Bulk un-hide users from GAL

PowerShell Help
1

I have run this command to export a list of users:

Get-Mailbox –ResultSize Unlimited | Where {$_.HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled -eq $True} | Select Name, HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled | export-csv c:\hiddenGAL.csv

This part works fine but when I run the second part of the code to import the users and set the mailbox to be hidden as false, I get an error. The code is:
$users = import-csv c:\hiddenGAL.csv | For each($_ in $users) {Set-mailcontact $_.identity -HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $false}

error: Cannot bind argument to parameter ‘Identity’ because it is null.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (:slight_smile: [Set-MailContact], ParameterBindingValidationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationErrorNullNotAllowed,Set-MailContact
+ PSComputerName : ps.outlook.com

2

Your logic is not correct. If I am not mistaken, the ‘-Identity’ parameter does not accept pipeline input.

$users = import-csv c:\hiddenGAL.csv
foreach ($user in $users){
Set-mailcontact $user.Name -HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled:$false
}
3

thanks but I’m getting a different error now:

The operation couldn’t be performed because object ‘Sara Manson’ couldn’t be found on
‘DB3PR02A002DC05.EURPR02A002.prod.outlook.com’.
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:slight_smile: [Set-MailContact], ManagementObjectNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : [Server=HE1PR0201MB2027,RequestId=00816075-1999-4940-8430-e44d22657b31,TimeStamp=12/5/20
16 2:43:13 PM] [FailureCategory=Cmdlet-ManagementObjectNotFoundException] 11A63030,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.R
ecipientTasks.SetMailContact
+ PSComputerName : ps.outlook.com

4

You should capture samaccountname, alias or distinguishedname instead. Name is the CN and might not be unique.

5

Hi,

I have ammended the original code to export the user principal name instead of name and this works exactly like i want it to. the above code when importing the csv throws an error please help:

$users = import-csv c:\hiddenGALnew.csv
foreach ($user in $users){
Set-mailcontact $user.UserPrincipalName –HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $false
}

the error is:

The operation couldn’t be performed because object ‘username@xxxxxx.org’ couldn’t be found on
‘DB3PR02A002DC05.EURPR02A002.prod.outlook.com’.
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:slight_smile: [Set-MailContact], ManagementObjectNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : [Server=HE1PR0201MB2027,RequestId=8d7899e2-3098-4228-aee4-adbc16b239af,TimeStamp=1/25/20
17 11:27:49 AM] [FailureCategory=Cmdlet-ManagementObjectNotFoundException] A2F21E7,Microsoft.Exchange.Management.R
ecipientTasks.SetMailContact
+ PSComputerName : outlook.office365.com

6

I don’t see a UPN in the help for Set-MailContact. I would use the DistinguishedName or GUID to make sure you are specifying the correct, unique ID.

7

Hi

I did this based on distinguished name and I still get an error

Cannot bind argument to parameter ‘Identity’ because it is null.
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidData: (:slight_smile: [Set-MailContact], ParameterBindingValidationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationErrorNullNotAllowed,Set-MailContact
+ PSComputerName : outlook.office365.com

can you help me with the full code - im not sure where it is going wrong.

Thanks

8

I would try:

Get-Mailbox -Identity $user | Set-mailcontact –HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $false

BR,
BBC

9

Hi BlackBoxCoder

Im really struggling with this one - please can you help with the full code. Below is the code from the thread

$users = import-csv c:\hiddenGAL.csv
foreach ($user in $users){
Set-mailcontact $user.Name -HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled:$false
}

From your input would it be
****************$users = import-csv c:\hiddenGAL.csv
foreach ($user in $users){
Get-Mailbox -Identity $user | Set-mailcontact –HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $false
} ************* i tried this and still get errors

10

hey, I am not a big friend of 1line-Archivments, but why not like this:

Get-Mailbox –ResultSize Unlimited | Where {$_.HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled -eq $True} | Set-mailcontact –HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled:$false
11

Hello,

I came across this post and I thought I would add an update. If you are connecting to Office 365 for contact maintenance, you can use the following. I just tested it and it functioned for me very well.

#This script connects you to the Exchange Online Power Shell

#

##$Cred = Get-Credential will prompt you for a username and password.

#

###The username is your email address associated with the account you are trying to access.

#

####The password is the password associated with the account you are trying to access.

#

#####If you use MFA, you will need to create an app password in Office365.

#

#This PowerShell should be run with administrator privelages.

#

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

$Cred = Get-Credential

$Session = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://outlook.office365.com/powershell-liveid/ -Credential $Cred -Authentication Basic -AllowRedirection

Import-PSSession $Session -DisableNameChecking

#

#Once connected, run the following command to gather all contacts in the variable $Contacts

#

$Contacts = Get-MailContact

#

#Run the following command to ammend their status "-HiddenFromAddressListEnabled"

#

##If you want to make them all visible, set the $true variable to $false

#

##If you want to make them all hidden, keep the $true variable as $true

#

$Contacts | Foreach {Set-mailcontact $_.alias -HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $true}

#If some of the contacts are already set to the parameter you choose, they will come back with a warning that nothing changed for the given account

#

##Ex. WARNING: The command completed successfully but no settings of 'FirstName LastName' have been modified.

#

#To close the session run the following command

#Remove-PSSession $Session