Importing edited .csv file into AD - errors

by KieranBlenkarne at 2012-10-23 14:38:13

Hi guys,

I exported a .csv file with samaccountname, department, description, title, company and office.
This worked fine.

I then go into the .csv, edit which fields/cells I would like to update in AD and then attempt to upload it with the following script I wrote, but it fails when it finds a blank cell and will not update.
I want it to basically notice if a cell is blank, leave it blank but upload the changes.


$data=import-csv c:\aduserlist.csv
foreach ($datarecord in $data)
{
if ($datarecord.sAMAccountName -ne ‘’){
$identity = $datarecord.sAMAccountName
}
else {
$identity = ‘’
}
if ($datarecord.company -ne ‘’){
$company = $datarecord.company
}
else {
$company = ‘’
}
if ($datarecord.department -ne ‘’){
$department = $datarecord.department
}
else {
$department = ‘’
}
if ($datarecord.description -ne ‘’){
$description = $datarecord.description
}
else {
$description = ‘’
}
if ($datarecord.title -ne ‘’){
$title = $datarecord.title
}
else {
$title = ‘’
}
if ($datarecord.office -ne ‘’){
$office = $datarecord.office
}
else {
$office = ‘’
}
set-ADuser -identity $identity -company $company -department $department -description $description -title $title -office $office
}

But any account with blank fields returns ( example below is for the Administrator account)]

set-aduser : replace

at line:37 char:11

+ set-ADuser <<<< -identity $identity -company $company -department $department -description $description -title $title -office $office

+categoryinfo : invalidoperation: (administrator:Aduser) [set-aduser]. adinvalidoperationexception

+fullyqualifiederrorid : replace,microsoft.activedirectory.management.commands.setaduser

Any help would be much appreciated!
by DonJ at 2012-10-23 15:42:37
So… you can’t do this the way you’re trying.

None of those parameters will accept ‘’ as a value. Essentially, if you don’t want to change something, you can’t specify the parameter at all.

Splatting is probably a better way to do this.

Here’s a basic look at how it works:


$params = @{‘Identity’=$identity}


This creates a basic hashtable with just your identity, since you’ll always know that. Then, decide if you want to add each parameter:


if ($datarecord.title -ne ‘’) {
$params.add(‘title’=$datarecord.title
}


That way, your hashtable only contains the items you actually want to change. Finally, run your command:


Set-ADUser @params


That’s probably the best way, given what you’re working with.
by KieranBlenkarne at 2012-10-23 17:23:51
I am very new to PS, can you please help clarify a little more with using params?
by DonJ at 2012-10-23 17:57:52
Well, I gave you the three bits of code you need. You just need to duplicate the second bit for each field in your CSV file. I did it with "title." If you need further clarification, you’re going to have to ask a specific question I can answer - I’m not sure what more to tell you at this point, though.

$params is just a variable name I made up.
by KieranBlenkarne at 2012-10-23 18:20:21
if ($datarecord.title -ne ‘’) {
$params.add(‘title’=$datarecord.title
}

Should this be

if ($datarecord.title -ne ‘’) {
$params.add(‘title’=$datarecord.title)
}

?
by DonJ at 2012-10-23 18:29:38
Actually, typo on my part. Sorry.


if ($datarecord.title -ne ‘’) {
$params.add(‘title’,$datarecord.title)
}


Sorry - I’ve been hectic today and missed those two typos. That should do it.