LDIFDE File Format

[Mighty]

Hi Folks,

I need to create multiple contacts in an Active Directory OU. The list of contacts will be driven from a CRM database. Basically, I want to add a list of customer contacts from a CRM database into an AD OU and then use the description tag of these contacts to create an Address List that can be used in Outlook.

However, I am unsure of the correct format that I need for the LDIFDE upload file. Basically all I need to populate is the customer name, company name and email address. I will also need to set the description tag to CRM (will be using this to create address list).

Can anyone point me in the right direction for the format of the ldifde file.

Mighty

 

[BenChristian]

Using a CSV file would be easier (ie. using CSVDE instead of LDIFDE). What you're best to do is use CSVDE to export a contact, then use the exported CSV file as your import template. The CSV file will have all of the attributes as headings, you just need to clear the data for the contact you exported, and then fill in the details for the contacts that you want to import on each line. Once you're ready to go, import the file using CSVDE.



Ben Christian
MCSE, MCSA:Messaging

http://www.benchristian.com

 

[djtech2k]

I would suggest not using ldifde or csvde. I would recommend posting this in the vbscript forum and doing it in vbscript.

 

[Mighty]

Why not use ldifde or csvde?

Mighty

 

[djtech2k]

Those programs do not allow you to customize. Quite often when doing actions like this, you need to add logic that is not possible in out-of-the-box solutions. Even if your request is reasonably simple, I would do it in vbscript because you can then adapt the vbscript for future use.

vbscript will also allow you to automate the process if you need to.

 

[Mighty]

What I was planning on doing was using VBScript to create the file needed to upload using either LDIFDE or CSVDE.

Thought that would be safer than using VBScript to access AD directly.

Mighty

 

[djtech2k]

as long as you know what you are doing, vbscript is fine to access AD. It is no different than using the others except with vbscript you control it and have many more options available.

 

[Mighty]

But surely LDIFDE or CSVDE gives you the security that if the file you have created is not formatted correcly, then AD will not be updated.

Using VBScript gives you much more control and hence much more potential to do damage - is that not the case

Not arguing here by the way - just trying to find the best way to do it.

Mighty

 

[djtech2k]

The same could be said for vbscript. With anything, you should test with a single user or something before rolling it out. Thats the same for anything. As for being dangerous, they both are dangerous and if an admin is not qualified to run vbscript, then they should not run ldifde either.

 

[BenChristian]

Mighty, you should use what you are confortable in using. Now that you've mentioned that you will export data from your CRM using vbscript, it would make sense to use the same script to push the data into AD. VBScript isn't that complex and you will be able to find lots of examples by googling.

Ben Christian
MCSE, MCSA:Messaging

http://www.benchristian.com