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Deleting Organizational Units

To delete an organizational unit (OU), bind to the object that contains the OU and delete the organizationalUnit object.

Create the object you delete with the following code example by Creating Organizational Units.

The following Visual Basic Scripting Edition code example uses the GetObject function to bind to an organization object and uses the Delete method to delete a selected organizationalUnit object in that organization.

' Delete the AD LDS Organizational Unit.

Option Explicit

Dim objADAM  ' Binding object.
Dim strOU    ' Organizational unit to delete.
Dim strPath  ' Binding path.

' Construct the binding string.
strPath = "LDAP://localhost:389/O=Fabrikam,C=US"

WScript.Echo "Bind to: " & strPath

' Specify the Organizational Unit.
strOU = "OU=TestOU"

On Error Resume Next

' Bind to the object.
Set objADAM = GetObject(strPath)

' If bind fails, output error.
If Err.Number <> vbEmpty Then
    WScript.Echo "Error:   Bind failed."
    WScript.Quit
End If

WScript.Echo "Delete:  " & strOU

' Delete the Organizational Unit.
objADAM.Delete "organizationalUnit", strOU

' Output success or error.
If Err.Number <> vbEmpty Then
    WScript.Echo "Error:   Delete failed."
Else
    WScript.Echo "Success: Organizational Unit deleted."
End If

The following Visual Basic .NET code example uses the DirectoryEntry method to bind to an organization object, uses the Find method to bind a selected organizationalUnit object, and uses the Remove method to delete the selected organizationalUnit from that organization.

Imports System
Imports System.DirectoryServices

Namespace ADAM_Examples

    Class DeleteOU

        '/ <summary>
        '/ Delete AD LDS Organizational Unit.
        '/ </summary>

        <STAThread()>  Shared Sub Main()
            Dim objADAM As DirectoryEntry  ' Binding object.
            Dim objOU As DirectoryEntry    ' Organizational unit.
            Dim strOU As String            ' Organiztional unit.
            Dim strPath As String          ' Binding path.

            ' Construct the binding string.
            strPath = "LDAP://localhost:389/O=Fabrikam,C=US"

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

            ' Get the AD LDS 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

            ' Specify the Organizational Unit.
            strOU = "OU=TestOU"

            Console.WriteLine("Delete:  {0}", strOU)

            ' Delete the Organizational Unit.
            Try
                objOU = objADAM.Children.Find(strOU, "OrganizationalUnit")
                objADAM.Children.Remove(objOU)
            Catch e As Exception
                Console.WriteLine("Error:   Delete failed.")
                Console.WriteLine("         {0}", e.Message)
                Return
            End Try

            ' Output success.
            Console.WriteLine("Success: Organizational Unit deleted.")
            Return

        End Sub 'Main
    End Class 'DeleteOU
End Namespace 'ADAM_Examples

The following C# code example uses the DirectoryEntry method to bind to an organization object, uses the Find method to bind a selected organizationalUnit object, and uses the Remove method to delete the selected organizationalUnit from that organization.

using System;
using System.DirectoryServices;

namespace ADAM_Examples
{
    class DeleteOU
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Delete AD LDS Organizational Unit.
        /// </summary>
        [STAThread]
        static void Main()
        {
            DirectoryEntry objADAM;  // Binding object.
            DirectoryEntry objOU;    // Organizational unit.
            string strOU;            // Organiztional unit.
            string strPath;          // Binding path.

            // Construct the binding string.
            strPath = "LDAP://localhost:389/O=Fabrikam,C=US";

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

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

            // Specify the Organizational Unit.
            strOU = "OU=TestOU";

            Console.WriteLine("Delete:  {0}", strOU);

            // Delete the Organizational Unit.
            try
            {
                objOU = objADAM.Children.Find(strOU,
                    "OrganizationalUnit");
                objADAM.Children.Remove(objOU);
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Error:   Delete failed.");
                Console.WriteLine("         {0}", e.Message);
                return;
            }

            // Output success.
            Console.WriteLine("Success: Organizational Unit deleted.");
            return;
        }
    }
}