How to Create a Configuration Manager Query

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.

To create a query

1. Set up a connection to the SMS Provider. For more information, see SMS Provider fundamentals.

2. Create an instance of SMS_Query.

3. Populate the SMS_Query properties.

4. Commit the SMS_Query.

5. 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:

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.

See Also

About Configuration Manager Queries How to Run a Configuration Manager Query