The Active Directory schema container object is the top of the hierarchical organization of on-line, run-time definitions of Active Directory object relationships in a directory service implementation of Active Directory. The schema container object contains all the ADSI Schema Class Objects, one for every type of object that can be created in a given provider's implementation for a specific instance of that directory service. This object also contains the ADSI Property Objects and the ADSI Syntax Objects necessary to represent this schema.
Schema containers are not limited to this level of the hierarchy. A complex directory service instance might allow multiple schema containers to exist in its implementation and then the schema containers might be found in other parts of the tree. However, there can only be one schema container in any given Active Directory container.
The Active Directory schema management objects include:
| Object type | Contains |
|---|---|
| ADSI Schema Container Object | Container object for the current collection of schema class objects and syntax objects that represent the schema for this entire or partial directory instance. |
| ADSI Schema Class Object | Definitions for a specific schema class. |
| ADSI Property Object | Identifies a single property. |
| ADSI Syntax Object | Identifies a single syntax. |
| Interfaces on ADSI Schema Container Object | Description |
|---|---|
| IUnknown | Universal COM object management and interface query methods. |
| IDispatch | Automation methods for late-bound access to an object's methods and properties. |
| IADsContainer | Object management and enumeration methods. |
Windows NT: Use version 4.0 and later.