How to Create a Configuration Manager Query

Article
05/03/2011

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

In Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007, 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 2007 console under Queries.

To create a query

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

Security

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

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