Question

Supposedly it’s possible to write a custom picker and integrate it with AzMan. This capability can be used to allow MMC users to add non-Windows users to AzMan stores. (See here). According to one of the Microsoft blogs, a sample was included in the Windows Server 2008 SDK.

I can’t find any such thing, and I’ve found a few other people asking whether it’s really there. Does this sample exist? Alternatively, is there a sample or example or explanation anywhere else?

Answer 1

I agree. There are a few “We got an example for you!” mentions. But no example to be found.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/cesardelatorre/archive/2009/05/09/non-windows-users-in-azman-authorization-manager-using-the-new-version-in-windows-server-2008-r2-and-windows-7.aspx

From the above URL: (I’m not saying there is one in there, I’m just relaying what he said about the potential for it being there.)

I beleive there is a sample "Custom Object Picker" within Windows SDK. At the moment, the newest SDK is the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 - RC (Published on 5/4/2009):

ISO: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6db1f17f-5f1e-4e54-a331-c32285cdde0c

Web setup: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=f75f2ca8-c1e4-4801-9281-2f5f28f12dbd

I still have to research more on this capability ("Custom Object Picker"), I'll try to extend this post when I'll do it. :-)

Here are some of the MS “red herrings”. Aka, the mention of it existing, but there isn’t actually one that exists. :<

From:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770724(WS.10).aspx

 For more information about creating a custom object picker see Custom Object Picker at the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=64027). 

I followed the link. I can’t find anything there about creating a Custom Object Picker. :<

Here are some more MS notes (below). Here’s the thing. I am the “3rd party” !! (haha). Aka, the “how to make a Custom Object Picker” is a big black hole. :<

From (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc754533(WS.10).aspx)

Choose users or groups with a custom object picker 
1.Install the custom object picker according to the instructions provided with the 3rd-party software.

2.The custom object picker will be added to the Assign users and groups from menu choices under the Role Assignments node and to the drop-down list in the Members and Exclusions tab of the properties sheet for basic application groups. Choose the entry installed by the custom object picker installation process.

3.Select users from the external source, according to the instructions provided with the custom object picker.

Finally, this guy put a lot of leg work in, and nothing worked. (And no help from anyone).
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowssecurity/thread/c143f37b-9fbd-4564-86f7-9acb1d71006e/

And for fun:
One more “dead end” reference:
http://authorizationservice.codeplex.com/discussions/265549

………

I also downloaded both of these:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=3138

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=11310

I didn’t do “full installs” but just the “Samples” portions.
But after installing each, I searched:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\

and

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\

for

IAzPrincipalLocator

and then also:

IAzObjectPicker

and couldn’t find anything.

What a goose chase.