How to Create a Computer Variable in Configuration Manager

Applies To: System Center Configuration Manager 2007, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2

You create a computer variable for a computer that is running Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 by adding instances of SMS_MachineVariable to the SMS_MachineSettings class MachineVariables array property.

To create a computer variable

1. Set up a connection to the SMS Provider. For more information, see About the SMS Provider in Configuration Manager.

2. Get an instance of SMS_MachineSettings.

3. For each variable to be added, add instances of the embedded object a SMS_MachineVariable to the MachineVariables array property.

4. 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 ClassLocaleID 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 doesn't, 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 doesn't 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;
    }
}

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.
computerID	Managed: Integer VBScript: Integer	The computer identifier. Typically this is the SMS_R_System class ResourceID property.

Compiling the Code

The C# example has the following compilation requirements:

Namespaces

System

System.Collections.Generic

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.

Security

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