Recipe 10.17 Finding the Structural, Auxiliary, Abstract, and 88 Classes

10.17.1 Problem

You want to list the structural, auxiliary, abstract, and 88 classes.

10.17.2 Solution

10.17.2.1 Using a graphical user interface

10.17.2.2 Using a command-line interface

> dsquery * cn=schema,cn=configuration,<ForestRootDN> -limit 0 -scope onelevel[RETURN]
-filter "(objectcategory=classSchema)" -attr lDAPDisplayName objectclasscategory

10.17.2.3 Using VBScript

' This code prints out classes of a particular type
' ------ SCRIPT CONFIGURATION ------
' Set the following to TRUE or FALSE depending if you want to 
' view or not view classes of the type defined by the variable
boolShowStructural = TRUE 
boolShowAuxiliary  = TRUE
boolShowAbstract   = TRUE 
boolShow88         = TRUE 
' ------ END CONFIGURATION ---------

set objRootDSE = GetObject("LDAP://RootDSE")
set objSchemaCont = GetObject("LDAP://cn=schema," & _
                              objRootDSE.Get("configurationNamingContext"))
objSchemaCont.Filter = Array("classSchema")
WScript.Echo "Loading classes, this will take a few seconds."
for each objClass in objSchemaCont
   WScript.StdOut.Write(".")
   if objClass.Get("objectClassCategory") = 0 then
      str88 = str88 & vbTab & objClass.Get("lDAPDisplayName") & vbCrlf
   elseif objClass.Get("objectClassCategory") = 1 then
      strStruct = strStruct & vbTab & _
                  objClass.Get("lDAPDisplayName") & vbCrlf
   elseif objClass.Get("objectClassCategory") = 2 then 
      strAbst = strAbst & vbTab & objClass.Get("lDAPDisplayName") & vbCrlf
   elseif objClass.Get("objectClassCategory") = 3 then
      strAux = strAux & vbTab & objClass.Get("lDAPDisplayName") & vbCrlf
   else
      WScript.Echo "Unknown class type: " & _
                   objClass.Get("lDAPDisplayName") & vbCrlf
   end if
next
WScript.Echo vbCrlf

if boolShowStructural = TRUE then
   WScript.Echo "Structural Classes: "
   WScript.Echo strStruct
   WScript.Echo
end if

if boolShowAbstract = TRUE then
   WScript.Echo "Abstract Classes: "
   WScript.Echo strAbst
   WScript.Echo
end if

if boolShowAuxiliary = TRUE then
   WScript.Echo "Auxiliary Classes: "
   WScript.Echo strAux
   WScript.Echo
end if

if boolShow88 = TRUE then
   WScript.Echo "88 Classes: "
   WScript.Echo str88
   WScript.Echo
end if

10.17.3 Discussion

There are four supported class types in the Active Directory schema. The class type is defined by the objectClassCategory attribute on classSchema objects. Each class type is used for a different purpose relating to organizing and inheriting classes. Table 10-6 describes each type.