How can I set a path for a new AD-User in this Switch example?

Question

Hi,
I am nearing the end of my script that creates a new ad user, adds them to a set of groups, and moves them to their correct ou.
The problem I have is that I cant work out how to move them to the OU.
eg.
Step 1. In my function I have completed the part that creates the user, and I have used the -passthru parameter to return the new user object into a variable called $obj.  
Step 2. I have created a switch that accepts a department variable, and adds the user to the corresponding groups.
Step 3. Finally I want the user to be created in an OU that is relevant to their job role. If possible in the same switch as above.
Here is the switch :
Switch($dept)
Finance {$FinanceGroups = @("Finance","Users");ForEach($group in $FinanceGroups){Add-ADGroupMember -Identity $group -Members $Obj}}
Sales {$SalesGroups = @("Sales","Users");ForEach($group in $SalesGroups){Add-ADGroupMember -Identity $group -Members $Obj}}
Support {$SupportGroups = @("Support","Users");ForEach($group in $SupportGroups){Add-ADGroupMember -Identity $group -Members $Obj}}
I was trying to do it like this.
Finance{$FinanceGroups=@("Finance","VPN_Users");ForEach($groupin$FinanceGroups){Add-ADGroupMember-Identity$group-Members$Obj}{$Obj.Path ="OU=Staff,OU=Accounts,OU=Resources,DC=homenet,DC=com"}}
But it doesn't seem to work, and I think the problem could be that the new user object returned by the -passthru parameter is read only. So I can't set it's parameters.
Can you think of a way to do it?
Thanks

Answer 1

I would re-write this function as follows:
Function New-User {
[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess=$true, ConfirmImpact='High')]
Param(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true,
ValueFromPipeLine=$true,
ValueFromPipeLineByPropertyName=$true,
Position=0)]
[String]$fname,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true,
ValueFromPipeLine=$true,
ValueFromPipeLineByPropertyName=$true,
Position=1)]
[String]$sname,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true,
ValueFromPipeLine=$true,
ValueFromPipeLineByPropertyName=$true,
Position=2)]
[ValidateSet("Milan","London","tokyo")]
[String]$site,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$true,
ValueFromPipeLine=$true,
ValueFromPipeLineByPropertyName=$true,
Position=3)]
[ValidateSet("Finance","Sales","Support")]
[String]$dept,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$false,
ValueFromPipeLine=$true,
ValueFromPipeLineByPropertyName=$true,
Position=4)]
[String]$baseOU = "OU=Accounts,OU=Resources,DC=homenet,DC=com",
[Parameter(Mandatory=$false,
ValueFromPipeLine=$true,
ValueFromPipeLineByPropertyName=$true,
Position=5)]
[String]$tempPass = "Temp-pass1"
Write-Verbose "Creating user '$fname $sname' in OU 'OU=$dept,$baseOU'"
$objUser = New-ADUser -name "$fname $sname" `
-GivenName $fname `
-Surname $sname `
-DisplayName "$fname $sname" `
-SamAccountName "$fname.$sname" `
-AccountPassword ($tempPass | ConvertTo-SecureString -AsPlainText -Force ) `
-ChangePasswordAtLogon:$true `
-Path "OU=$dept,$baseOU" `
-PassThru
$Groups = @("All_$site","Users","$dept")
Write-Verbose "Adding user '$fname $sname' to groups '$($Groups -join ', ')'"
$Groups | % { Add-ADGroupMember -Identity $_ -Members $objUser.DistinguishedName }
Write-Verbose "Enabling user account '$fname $sname'"
Enable-ADAccount -Identity $objUser.DistinguishedName
<#
Examples
New-User -fname "Sam" -sname "test" -site Milan -dept Finance -Verbose
#>
Notice:
Function name: follows verb-noun format - best practice 
$obj variable renamed to $objUser - using variable name that reflects its content
Use of CmdLetBinding[] and confirm impact as high since you're writing to AD 
Use of ValidationSet to minimize parameter input errors
Parameterized baseOU, and TempPass
Added requirement to change password at first logon
Enabling the account at the end
You should wrap each of the 3 steps in a try-catch block. Check for things like user already exists or not, group exists r not, OU exists or not..
Sam Boutros, Senior Consultant, Software Logic, KOP, PA http://superwidgets.wordpress.com (Please take a moment to Vote as Helpful and/or Mark as Answer, where applicable) _________________________________________________________________________________
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