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Binding to an Instance

To bind to an Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) object, use a binding string that specifies the path to an AD LDS instance and a specified object.

The binding string uses the LDAP provider and requires the following form:

**LDAP://**host name[/object name]

In this string:

  • LDAP: specifies the LDAP provider.

  • host name specifies the Domain Name System (DNS) name of the computer with the AD LDS installation and the TCP port to use. The host name is in the format DNS Name:TCP Port Number. For example, to bind to an AD LDS installation on a computer with a DNS Name of fabrikam1 using TCP port 389, specify LDAP://fabrikam1:389.

    If the TCP port is not specified, the bind operation uses TCP port 389 for non-SSL connections or port 636 for SSL connections.

    To bind to an AD LDS installation on a local computer, specify localhost for the host name.

  • object name represents a specific AD LDS object and is optional. The object name can be a distinguished name or an object GUID. If absent, the bind operation selects the RootDSE object.

For more information about LDAP binding strings, see LDAP ADsPath.

The following Visual Basic Scripting Edition code example uses the GetObject function to bind to the application directory partition of an AD LDS instance and outputs some of its attributes.

' Bind to AD LDS object.

Option Explicit

Dim objADAM    ' Object to bind to.
Dim strObject  ' DN of object to bind to.
Dim strPath    ' Binding path.
Dim strPort    ' TCP port.
Dim strServer  ' DNS Name of the computer with the AD LDS installation.

' In this example, the AD LDS installation is on a local computer
strServer = "localhost"

' Optional TCP port.
strPort = "389"

' Optional object name.
strObject = "O=Fabrikam,C=US"

' Construct the binding string.
strPath = "LDAP://"
If strServer <> "" and strServer <> vbNullString Then
    strPath = strPath & strServer
Else
    WScript.Echo "Error: Invalid hostname specified."
    WScript.Quit
End If
If strPort <> "" and strPort <> vbNullString Then
    strPath = strPath & ":" & strPort
End If
If strObject <> "" and strObject <> vbNullString Then
    strPath = strPath & "/" & strObject
End If
WScript.Echo "Bind to: " & strPath
WScript.Echo

On Error Resume Next

' Get AD LDS object.
Set objADAM = GetObject(strPath)

' Output object attributes or error.
If Err.Number = vbEmpty Then
    WScript.Echo "Success: Bind succeeded."
    WScript.Echo "Name:    " & objADAM.Name
    WScript.Echo "Parent:  " & objADAM.Parent
    WScript.Echo "DN:      " & objADAM.distinguishedName
    WScript.Echo "Created: " & objADAM.whenCreated
    WScript.Quit
Else
    WScript.Echo "Error:   Bind failed."
End If

The following Visual Basic .NET code example uses the DirectoryEntry constructor function to bind to the application directory partition of an AD LDS instance and outputs some of its properties.

Imports System
Imports System.DirectoryServices

Namespace ADAM_Examples

    Class BindToADAM

        '/ <summary>
        '/ Bind to AD LDS object.
        '/ </summary>

        <STAThread()>  Shared Sub Main()

            Dim objADAM As DirectoryEntry ' Directory object
            Dim strObject As String       ' DN of object to bind to.
            Dim strPath As String         ' Bind string.
            Dim strPort As String         ' Optional TCP Port.
            Dim strServer As String       ' DNS Name of the computer with
                                          ' the AD LDS installation.

            ' In this example the AD LDS installation is on a local computer.
            strServer = "localhost"

            ' TCP Port to use
            strPort = "389"

            ' Distinguished name of the object.
            strObject = "O=Fabrikam,C=US"

            ' Construct the binding string.
            strPath = "LDAP://"
            If strServer.Equals("") Or _
                strServer.Equals(String.Empty) Then
                Console.WriteLine("Error: Invalid hostname specified.")
                Return
            Else
                strPath = String.Concat(strPath, strServer)
            End If

            If Not strPort.Equals("") And _
                Not strPort.Equals(String.Empty) Then
                strPath = String.Concat(strPath, ":", strPort)
            End If

            If Not strObject.Equals("") And _
                Not strObject.Equals(String.Empty) Then
                strPath = String.Concat(strPath, "/", strObject)
            End If

            Console.WriteLine("Bind to: {0}", strPath)

            ' Get the specified object.
            Try
                objADAM = New DirectoryEntry(strPath)
                objADAM.RefreshCache()
            Catch e As Exception
                Console.WriteLine("Error:   Bind failed.")
                Console.WriteLine("         {0}.", e.Message)
                Return
            End Try

            ' Output object attributes.
            Console.WriteLine("Success: Bind succeeded.")
            Console.WriteLine("Name:    {0}", objADAM.Name)
            Console.WriteLine("Path:    {0}", objADAM.Path)
            Return

        End Sub 'Main
    End Class 'BindToADAM
End Namespace 'ADAM_Examples

The following C# code example uses the DirectoryEntry constructor function to bind to the application directory partition of an AD LDS instance and outputs some of its properties.

using System;
using System.DirectoryServices;

namespace ADAM_Examples
{
    class BindToADAM
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Bind to AD LDS object.
        /// </summary>
        [STAThread]
        static void Main()
        {
            DirectoryEntry objADAM;  // Directory object.
            string strObject;        // DN of object to bind to.
            string strPath;          // Bind path.
            string strPort;          // Optional TCP port.
            string strServer;        // DNS Name of the computer with the
                                     // AD LDS installation

            // In this example, the AD LDS installation is on a local computer
            strServer = "localhost";

            // TCP Port to use
            strPort = "389";

            // Distinguished name of the object.
            strObject = "O=Fabrikam,C=US";

            // Construct the binding string.
            strPath = "LDAP://";
            if (strServer.Equals("") || strServer.Equals(String.Empty))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Error: Invalid hostname specified.");
                return;
            }
            else
            {
                strPath = String.Concat(strPath, strServer);
            }

            if (!strPort.Equals("") &amp;&amp; !strPort.Equals(String.Empty))
            {
                strPath = String.Concat(strPath, ":", strPort);
            }

            if (!strObject.Equals("") &amp;&amp; !strObject.Equals(String.Empty))
            {
                strPath = String.Concat(strPath, "/", strObject);
            }

            Console.WriteLine("Bind to: {0}", strPath);

            // Get the specified object.
            try
            {
                objADAM = new DirectoryEntry(strPath);
                objADAM.RefreshCache();
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Error:   Bind failed.");
                Console.WriteLine("         {0}.", e.Message);
                return;
            }

            // Output object attributes.
            Console.WriteLine("Success: Bind succeeded.");
            Console.WriteLine("Name:    {0}", objADAM.Name);
            Console.WriteLine("Path:    {0}", objADAM.Path);
            return;
        }
    }
}

Use the ADsGetObject function to bind to an AD LDS instance using C++. For more information, see Binding With GetObject and ADsGetObject.