Inconsistent parameter naming: New-VMHostAccount

[halr9000]

@vmware, regarding the new-vmhostaccount cmdlet and these params:

   ParameterSet: User

Name         Type     IsMandatory Pipeline
----         ----     ----------- --------
Id           String          True    False
Password     String          True    False
Description  String         False    False
UserAccount  Boolean        False    False
AssignGroups String[]       False    False
Server       VIServer       False     True


   ParameterSet: Group

Name         Type     IsMandatory Pipeline
----         ----     ----------- --------
Id           String          True    False
GroupAccount Boolean        False    False
AssignUsers  String[]       False    False
Server       VIServer       False     True

• I think Id should be renamed to Name. I know that we call them user IDs at the OS level (esp on Unix), but in Windows and hence VC, they are referred as user_names_. Plus you have to consider that this is overloading the ID parameter in comparison to many of the Get cmdlets which of course use ID to mean the MoRef (in string format).

• as mentioned in another thread, Server should accept arrays pretty please.

• Having two params which are used to select the right parameter set (UserAccount and GroupAccount) is confusing I think. What if someone were to type "new-vmhostaccount -useraccount:$false"? I'll tell you--it creates a user account anyway.

PS > New-VMHostAccount -Id "bob"
New-VMHostAccount : Parameter set cannot be resolved using the specified named parame
ters.
At line:1 char:18
+ New-VMHostAccount  <<<< -Id "bob"
PS > New-VMHostAccount -Id "bob" -UserAccount:$false

cmdlet New-VMHostAccount at command pipeline position 1
Supply values for the following parameters:
Password: foo

Id              Description          Groups
--              -----------          ------
bob                                  {users}

Please consider re-working this set of params.

Author of the upcoming book: Managing VMware Infrastructure with PowerShell

Co-Host, PowerScripting Podcast (http://powerscripting.net)

[halr9000]

Wow, I just realized that this also collides with the user or group ID in the /etc/passwd sense. If you use VI Client to connect directly to an ESX server (which of course is the same context you have when using new-vmhostaccount), the VIC will allow you to create users and groups and specify the UID or GID...This makes my point even more important.

Author of the upcoming book: Managing VMware Infrastructure with PowerShell

Co-Host, PowerScripting Podcast (http://powerscripting.net)