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NT Server Local Groups

Question:
I would like to be able to gain access to NT server local groups for enum, member enum, add member, delete member.

We have a lot of servers as well as NT and OS/2 domains. Because of this, there is a need to synchronize users and group memberships across multiple servers.

I have not found anything that will allow me to access a local group on a server from a VB program running on a client. Can you point me in the right direction?

Answer:
None of the NT Unicode network functions are particularly easy to use. In fact, they are a real pain. However, the following code will do what you want:

' ************************************************' In a form' ************************************************Option ExplicitPrivate Sub Command1_Click()On Error Resume Next   Dim p_vntRtn   As Variant   Dim p_lngNum   As Long   Dim p_lngLoop  As Long   Dim p_strGroup As String      p_strGroup = Trim$(Me.List1.List(Me.List1.ListIndex))   If Len(p_strGroup) <= 0 Then      MsgBox "You must select a group first!"      Exit Sub   End If      Me.List2.Clear   p_vntRtn = GetLocalGroupMembers("", p_strGroup)      p_lngNum = UBound(p_vntRtn)   If p_lngNum > 0 Then      For p_lngLoop = 1 To p_lngNum         Me.List2.AddItem p_vntRtn(p_lngLoop)      Next p_lngLoop   End If   End SubPrivate Sub Command2_Click()On Error Resume Next   Dim p_vntRtn   As Variant   Dim p_lngNum   As Long   Dim p_lngLoop  As Long      Me.List1.Clear   p_vntRtn = GetLocalGroups("")      p_lngNum = UBound(p_vntRtn)   If p_lngNum > 0 Then      For p_lngLoop = 1 To p_lngNum         Me.List1.AddItem p_vntRtn(p_lngLoop)      Next p_lngLoop   End If   End SubPrivate Sub Command3_Click()   Dim p_blnRtn   As Boolean   Dim p_strGroup As String   Dim p_strUser  As String      p_strGroup = Trim$(Me.List1.List(Me.List1.ListIndex))   If Len(p_strGroup) <= 0 Then      MsgBox "You must select a group first!"      Exit Sub   End If     p_strUser = Trim$(Me.Text1.Text)   If Len(p_strUser) <= 0 Then      MsgBox "You must add a user name first!"      Exit Sub   End If      p_blnRtn = AddDelUserToLocal(p_strGroup, _                             p_strUser, _                             "", True)End SubPrivate Sub Command4_Click()   Dim p_blnRtn   As Boolean   Dim p_strGroup As String   Dim p_strUser  As String      p_strGroup = Trim$(Me.List1.List(Me.List1.ListIndex))   If Len(p_strGroup) <= 0 Then      MsgBox "You must select a group first!"      Exit Sub   End If     p_strUser = Trim$(Me.Text2.Text)   If Len(p_strUser) <= 0 Then      MsgBox "You must add a user name first!"      Exit Sub   End If      p_blnRtn = AddDelUserToLocal(p_strGroup, _                             p_strUser, _                             "", False)End Sub' ************************************************' In a BAS file' ************************************************Option ExplicitPrivate Const NERR_Success             As Long = 0&Private Const LocalGroupInfo0          As Long = 0&Private Const LocalGroupInfo1          As Long = 1&Private Const LocalGroupMembersInfo0   As Long = 0&Private Const LocalGroupMembersInfo1   As Long = 1&Private Const LocalGroupMembersInfo2   As Long = 2&Private Const LocalGroupMembersInfo3   As Long = 3&Private Const SidTypeUser              As Long = 1&Private Const SidTypeGroup             As Long = 2&Private Const SidTypeDomain            As Long = 3&Private Const SidTypeAlias             As Long = 4&Private Const SidTypeWellKnownGroup    As Long = 5&Private Const SidTypeDeletedAccount    As Long = 6&Private Const SidTypeInvalid           As Long = 7&Private Const SidTypeUnknown           As Long = 8&    Public Declare Sub CopyMem _   Lib "kernel32" Alias "RtlMoveMemory" _   (pTo As Any, _    pFrom As Any, _    ByVal lCount As Long)Private Declare Function lstrlenW _   Lib "kernel32" _   (ByVal psString As Long) As LongPrivate Declare Function NetApiBufferFree _   Lib "netapi32.dll" _   (ByVal p_lngPtrBuffer As Long) As LongPrivate Type LOCALGROUP_INFO_0   PtrGroupName                        As LongEnd TypePrivate Type LOCALGROUP_MEMBERS_INFO_0   PtrSidID                            As LongEnd TypePrivate Type LOCALGROUP_MEMBERS_INFO_1   PtrSidID                            As Long   SidUsage                            As Long   PtrName                             As LongEnd TypePrivate Type LOCALGROUP_MEMBERS_INFO_3   DomainAndName                       As LongEnd TypePrivate Declare Function NetLocalGroupEnum _   Lib "netapi32" _   (ByVal psServer As Long, _    ByVal level As Long, _    pPtrBuffer As Long, _    ByVal prefmaxlen As Long, _    EntriesRead As Long, _    TotalEntries As Long, _    ResumeHandle As Long) As Long Private Declare Function NetLocalGroupGetMembers _   Lib "netapi32" _   (ByVal psServer As Long, _    ByVal psLocalGroupName As Long, _    ByVal level As Long, _    pPtrBuffer As Long, _    ByVal prefmaxlen As Long, _    EntriesRead As Long, _    TotalEntries As Long, _    ResumeHandle As Long) As Long Private Declare Function NetLocalGroupAddMembers _   Lib "netapi32" _   (ByVal psServer As Long, _    ByVal psLocalGroupName As Long, _    ByVal level As Long, _    pPtrBuffer As Long, _    ByVal membercount As Long) As Long    Private Declare Function NetLocalGroupDelMembers _   Lib "netapi32" _   (ByVal psServer As Long, _    ByVal psLocalGroupName As Long, _    ByVal level As Long, _    pPtrBuffer As Long, _    ByVal membercount As Long) As Long    ' ================================================' Get all the memebers of a selected local group' ================================================Public Function GetLocalGroupMembers(ByVal xi_strServerName As String, _                                     ByVal xi_strLocalGroupName As String) As Variant   Dim p_lngRtn                     As Long   Dim p_lngPtrBuffer               As Long   Dim p_lngPtrServerName           As Long   Dim p_lngPtrLocalGroupName       As Long   Dim p_lngPreferredMaxLen         As Long   Dim p_lngEntriesRead             As Long   Dim p_lngTotalEntries            As Long   Dim p_lngResumeHwnd              As Long   Dim p_lngLoop                    As Long   Dim p_lngSidType                 As Long   Dim p_strUserName                As String   Dim p_strSidType                 As String   Dim p_strSID                     As String   Dim p_typLocalGroupMembers1      As LOCALGROUP_MEMBERS_INFO_1   Dim p_alngMemberInfo()           As Long   Dim p_astrMemberInfo()           As String      ' Convert the server name to a pointer   If Len(Trim$(xi_strServerName)) = 0 Then      p_lngPtrServerName = 0&   Else      p_lngPtrServerName = StrPtr(xi_strServerName)   End If      ' Convert the user name to a pointer   If Len(Trim$(p_lngPtrLocalGroupName)) = 0 Then      MsgBox "You must enter a local group name!", vbExclamation, "Input Error"      Exit Function   Else      p_lngPtrLocalGroupName = StrPtr(xi_strLocalGroupName)   End If      p_lngPreferredMaxLen = 4096&   p_lngResumeHwnd = 0&   p_lngRtn = NetLocalGroupGetMembers(p_lngPtrServerName, _                                      p_lngPtrLocalGroupName, _                                      LocalGroupMembersInfo1, _                                      p_lngPtrBuffer, _                                      p_lngPreferredMaxLen, _                                      p_lngEntriesRead, _                                      p_lngTotalEntries, _                                      p_lngResumeHwnd)   If p_lngRtn = NERR_Success Then      ReDim p_alngMemberInfo(0 To (p_lngEntriesRead * 3) - 1) As Long      ReDim p_astrMemberInfo(1 To p_lngEntriesRead) As String            ' This gets the pointers to the structures      CopyMem p_alngMemberInfo(0), _              ByVal p_lngPtrBuffer, _              p_lngEntriesRead * 4 * 3            If p_lngEntriesRead > 0 Then         For p_lngLoop = 0 To p_lngEntriesRead - 1            p_strSidType = TranslateSidUsage(p_alngMemberInfo((p_lngLoop * 3) + 1))            p_strUserName = PointerToStringW(p_alngMemberInfo((p_lngLoop * 3) + 2))            p_astrMemberInfo(p_lngLoop + 1) = p_strUserName & " [" & p_strSidType & "]"         Next p_lngLoop      End If            If p_lngPtrBuffer Then         NetApiBufferFree p_lngPtrBuffer      End If            GetLocalGroupMembers = p_astrMemberInfo   Else      GetLocalGroupMembers = ""   End If   End Function' ================================================' Get all of the local groups' ================================================Public Function GetLocalGroups(ByVal xi_strServerName As String) As Variant   Dim p_lngRtn                     As Long   Dim p_lngLoop                    As Long   Dim p_lngPtrBuffer               As Long   Dim p_lngPtrServerName           As Long   Dim p_lngPreferredMaxLen         As Long   Dim p_lngResumeHwnd              As Long   Dim p_lngEntriesRead             As Long   Dim p_lngTotalEntries            As Long   Dim p_alngGroupInfo()            As Long   Dim p_astrGroupInfo()            As String      ' Convert the server name to a pointer   If Len(Trim$(xi_strServerName)) = 0 Then      p_lngPtrServerName = 0&   Else      p_lngPtrServerName = StrPtr(xi_strServerName)   End If   p_lngPreferredMaxLen = 4096&   p_lngResumeHwnd = 0&   p_lngRtn = NetLocalGroupEnum(p_lngPtrServerName, _                                LocalGroupInfo0, _                                p_lngPtrBuffer, _                                p_lngPreferredMaxLen, _                                p_lngEntriesRead, _                                p_lngTotalEntries, _                                p_lngResumeHwnd)   If p_lngRtn = NERR_Success Then      ReDim p_alngGroupInfo(0 To p_lngEntriesRead - 1) As Long      ReDim p_astrGroupInfo(1 To p_lngEntriesRead) As String            ' This gets the pointers to the structures      CopyMem p_alngGroupInfo(0), _              ByVal p_lngPtrBuffer, _              p_lngEntriesRead * 4            If p_lngEntriesRead > 0 Then         For p_lngLoop = 0 To p_lngEntriesRead - 1            p_astrGroupInfo(p_lngLoop + 1) = PointerToStringW(p_alngGroupInfo(p_lngLoop))         Next p_lngLoop      End If            If p_lngPtrBuffer Then         NetApiBufferFree p_lngPtrBuffer      End If            GetLocalGroups = p_astrGroupInfo   Else      GetLocalGroups = ""   End If   End Function' ================================================' Either add or delete a user from a selected' local group (depends upon xi_blnAddUser)' ================================================Function AddDelUserToLocal(ByVal xi_strGroupName As String, _                           ByVal xi_strUserName As String, _                           ByVal xi_strServerName As String, _                           ByVal xi_blnAddUser As Boolean) As Boolean   Dim p_lngPtrGroupName   As Long   Dim p_lngPtrUserName    As Long   Dim p_lngPtrServerName  As Long   Dim p_lngMemberCount    As Long   Dim p_lngRtn            As Long      ' Convert the server name to a pointer   If Len(Trim$(xi_strServerName)) = 0 Then      p_lngPtrServerName = 0&   Else      p_lngPtrServerName = StrPtr(xi_strServerName)   End If   ' Convert the group name to a pointer   p_lngPtrGroupName = StrPtr(xi_strGroupName)      ' Convert the user name to a pointer   p_lngPtrUserName = StrPtr(xi_strUserName)      ' Add the user   p_lngMemberCount = 1      If xi_blnAddUser = True Then      p_lngRtn = NetLocalGroupAddMembers(p_lngPtrServerName, _                                         p_lngPtrGroupName, _                                         LocalGroupMembersInfo3, _                                         p_lngPtrUserName, _                                         p_lngMemberCount)   Else      p_lngRtn = NetLocalGroupDelMembers(p_lngPtrServerName, _                                         p_lngPtrGroupName, _                                         LocalGroupMembersInfo3, _                                         p_lngPtrUserName, _                                         p_lngMemberCount)   End If      If p_lngRtn = NERR_Success Then      AddDelUserToLocal = True   Else      AddDelUserToLocal = False   End If   End Function' ================================================' Convert the SID type to a text string' ================================================Private Function TranslateSidUsage(ByVal xi_lngSidType As Long) As String   Dim p_strTmp                  As String      Select Case xi_lngSidType      Case SidTypeUser         p_strTmp = "User Account"      Case SidTypeGroup         p_strTmp = "Global Group Account"      Case SidTypeDomain         p_strTmp = "Domain Group Account"      Case SidTypeAlias         p_strTmp = "Alias Account"      Case SidTypeWellKnownGroup         p_strTmp = "Well-known Group Account (ie, Everyone)"      Case SidTypeDeletedAccount         p_strTmp = "Deleted Account"      Case SidTypeInvalid         p_strTmp = "Invalid Account"      Case SidTypeUnknown         p_strTmp = "Account Type Cannot Be Determined"      Case Else         p_strTmp = "Bad Parameter for Sid Usage"   End Select      ' Set the return value   TranslateSidUsage = p_strTmp   End Function' ================================================' Convert a pointer to a string into a string' ================================================Public Function PointerToStringW(ByVal xi_lngPtrToString As Long) As String   Dim p_strText           As String   Dim p_lngLength         As Long   If xi_lngPtrToString Then         p_lngLength = lstrlenW(xi_lngPtrToString)      If p_lngLength > 0 Then         p_strText = Space$(p_lngLength)         CopyMem ByVal StrPtr(p_strText), ByVal xi_lngPtrToString, p_lngLength * 2      End If   End If      PointerToStringW = p_strTextEnd Function' ================================================' Convert a pointer to a string into a string via ' a byte array' ================================================Private Function PointerToStringWByte(ByVal xi_lngPtrToString As Long) As String   Dim p_abytBuffer()      As Byte   Dim p_lngLen            As Long      If xi_lngPtrToString <> 0 Then      p_lngLen = lstrlenW(xi_lngPtrToString) * 2      If p_lngLen Then         ReDim p_abytBuffer(0 To (p_lngLen - 1)) As Byte         CopyMem p_abytBuffer(0), ByVal xi_lngPtrToString, p_lngLen         PointerToStringWByte = p_abytBuffer      End If   End If   End Function

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