Using the SetSearchPreference Method

Calling the IDirectorySearch::SetSearchPreference method changes the way in which the search results are obtained and presented through the IDirectorySearch interface.

The Platform SDK documentation defines SetSearchPreference as follows:

HRESULT SetSearchPreference(
            //Search preferences to be set.
            PADS_SEARCHPREF_INFO pSearchPrefs,
            //Number of preferences.
            DWORD dwNumPrefs
            );

Multiple preferences may be set by passing an array as the first parameter and the array size as the second parameter.

PADS_SEARCHPREF_INFO arSearchPrefs[2];
 
arSearchPrefs [0].dwSearchPref = ADS_SEARCHPREF_PAGESIZE; 
arSearchPrefs [0].vValue.dwType = ADSTYPE_INTEGER;
arSearchPrefs [0].vValue.Integer = 100;
 
arSearchPrefs [1].dwSearchPref = ADS_SEARCHPREF_SEARCH_SCOPE; 
arSearchPrefs [1].vValue.dwType = ADSTYPE_INTEGER; 
arSearchPrefs [1].vValue.Integer = ADS_SCOPE_SUBTREE; 
 
hr = pDSearch->SetSearchPreference(arSearchPrefs, 2);

This example sets the page size to 100 rows and the scope to the ADS_SCOPE_SUBTREE type. The page size setting causes the server to immediately return data to the client, after 100 rows have been calculated. The ADS_SCOPE_SUBTREE setting causes the search to encompass all branches in the tree below the point from which the search is being executed.