How to use WMI
Reader
The Windows Management Instrumentation Reader (WMI Reader) – is a Windows
application which allows computer user to view WMI data of any machine
accessible to the user on the network if that machine supports WMI service.
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Microsoft Windows 95 and later operating system
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To view reports in Excel format - Microsoft Excel 97 and later
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To view online help - web browser (since you are looking at the help you
obviously have it)
When WMI Reader is run for the first time 'Options' form appears to help setup
parameters required to run application. These options can be changed later by
selecting Tools->Options menu item or pressing Ctrl+Shift+O shortcut. 'Options'
form consists of 2 tabs:
| Reports
tab |
Report default directory:
Directory where all reports produced by WMI Reader stored. Report files are
created in format selected by user and file name consists of 'WMIReader_' +
name of WMI class for which report is produced.
Report results:
Some of WMI classes have large amount of data (records) associated with them
depending on machine, if user wants to have results in report file it is not
neccessary to wait for them to load on the screen and then generate report
later. By choosing as a target one of the report formats data is spooled
directly into the file and opened for viewing, grid on the main screen is not
populated.
Load data asyncronously:
This option is only valid if Report results are shown on the screen and would
make difference if loaded data has more than 1000 records. If this checkbox is
not checked all the data is displayed in the grid after it's been completely
retrieved from target machine. If it is checked - data is loaded in chunks of
150~200 records and displayed in the grid asyncronously, so user can view
results even before loading is completed.
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Configuration settings tab
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Following setting customize how data is displayed in Class Explorer.
WMI hierarchy tree:
When you use WMIReader first time and later if you don't setup config file
tree has a hierarchical view of the most common WMI classes for Windows
operating system and by default consists of 2 main categories and several
subcategories. Each subcategory has a list of classes. If user try to expand
the class node it will show all the properties of the class if this class
exists on the machine on which you are runing application. Each node has
checkbox. If category or class is checked - it is shown on the main screen's
tree and available for selection. If property checkbox is checked it is shown
as the column on the main screen's grid or in the report, unchecked properties
are not displayed. If the class in tree is selected, text area on the right
side become enabled to type the filter user want to apply to narrow down number
of class records. For example for Win32_Account class you can enter IsLocal=True
that would display only local to that machine user accounts. If you are not
familiar with WMI query syntax visit
Microsoft's website for help.
On how to modify default tree structure and add/or add more WMI classes read Configuration file below.
Configuration file:
This file contains xml representation of the hierarchical tree above. All categories and classes that are checked
have selected attribute set to "Y", unchecked set to "N". If class has no property nodes - all properties are shown,
otherwise the properties listed under the class are shown. Each class could also have filter xml node.
<Category
Name="Input Devices"
selected="Y">
<Class
Name="Win32_Keyboard"
selected="Y">
<Property>
Availability
</Property>
<Property>
Caption
</Property>
<Property>
Description
</Property>
<Property>
DeviceID
</Property>
</Class
>
<Class
Name="Win32_PointingDevice"
selected="Y"/>
</Category
>
As you can see xml file can be modified to show different categories and subcategories of classes.
We recommend not to remove anything from the file, just set selected attribute to "N" to hide category or class.
Also you can add any number of classes, categories that are not in default configuration
All changes to the tree or filter to any class from Options form are saved into this file. Also
each connected computer's WMI hierarchy on the main window is built based on
contents of this file. You can configure as many files as you like and use them
by changing this setting. When any of the settings on this tab are changed user
would be asked if reloading of data with new settings is needed in the main
Class Explorer.
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When you start application and after first time configuring settings, the Class
Explorer is displayed. It looks like Windows Explorer and shows all connected
computers with attached WMI hierarchy as a tree on the left side and TabView on the right.
TabView consists of 2 tabs:
Results - has grid which displays current WMI class instances.
Metadata - has grid which displays current WMI class properties and their datatype.
At startup WMI Reader is connected
to the host computer (localhost) but it allows simultaneous connections to
other computers running WMI service. To connect to another machine press 
button on the tollbar, in the 'Connect' form enter required information:
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Server: Enter network computer name, DNS name or IP address of the
machine you are connecting to.
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User: User name you need for a connection. An empty value indicates the
current user credentials. If the user name is from a domain different from the
current domain, the value may contain the domain name and user name separated
by a backslash (MyDomain\UserName).
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Password: Password of the user entered above. An empty value indicates
the current user credentials if User value is empty and blank password if user
specified.
To disconnect from machine select it in the Class Explorer and press 
button. You cannot disconnect from the machine on which you are running
application since this connection is required to change configuration settings.
To see particular WMI class's information browse the Class Explorer and select
desired class (all classes have 
icon). If options
set up to show results as a report, Notepad or MS Excel window will be opened
with class's data. If Report result in options is screen then data will be
shown in the grid. Results would be dependant on the properties and filter
present in configuration settings for this class. By default all properies
displayed and no filter applied.
If results are shown on the screen and options set up to load data asyncronously
you can stop loading process by pressing 
icon. Some classes contain tens of thousands of records and it could take
several minutes to load data completely. During loading process status bar on
the bottom of the form displayes progress with number of records loaded.
The WMI Reader supports reporting capabilities. The tool can produce reports
both in MS Excel and plain text formats.
Reports are produced as tab delimited, comma separated files with the .txt
extension or formatted in XML with .xml extension. Report files are named
'WMIReader_' + name of WMI class plus corresponding extension. The file is
placed into Report default directory which specified in Options.
To produce report select desired class in the Class Explorer and
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For comma separated report press Ctrl+Shift+B shortcut or select it from
Reports->Export data to.. menu
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For tab delimited report press Ctrl+Shift+E shortcut or press
icon on toolbar or select it from Reports->Export data to.. menu
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For tab delimited report press Ctrl+Shift+X shortcut or press
icon on toolbar or select it from Reports->Export data to.. menu
Notepad or MS Excel window will be opened with report results.