ASP.NET How to get List of Groups in Active Directory

How can I get a full list of Groups in my Active Directory?

Answers:

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Method 1

Check out System.DirectoryServices (An ASP.NET 2.0 reference):

C#-example to get groups:

using System.DirectoryServices; 

public class test
{

    private void main()
    {
        foreach (string @group in GetGroups())
        {
            Debug.Print(@group);
        }
    }

    public List<string> GetGroups()
    {
        DirectoryEntry objADAM = default(DirectoryEntry);
        // Binding object. 
        DirectoryEntry objGroupEntry = default(DirectoryEntry);
        // Group Results. 
        DirectorySearcher objSearchADAM = default(DirectorySearcher);
        // Search object. 
        SearchResultCollection objSearchResults = default(SearchResultCollection);
        // Results collection. 
        string strPath = null;
        // Binding path. 
        List<string> result = new List<string>();

        // Construct the binding string. 
        strPath = "LDAP://stefanserver.stefannet.local";
        //Change to your ADserver 

        // Get the AD LDS object. 
        try
        {
            objADAM = new DirectoryEntry(strPath);
            objADAM.RefreshCache();
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            throw e;
        }

        // Get search object, specify filter and scope, 
        // perform search. 
        try
        {
            objSearchADAM = new DirectorySearcher(objADAM);
            objSearchADAM.Filter = "(&(objectClass=group))";
            objSearchADAM.SearchScope = SearchScope.Subtree;
            objSearchResults = objSearchADAM.FindAll();
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            throw e;
        }

        // Enumerate groups 
        try
        {
            if (objSearchResults.Count != 0)
            {
                foreach (SearchResult objResult in objSearchResults)
                {
                    objGroupEntry = objResult.GetDirectoryEntry();
                    result.Add(objGroupEntry.Name);
                }
            }
            else
            {
                throw new Exception("No groups found");
            }
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            throw new Exception(e.Message);
        }

        return result;
    }

}

VB-example to get groups:

Imports System.DirectoryServices

Public Class Form1

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
    For Each group As String In GetGroups()
        Debug.Print(group)
    Next
End Sub

Public Function GetGroups() As List(Of String)
    Dim objADAM As DirectoryEntry                   ' Binding object.
    Dim objGroupEntry As DirectoryEntry             ' Group Results.
    Dim objSearchADAM As DirectorySearcher          ' Search object.
    Dim objSearchResults As SearchResultCollection  ' Results collection.
    Dim strPath As String                           ' Binding path.
    Dim result As New List(Of String)

    ' Construct the binding string.        
    strPath = "LDAP://stefanserver.stefannet.local" 'Change to your ADserver

    ' Get the AD LDS object.
    Try
        objADAM = New DirectoryEntry(strPath)
        objADAM.RefreshCache()
    Catch e As Exception
        Throw e
    End Try

    ' Get search object, specify filter and scope,
    ' perform search.
    Try
        objSearchADAM = New DirectorySearcher(objADAM)
        objSearchADAM.Filter = "(&(objectClass=group))"
        objSearchADAM.SearchScope = SearchScope.Subtree
        objSearchResults = objSearchADAM.FindAll()
    Catch e As Exception
        Throw e
    End Try

    ' Enumerate groups
    Try
        If objSearchResults.Count <> 0 Then
            Dim objResult As SearchResult
            For Each objResult In objSearchResults
                objGroupEntry = objResult.GetDirectoryEntry
                result.Add(objGroupEntry.Name)
            Next objResult
        Else
            Throw New Exception("No groups found")
        End If
    Catch e As Exception
        Throw New Exception(e.Message)
    End Try

    Return result
End Function
End Class

Method 2

Microsoft .NET Framework provides a standard library for working with Active Directory: System.DirectoryServices namespace in the System.DirectoryServices.dll.

Microsoft recommends using two main classes from the System.DirectoryServices namespace: DirectoryEntry and DirectorySearcher. In most cases, it is enough to use DirectorySearcher class only.

You can find some examples in this CodeProject article.

All methods was sourced from stackoverflow.com or stackexchange.com, is licensed under cc by-sa 2.5, cc by-sa 3.0 and cc by-sa 4.0