WMIC Custom Alias and Format

This post describes my first attempt at creating a WMIC alias, which provides an easy way of allowing people to run complex queries with a single alias.

Note that while creating new WMIC aliases provides a very flexible and transportable solution, another very useful part of WMIC discussed here is the use of the 'format' command to format the output in one of many formats - CSV, XML, HTML tables - or passed through any custom XSL.

The examples here provide an alias and output of printer jobs from a cluster node, using the perfdata information, which combined with HTML table output, provides a repeatable method of displaying print spooler information on a 2003 cluster node.

As a summary, this post describes using WMIC to:

• Use the format command to modify output, using either an alias or a path/get command
• Create, compile and run a custom alias using WMIC
• Modify one of the builtin XSL files to allow sorting by ascending/descending

The Format option

The following commands provide different examples of formatting output as CSV from a path/get command, as well as various combinations of using the custom alias created below.

Use WMIC to get instances of a class and format the output as CSV
wmic path win32_process get name,commandline /format:csv

Use WMIC aliases to format the output in CSV or XML
wmic process list /format:xml
wmic process list /format:csv

Use WMIC aliases to format the output in HTML TABLE, MOFCSV or XML
wmic process list /format:htable
wmic process list /format:HMOF

Use WMIC aliases to sort the output in HTML
wmic process list /format:htable:"sortby=Name" > test.html

Use WMIC aliases to filter and sort the output in CSV
wmic process get name /format:csv:"datatype=text":"sortby=Name"

Use WMIC remotely aliases to retrieve command-line process arugments
wmic /node:"%server%" process get name,CommandLine /format:csv:"sortby=Name"

Use WMIC wmic aliases to sort the result set by number
wmic Logon get /Format:htable:"datatype=number":"sortby=LogonType"

Use a custom WMIC alias to report printer info from a cluster node in CSV
wmic /node:"%server%" spoolerjobs list /format:table

Use a custom WMIC alias to report sorted HTML printer info from a cluster node
wmic /node:"%server%" spoolerjobs list /format:htable:"datatype=number":"sortby=TotalJobsPrinted"

Use a custom WMIC alias to report a brief summary of printer statistics
wmic /node:"%server%" spoolerjobs list brief /format:htable:"datatype=number":"sortby=TotalJobsPrinted"

Use a custom WMIC alias and xsl to sort print jobs output descending HTML table
wmic /node:"%server%" spoolerjobs list brief /format:"htabledesc-sortby.xsl":"datatype=number":"orderby=descending":"sortby=TotalJobsPrinted" > test.html

Query a user from AD using WMI
wmic /node:"%DC%" /namespace:\\root\directory\LDAP path ds_user where "ds_cn='%username%'" GET ds_displayName,DS_UserPrincipalName,ds_cn,ds_name,ds_whenCreated


Create, compile and run a custom alias using WMIC

The following steps were taken to created and compile the MOF file:

1. Use the CIM Studio, root\cli namespace
2. Select the MSFT_CliAlias Class
3. Double-click the 'MOF Generator' button (top-right, next to 'MOF Compiler' which is next to the help icons).
4. Select at least one instance of the class to export as well. The 'Startup' alias is relatively simple and was used in this example
5. Choose a filename and path
6. Remove the class definition from the MOF
7. Modify the instance definition -
1. Create/modify MSFT_CliProperty properties to set the derivation, description and name as appropriate for the data you are retrieving
2. Add qualifiers to the objects as appropriate, providing greater integrity of the dataset
3. Change the FriendlyName to be the new alias name, and the target WMI query
4. Use the PWhere attribute to specify an optional where query clause with the value specified at the command prompt
8. Use mofcomp -check to validate the MOF
9. Use mofcomp to compile into the repository

To customise the XSL to add the ability to sort by ascending or descending in the htable output:

1. copy c:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\htable-sortby.xsl c:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\htabledesc-sortby.xsl
2. Add parameter: <xsl:param name="orderby" select="'ascending'"/>
3. In the XSL:Sort element, add: order="{$orderby}"

The MOF file:

//**************************************************************************
//* File: ClusterPrintJobs.mof
//**************************************************************************

// References:
// 
// Win32_PerfFormattedData_Spooler_PrintQueue Class
// http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394288(VS.85).aspx
//
// Creating and editing formats in WMIC
// http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/32757e77-daa3-461a-8576-10242178de581033.mspx?mfr=true
//
// Creating and editing aliases
// http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/fd84c63a-d94d-4adc-99c2-8f71d7494c5d1033.mspx

// Author:  Wayne Martin
// Date:    22/07/2008
//
// 
// Example uses:
// Use a custom WMIC alias to report printer info from a cluster node in CSV:
//   wmic /node:"b%server%" spoolerjobs list /format:table
//
// Use a custom WMIC alias to report sorted HTML printer info from a cluster node:
//   wmic /node:"%server%" spoolerjobs list /format:htable:"datatype=number":"sortby=TotalJobsPrinted"
//
// Use a custom WMIC alias to report a brief summary of printer statistics
//   wmic /node:"%server%" spoolerjobs list brief /format:htable:"datatype=number":"sortby=TotalJobsPrinted"
//
// Use a custom WMIC alias and xsl to sort print jobs output descending HTML table
//   wmic /node:"%server%" spoolerjobs list brief /format:"htabledesc-sortby.xsl":"datatype=number":"orderby=descending":"sortby=TotalJobsPrinted" > test.html 


//**************************************************************************
//* This MOF was generated from the "\\.\ROOT\cli"
//* namespace on machine "-".
//* To compile this MOF on another machine you should edit this pragma.
//**************************************************************************
#pragma namespace("\\\\.\\ROOT\\cli")


//**************************************************************************
//* Instances of: MSFT_CliAlias
//**************************************************************************
instance of MSFT_CliAlias
{
 Connection = 
 instance of MSFT_CliConnection
 {
  Locale = "ms_409";
  NameSpace = "ROOT\\CIMV2";
  Server = ".";
 };
 Description = "List print jobs for each printer on the specified node, and spooler totals.";
 Formats = {
  instance of MSFT_CliFormat
  {
   Name = "SYSTEM";
   Properties = {
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__CLASS";
     Name = "__CLASS";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__DERIVATION";
     Name = "__DERIVATION";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__DYNASTY";
     Name = "__DYNASTY";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__GENUS";
     Name = "__GENUS";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__NAMESPACE";
     Name = "__NAMESPACE";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__PATH";
     Name = "__PATH";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__PROPERTY_COUNT";
     Name = "__PROPERTY_COUNT";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__RELPATH";
     Name = "__RELPATH";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__SERVER";
     Name = "__SERVER";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "__SUPERCLASS";
     Name = "__SUPERCLASS";
    }
   };
  }, 
  instance of MSFT_CliFormat
  {
   Name = "INSTANCE";
   Properties = {
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "Name";
     Description = "the print queue. ";
     Name = "Name";
     Qualifiers = {
      instance of MSFT_CliQualifier
      {
       Name = "MaxLen";
       QualifierValue = {"64"};
      }
     };
    }
   };
  }, 
  instance of MSFT_CliFormat
  {
   Format = "LIST";
   Name = "FULL";
   Properties = {
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "Name";
     Description = "Name of the print queue.";
     Name = "Name";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "Jobs";
     Description = "Current number of jobs in a print queue.";
     Name = "Jobs";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "TotalJobsPrinted";
      Description = "Total number of jobs printed on a print queue after the last restart.";
      Name = "TotalJobsPrinted";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "TotalPagesPrinted";
     Description = "Total number of pages printed through GDI on a print queue after the last restart.";
     Name = "TotalPagesPrinted";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "MaxJobsSpooling";
     Description = "Maximum number of spooling jobs in a print queue after the last restart.";
     Name = "MaxJobsSpooling";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "JobErrors";
     Description = "Total number of job errors in a print queue after the last restart.";
     Name = "JobErrors";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "OutOfPaperErrors";
     Description = "Total number of out-of-paper errors in a print queue after the last restart.";
     Name = "OutOfPaperErrors";
     Qualifiers = {
      instance of MSFT_CliQualifier
      {
       Name = "CookingType";
       QualifierValue = {"PERF_COUNTER_RAWCOUNT"};
      },
      instance of MSFT_CliQualifier
      {
       Name = "Counter";
       QualifierValue = {"OutofPaperErrors"};
      },
      instance of MSFT_CliQualifier
      {
       Name = "PerfTimeStamp";
       QualifierValue = {"Timestamp_PerfTime"};
      },
      instance of MSFT_CliQualifier
      {
       Name = "PerfTimeFreq";
       QualifierValue = {"Frequency_PerfTime"};
      }
     };
    }
   };
  }, 
  instance of MSFT_CliFormat
  {
   Format = "TABLE";
   Name = "BRIEF";
   Properties = {
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "Name";
     Description = "Name of the print queue.";
     Name = "Name";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "TotalJobsPrinted";
     Description = "Total number of jobs printed on a print queue after the last restart.";
     Name = "TotalJobsPrinted";
    }, 
    instance of MSFT_CliProperty
    {
     Derivation = "TotalPagesPrinted";
     Description = "Total number of pages printed through GDI on a print queue after the last restart.";
     Name = "TotalPagesPrinted";
    }
   };
  }
 };
 FriendlyName = "SpoolerJobs";
 //PWhere = "where Caption='#'";
 Target = "Select Name,Jobs,TotalJobsPrinted,TotalPagesPrinted,MaxJobsSpooling,JobErrors,OutOfPaperErrors from Win32_PerfFormattedData_Spooler_PrintQueue";
};

//* EOF ClusterPrintJobs.mof

References:

WMI Adminsitrative Tools (contains CIM Studio):
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6430f853-1120-48db-8cc5-f2abdc3ed314

Wayne's World of IT (WWoIT), Copyright 2008 Wayne Martin.