerSettings.MachineVariables=computerVariables
computerSettings.Put_
End Sub
public void CreateComputerVariable( WqlConnectionManager connection, string siteCode, string name, string value, bool mask, int computerId) { try { // Get the computer settings. IResultObject computerSettings=null; IResultObject computerSettingsQuery = connection.QueryProcessor.ExecuteQuery( "Select * from SMS_MachineSettings where ResourceId = '" + computerId + "'"); foreach (IResultObject settings in computerSettingsQuery) { computerSettings = settings; } if (computerSettings == null) // It does not exist, so create it. { computerSettings = connection.CreateInstance(@"SMS_MachineSettings"); computerSettings["ResourceID"].IntegerValue = computerId; computerSettings["SourceSite"].StringValue = siteCode; computerSettings["LocaleID"].IntegerValue = 1033; computerSettings.Put(); computerSettings.Get(); } // Create the computer variable. List<IResultObject> computerVariables = computerSettings.GetArrayItems("MachineVariables"); IResultObject computerVariable = connection.CreateEmbeddedObjectInstance("SMS_MachineVariable"); computerVariable["Name"].StringValue = name; computerVariable["Value"].StringValue = value; computerVariable["IsMasked"].BooleanValue = mask; // Add the computer variable to the computer settings. computerVariables.Add(computerVariable); computerSettings.SetArrayItems("MachineVariables", computerVariables); computerSettings.Put(); } catch (SmsException e) { Console.WriteLine("Failed to create computer 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.
The example method has the following parameters:
Parameter
Type
Description
connection
Managed: WqlConnectionManager
VBScript: SWbemServices
A valid connection to the SMS Provider.
siteCode
Managed: String
VBScript: String
The site code of the source site.
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.
computerID
Managed: Integer
VBScript: Integer
The computer identifier. Typically this is the SMS_R_System class ResourceID property.