Accessing remote COM Objects

Can i access a remote COM object with powershell?

New-Object doesn't provide a -computerName parameter like CreateObject has an optional ServerName property...

--
Joris van Lier
Please note that all scripts and opinions are supplied "as is" and with no warranty
Blog: http://whizzrd.spaces.live.com

Joris van Lier wrote:
> Can i access a remote COM object with powershell?
>
> New-Object doesn't provide a -computerName parameter like
> CreateObject has an optional ServerName property...

I know i can be thick sometimes, and i don't expect complete dissertations on the subject,
i'm thinking about creating an "activator" object with two parameters: clsid and computername, that would allow me to

PS> $remoteObject = new-Object -com My.ComActivator "Some.ComObject","thatserver"

This might done without compilation using a WScript Component (this option wouldn't force an ordinairy admin into programming)
, or with a real COM Object, but i'd prefer a pure .NET/Powershell solution.

suggestions are welcome....

--
Joris van Lier
Please note that all scripts and opinions are supplied "as is" and with
no warranty Blog: http://whizzrd.spaces.live.com

> Can i access a remote COM object with powershell?
Like you said, new-object doesn't provide a way to do this.

An alternative that might work, though I haven't tried it, is using the VB
library in the framework:

PS C:\>
[Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v2.0.50727\Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll")

GAC Version Location
--- ------- --------
True v2.0.50727
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.VisualBasic\8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\Microsoft.VisualB...

PS C:\> [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction] | gm -stat CreateObject


TypeName: Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction

Name MemberType Definition
---- ---------- ----------
CreateObject Method static System.Object CreateObject(String ProgId,
String ServerName)


PS C:\> [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction]::CreateObject("Some.COMObject",
"Computer")



--
Marcel Ortiz [MSFT]
Windows PowerShell
Microsoft Corporation
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, no confers rights.


"Joris van Lier" <whizzrd@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eHcCpbwlHHA.4188@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
Joris van Lier wrote:
> Can i access a remote COM object with powershell?
>
> New-Object doesn't provide a -computerName parameter like
> CreateObject has an optional ServerName property...

I know i can be thick sometimes, and i don't expect complete dissertations
on the subject,
i'm thinking about creating an "activator" object with two parameters: clsid
and computername, that would allow me to

PS> $remoteObject = new-Object -com My.ComActivator
"Some.ComObject","thatserver"

This might done without compilation using a WScript Component (this option
wouldn't force an ordinairy admin into programming)
, or with a real COM Object, but i'd prefer a pure .NET/Powershell solution.

suggestions are welcome....

--
Joris van Lier
Please note that all scripts and opinions are supplied "as is" and with
no warranty Blog: http://whizzrd.spaces.live.com

Marcel J. Ortiz [MSFT] wrote:
>> Can i access a remote COM object with powershell?
> Like you said, new-object doesn't provide a way to do this.
>
> An alternative that might work, though I haven't tried it, is using
> the VB library in the framework:
>
> PS C:\>
> [Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v2.0.50727\Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll")
>
> GAC Version Location
> --- ------- --------
> True v2.0.50727
> C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.VisualBasic\8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\Microsoft.VisualB...
>
> PS C:\> [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction] | gm -stat CreateObject
>
>
> TypeName: Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction
>
> Name MemberType Definition
> ---- ---------- ----------
> CreateObject Method static System.Object CreateObject(String
> ProgId, String ServerName)
>
>
> PS C:\>
> [microsoft.visualbasic.interaction]::CreateObject("Some.COMObject",
> "Computer")


Thanks for the tip Marcel, this is much better than my WScript Component method