Reading an Object's objectGUID and Creating a String Representation of the GUID

The objectGUID property of each Active Directory object is stored in the directory as an octet string (an array of one-byte characters). Use the IADs::get_GUID method to retrieve the bindable string form of a directory object's objectGUID.

The following code fragments show a function that reads the objectGUID attribute and returns a string representation of the GUID that can be used to bind to the object.

[Visual Basic]

Dim sADsPathObject As String
Dim sObjectGUID As String
Dim sBindByGuidStr As String
 
Dim IADsObject As IADs
On Error Resume Next
 
' Ask the user for an ADsPath to start
sADsPathObject = InputBox("This code binds to a directory object by ADsPath, retrieves the GUID, then rebinds by GUID." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & "Specify the ADsPath of the object to bind to :")
 
If sADsPathObject = "" Then
    Exit Sub
End If
 
MsgBox "Binding to " & sADsPathObject
 
' Bind to initial object
Set IADsObject = GetObject(sADsPathObject)
 
If (Err.Number <> 0) Then
   MsgBox Err.Number, "on GetObject method"
   Exit Sub
End If
 
' Save the GUID of the object
sObjectGUID = IADsObject.Guid
 
MsgBox "The GUID for " & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & sADsPathObject & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & " is " & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & sObjectGUID
 
' Release the initial object
Set IADsObject = Nothing
 
' Build a string for Binding to the object by GUID
sBindByGuidStr = "LDAP://<GUID=" & sObjectGUID & ">"
 
' Bind BACK to the Same object using the GUID
Set IADsObject = GetObject("LDAP://<GUID=" & sObjectGUID & ">")
 
If (Err.Number <> 0) Then
   MsgBox Err.Number, "on GetObject method"
   Exit Sub
End If
 
MsgBox "Successfully RE bound to " & sADsPathObject & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & " using the path:" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & sBindByGuidStr
 
' Release bind by GUID Object
Set IADsObject = Nothing

[C++]

#define INC_OLE2
#define UNICODE 1
#define _WIN32_DCOM
 
#include <windows.h>
#include <winuser.h>
 
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <malloc.h>
 
#include <winldap.h>
#include <activeds.h>
#include "ADSIhelpers.h"
#include <assert.h>
 
 
void main()
{
// Initialize COM
CoInitialize(0);
 
WCHAR pwszADsPathObject[1024];
WCHAR pwszObjectGUID[1024]; 
WCHAR pwszBindByGuidStr[1024]; 
HRESULT hr;
 
IADs * pIADsObject = NULL;
IADs * pIADsObjectByGuid = NULL;
 
// Ask the user for a ADsPath to start
_putws(L"This code binds to a directory object by ADsPath, retrieves the GUID,\n"
       L" then rebinds by GUID. \n\nSpecify the ADsPath of the object to bind to :\n");
_getws(pwszADsPathObject);
 
 
if (pwszADsPathObject[0] == NULL) 
    return;
 
wprintf(L"\nBinding to %s\n",pwszADsPathObject);
 
// Bind to initial object
hr = ADsGetObject( pwszADsPathObject,IID_IADs, (void **)& pIADsObject);
if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
{
    BSTR bsGuid = NULL;
    hr = pIADsObject->get_GUID(&bsGuid); 
    
    if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
    {
        wprintf(L"\n The GUID for\n\n%s\n\nis\n\n%s\n",pwszADsPathObject,bsGuid);
 
        // Build a string for Binding to the object by GUID
        wsprintf(pwszBindByGuidStr,L"LDAP://<GUID=%s>",bsGuid);
 
        // Bind BACK to the Same object using the GUID
        hr = ADsGetObject( pwszBindByGuidStr,IID_IADs, (void **)& pIADsObjectByGuid);
         
        if (SUCCEEDED(hr))
        {
            wprintf(L"\nSuccessfully RE bound to\n\n%s\n\nUsing the path:\n\n%s\n", pwszADsPathObject,pwszBindByGuidStr);
 
            // Release bind by GUID Object
            pIADsObjectByGuid->Release();
            pIADsObjectByGuid = NULL;
        }
 
        SysFreeString(bsGuid);
    }
 
    pIADsObject->Release();
    pIADsObject = NULL;
}
 
if (FAILED(hr))
    _putws(L"Failed");
    
 
}