How to Create a Configuration Manager Query

Article
10/10/2022

In Configuration Manager, you create an SMS_Query-based query by creating an instance of SMS_Query. The SMS_Query class Expression object defines a WQL query. If you want to limit the query results to a specific collection, specify the collection identifier in the LimitToCollectionID property.

Note

When you create a query, it is displayed in the Configuration Manager console under Queries.

To create a query

Set up a connection to the SMS Provider. For more information, see SMS Provider fundamentals.
Create an instance of SMS_Query.
Populate the SMS_Query properties.
Commit the SMS_Query.
If required, retrieve the query object and get the query identifier.

Example

The following example method creates an SMS_Query class query that queries for all systems. The method returns the query identifier, which can be used as input to the example in How to Run a Configuration Manager Query.

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

Function CreateQuery(connection)  
   On Error Resume Next  

   Dim query  
   Dim path  

   ' Create a query object.  
    Set query = connection.Get("SMS_Query").SpawnInstance_()  

    If Err.Number<>0 Then  
        Wscript.Echo "Couldn't create query object"  
        CreateQuery = Null  
        Exit Function  
    End If  

    ' Populate the object.  
    query.Comments = "A query for all systems"  
    query.Expression = "select Name, " + _  
    "SMSAssignedSites, " +              _  
    "IPAddresses, " +                   _  
    "IPSubnets, " +                     _  
    "OperatingSystemNameandVersion, " + _  
    "ResourceDomainORWorkgroup, " +     _  
    "LastLogonUserDomain, " +           _  
    "LastLogonUserName, " +             _  
    "SMSUniqueIdentifier, " +           _  
    "ResourceId, " +                    _  
    "ResourceType, " +                  _  
    "NetbiosName " +                    _  
    "from sms_r_system"  
    query.LimitToCollectionID = nothing  
    query.Name = "Query All Systems"  
    query.TargetClassName = "SMS_R_System"  

    ' Commit the object  
    path = query.Put_  

    If Err.Number<>0 Then  
        Wscript.Echo "Couldn't commit the query"  
        CreateQuery = Null  
        Exit Function  
    End If  

    WScript.Echo "Query created"  

    ' Get the object back to get the query identifier.  
    Set query = connection.Get(path)  
    CreateQuery = query.QueryID  

End Function

public string CreateQuery(WqlConnectionManager connection)  
{  
    try  
    {  
        // Create an SMS_Query object.  
        IResultObject query = connection.CreateInstance("SMS_Query");  

        // Populate the object.  
        query["Comments"].StringValue = "A query for all systems";  
        query["Expression"].StringValue =   
            "select Name, " +  
            "SMSAssignedSites, " +  
            "IPAddresses, " +  
            "IPSubnets, " +  
            "OperatingSystemNameandVersion, " +  
            "ResourceDomainORWorkgroup, " +  
            "LastLogonUserDomain, " +  
            "LastLogonUserName, " +  
            "SMSUniqueIdentifier, " +  
            "ResourceId, " +  
            "ResourceType, " +  
            "NetbiosName " +  
            "from sms_r_system";  
        query["LimitToCollectionID"].StringValue = null;  
        query["Name"].StringValue = "Query All Systems";  
        query["TargetClassName"].StringValue = "SMS_R_System";  

        // Commit the query.  
        query.Put();  

        // Get the query - allows access to the queryID.  
        query.Get();  

        // Return the query identifier.  
        return query["QueryID"].StringValue;  
    }  
    catch (SmsException e)  
    {  
        Console.WriteLine("Failed to run the query: " + e.Message);  
        throw;  
    }  
}

The example method has the following parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
`connection`	- Managed: `WqlConnectionManager` - VBScript: SWbemServices	- A valid connection to the SMS Provider.

Compiling the Code

The C# example has the following compilation requirements:

Namespaces

System

System.Collections.Generic

System.Text

Microsoft.ConfigurationManagement.ManagementProvider

Microsoft.ConfigurationManagement.ManagementProvider.WqlQueryEngine

Assembly

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 Configuration Manager role-based administration.

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