Hi

I've created a CmdLet called Convert-Username. It's a wrapper around the Microsoft API DsCrackNames, that can be used to translate between different username formats by sending the request to a DC or GC.

Chrisse Andersson uses the API in his MMC-Console for Fine Grained Password Policies and I thougth it could be very useful having as an CmdLet.

The list of Formats you can convert between is:

• DN
• NT4Account
• DisplayName
• Guid
• CanonicalName
• Upn
• CanonicalNameEx   
• Spn
• Sid

You can download Convert-Username from here

Disclaimer: This software is provided "AS IS" with no warranties of any kind. The entire risk arising out of the use or performance of the software is with you.

I haven't created any Setup program yet but the installation is easy:

1. Download the CmdLet
2. Unzip the 2 files and put them in a directory of your chioce
3. Start PowerShell and run the following:
      cd <path where you put the files>
      &"$env:systemroot\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\InstallUtil.exe" Convert-Username.dll
4. Add the CmdLet to the Powershell environment by running:
      Add-PSSnapIn Convert-Username

You need to do the last step everytime you start PowerShell if you don't add it to your PowerShell profile.

Example:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

C:\PS>Convert-Username "John Doe" Upn

QueriedName                   Domain                        Name                          Status
-----------                   ------                        ----                          ------
John Doe                      somewhere.local               john.doe@somewhere.local      NoError

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

In my next blog I'll give you a longer and more fun example of what you can do with Convert-Username

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PS#> Get-Help Convert-Username -Full

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NAME
    Convert-Username
SYNOPSIS
    Converts usernames to other formats.
SYNTAX
    Convert-Username [-name] <String[]> [-outFormat] {<DN> | <NT4Account> | <DisplayName> | <Guid> | <CanonicalName> |
    <Upn> | <CanonicalNameEx> | <Spn> | <Sid> | <DnsDomain>} -inFormat {<DN> | <NT4Account> | <DisplayName> | <Guid> |
    <CanonicalName> | <Upn> | <CanonicalNameEx> | <Spn> | <Sid> | <DnsDomain> | <Unknown>} [-credential <PSCredential>]
     [-noBatching <SwitchParameter>] [-domainController <String>] [-dnsDomain <String>] [<CommonParameters>]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
    The Convert-Username cmdlet uses the Active Directory to convert usernames from one format to an other.

PARAMETERS
    -name <String[]>
        Specifies the names for conversion is to be made.
    -outFormat
        Is used to specify in what format the converted usernames will be. Valid values for <CommandTypes> are:

                  DN                 NT4Account
                  DisplayName        Guid
                  CanonicalName      Upn
                  CanonicalNameEx    Spn
                  Sid                DnsDomain

                  You can use OutFormat or its alias, o.
    -inFormat
        Is used to specify in what format the names to be converted will be. Valid values for <InFormat> are:

                  DN                 NT4Account
                  DisplayName        Guid
                  CanonicalName      Upn
                  CanonicalNameEx    Spn
                  Sid                DnsDomain
                  Unknown

                  The default InFormat is Unknown
                  You can use InFormat or its alias, i.
    -credential <PSCredential>
        Specifies the credential used to validate access. If a PSCredential object obtained earlier using get-credentia
        l is supplied, it will be used as is. If a user name is supplied,  there will be a prompt for a password.
    -noBatching <SwitchParameter>
        Forces conversion to take place directly when an item is recieved through the pipe instead of batching the name
        s for one large request to the Active Directory.
    -domainController <String>
        Forces the use of a specific DomainController.
    -dnsDomain <String>
        Forces the use of a specific DnsDomain.
    <CommonParameters>
        This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Verbose, -Debug,
        -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, and -OutVariable. For more information,
        type, "get-help about_commonparameters".
REMARKS
    For more information, type: "get-help Convert-Username -detailed".
    For technical information, type: "get-help Convert-Username -full".