Can an InfoPath Form call a PowerShell script that makes use of the submitted form values?

Question

I would like to build an InfoPath form that users can use to request a new Active Directory account (e.g. for a new employee). Once the form is submitted, I would like it to then run a PowerShell script using the supplied values from the form as parameters to the script. The script will create a new Active Directory user using these values.

I can run a PowerShell script from a C# application by importing the System.Management.Automation assembly (example), and while I could add the users directly through C# with System.DirectoryServices, our requirement is to have several forms that collect different information which are passed to specific scripts that are managed by our IT department (the adding users script for example would perform some other tasks beyond simply creating the user and IT would like control over this). I understand that the PowerShell script would somehow have to be run as a user with rights to add users in the domain.

I have no experience with InfoPath. Can InfoPath call PowerShell scripts using the information that was submitted?

Answer 1

I would create a powershell script and have it run every few minutes. Powershell would basically look for newly created record in SharePoint Library or List (you can probably create column "Status" and set default value to "New" and change it to "Processed" after creating AD account with powershell).

Here is a good link on Powershell for SP 2010 http://blogs.technet.com/b/heyscriptingguy/archive/2010/09/22/use-powershell-to-manage-lists-views-and-items-in-sharepoint.aspx

Answer 2

I too would like to understand if this is actually possible for different reasons.

Putting the AD example aside for now as it seems to agitate certain people; is it possible to create a submit button on the InfoPath form that when pressed activates c# code that takes the values entered into the form as variables. If so, does anyone have a code example that takes the value of, say, control item my_control and enters it into a variable my_variable? Lets say the xpath of the control item is /my:myFields/my:my_control.

Answer 3

I do not understand why you need to couple "InfoPath call PowerShell scripts using the information that was submitted?"

Collecting/extracting user information and its use are quite separate independent activities.

You may consult InfoPath Services cmdlets (SharePoint Server 2010) about Infopath PowerShell options.

And for collecting user information collection by and extraction from Infopath, look into "Sharepoint User Profile Web Service"

Then. answer to your question depends whether you are going to use client IP forms which have less authentication complexities than stateless browser forms, via XMLHTTP protocol (the browser form cannot pass through user credentials to remote data sources the same way regular Infopath forms can, via NTLM).

Update:
The simple answer to question:

• "Can an InfoPath Form call a PowerShell script that makes use of the submitted form values?"

is : "NO"
and I would have been extremely surprised if it was possible.

It is not business requirements, it is requirement for security breach, business stupidity for those who order it and those who fulfill such "business requirements"