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:
- Use the CIM Studio, root\cli namespace
- Select the MSFT_CliAlias Class
- Double-click the 'MOF Generator' button (top-right, next to 'MOF Compiler' which is next to the help icons).
- Select at least one instance of the class to export as well. The 'Startup' alias is relatively simple and was used in this example
- Choose a filename and path
- Remove the class definition from the MOF
- Modify the instance definition -
- Create/modify MSFT_CliProperty properties to set the derivation, description and name as appropriate for the data you are retrieving
- Add qualifiers to the objects as appropriate, providing greater integrity of the dataset
- Change the FriendlyName to be the new alias name, and the target WMI query
- Use the PWhere attribute to specify an optional where query clause with the value specified at the command prompt
- Use mofcomp -check to validate the MOF
- 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:
- copy c:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\htable-sortby.xsl c:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\htabledesc-sortby.xsl
- Add parameter: <xsl:param name="orderby" select="'ascending'"/>
- 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.
Read more!
