Active Directory Cookbook

4.13. Dynamically Linking an Auxiliary Class

Tip

This recipe requires the Windows Server 2003 forest functional level.

Problem

You want to dynamically link an auxiliary class to an existing object instance.

Solution

In each solution below, an example of adding the custom rallencorp-SalesUser auxiliary class to the jsmith user object will be described.

Using a graphical user interface

1. Follow the directions for Recipe 4.11.

2. Edit the values for the objectClass attribute.

3. For “Value to add,” enter rallencorp-SalesUser.

4. Click Add.

5. Click OK twice.

Using a command-line interface

Create an LDIF file called dynamically_link_class.ldf with the following contents:

dn: cn=jsmith,cn=users,dc=rallencorp,dc=com
changetype: modify
add: objectClass
objectClass: rallencorp-SalesUser
-

then run the following command:

> ldifde -v -i -f dynamically_link_class.ldf

Using VBScript

const ADS_PROPERTY_APPEND = 3
set objUser = GetObject("LDAP://cn=jsmith,cn=users,dc=rallencorp,dc=com")
objUser.PutEx ADS_PROPERTY_APPEND,"objectClass",Array("rallencorp-SalesUser")
objUser.SetInfo

Discussion

Dynamically linking an auxiliary class to an object is an easy way to use new attributes without modifying the object class definition in the schema directly. In Windows 2000, auxiliary classes could only be statically linked in the schema. With Windows Server 2003, you can dynamically link them by appending the auxiliary class name to the objectClass attribute of an object.

A situation in which it makes more sense to dynamically link auxiliary ...