Console extension registration though community hub

Article
10/04/2022

Console extension authors can contribute extensions they've written to the community hub. Community hub users can download the extensions and manage the installation of them across their Configuration Manager hierarchy. Contributing extensions through Community hub supersedes the previous deployment process.

Version information

To download console extensions from the Community hub, you'll need either:

A technical preview version of Configuration Manager
Configuration Manager version 2103 or later

You can test your own signed extensions by importing them locally with the following versions:

A technical preview version of Configuration Manager
Configuration Manager version 2103 or later

You can import an unsigned extension locally. Unsigned extensions are for local import and testing purposes only. Unsigned extensions can't be submitted to Community hub. Importing an unsigned extension requires one of the following versions:

Technical preview version 2105.2 or later.
Configuration Manager version 2107 or later

Starting in version 2111, you can import both signed and unsigned extensions using the Import Console Extension wizard.

Prerequisites

To register a console extension in the community hub for Configuration Manager admins to download, you'll need the following prerequisites:

Meet all of the prerequisites for contributing to community hub
Configuration Manager Full Administrator with All scope rights.
A valid payload in an authenticode-signed .cab file once you're ready to publish. Your .cab file must contain the following items:
- A manifest file named manifest.xml
- The author and version of the extension must be listed in the manifest.xml
- All relevant files for the extension must be in the .cab file
  - Each file must be listed in the manifest and have the correct name and SHA256 hash

Create an extension

Creating your extension for community hub isn't much different from how it was done previously. However, there's no longer a need to install the files in their respective %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Endpoint Manager\AdminConsole\XmlStorage\Extensions folder. This is part of the function of the new manifest.xml file. You can still create the following items:

Actions
Forms
Management classes
Nodes
Views
Integrate your own custom wizards into the Configuration Manager console by using a wizard framework of your choice
- You can't create wizards by using the existing Configuration Manager console framework.
- You can't modify or remove steps from the existing Configuration Manager wizards.

Tip

From community hub's GitHub repository, you can download a sample extension's cab file.

Create a valid payload cab file

Once you have the files for your extension created, you'll create the manifest.xml file, then package them all together in an authenticode-signed .cab file.

A valid payload in an authenticode-signed .cab file. Your .cab file must contain the following items:
- A manifest file named manifest.xml
- The author and version of the extension must be listed in the manifest.xml
- All relevant files for the extension must be in the .cab file
  - Each file must be listed in the manifest and have the correct name and SHA256 hash

Manifest.xml format:

<CustomExtensionManifest ExtensionID="{A GUID to identify this extension}" Name="{Name of the extension to be shown in the Console Extension node}" Description="{Description of the extension to be shown in the Console Extension node" Version="{The version of the extension to be shown in the Console Extension node. For example:1.0}" Author="{The author of the extension to be shown in the Console Extension node}">
	<Deployments>
		<ActionExtensionDeployment ParentNode="{the GUID that identify the folder/node you want to place the action under}">
			<FileList>
				<File Name="{The name of the xml file that defines the action. For example: MyAction.xml}">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
				</File>
			</FileList>
		</ActionExtensionDeployment>
		<NodeExtensionDeployment ParentNode="{the GUID that identify the folder you want to place the node under}">
			<FileList>
				<File Name="{The name of the xml file that defines the node. For example: MyNode.xml}">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
				</File>
			</FileList>
		</NodeExtensionDeployment>
		<FormExtensionDeployment>
			<FileList>
				<File Name="{The name of the xml file that defines the form. For example: MyForm.xml}">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
				</File>
				<File Name="{The name of the dll file that defines the form. For example: MyForm.dll}">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
				</File>
			</FileList>
		</FormExtensionDeployment>
		<ManagementClassExtensionDeployment>
			<FileList>
				<File Name="{The name of the xml file that defines the WMI class. For example: MyClass.xml}">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
				</File>
				<File Name="{The name of the dll file that defines the WMI class. For example: MyClass.dll}">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
				</File>
			</FileList>
		</ManagementClassExtensionDeployment>
		<ViewExtensionDeployment>
			<FileList>
				<File Name="{The name of the dll file that defines the view. For example: MyView.dll}">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
				</File>
			</FileList>
		</ViewExtensionDeployment>
        <CabExtensionDeployment>
            <FileList>
                <File Name="{The name of the cab file to deploy. CabExtensionDeployment is used when your payload cab file contains a cab within it that needs to be deployed.  For example: MyCab.cab}">
                    <Hash Algorithm="sha256">{The SHA256 hash of this file}</Hash>
                </File>
            </FileList>
        </CabExtensionDeployment>
	</Deployments>
</CustomExtensionManifest>

Example manifest.xml file:

<CustomExtensionManifest ExtensionID="808b9ce3-e574-49be-82be-64ed35d800c5" Name="Nice Console Node and Console Action Extension" Description="Very Useful Extension" Version="1.1" Author="Me">
	<Deployments>
		<NodeExtensionDeployment ParentNode="d61498cb-7b3f-4748-ae3e-026674fb0cbd">
			<FileList>
				<File Name="Test.xml">
					<Hash Algorithm="sha256">543F2947AEA734B6833F275091AC6A159C0FCD341373D6E53062E37281B602B3</Hash>
				</File>
			</FileList>
		</NodeExtensionDeployment>
      <ActionExtensionDeployment ParentNode="172d85e7-bb7a-4479-a6a2-768f175b75cb">
        <FileList>
          <File Name="Test2.xml">
            <Hash Algorithm="sha256">C60FB69B86BF9B2E924FF272292CA2C97864D636B8190C95DC926049651A002E</Hash>
          </File>
        </FileList>
      </ActionExtensionDeployment>
	</Deployments>
</CustomExtensionManifest>

Register the extension to a site for testing

When you have your extension built and packaged into an authenticode-signed .cab file, you can test it in a Configuration Manager lab environment. You'll do this by posting it through the administration service. Once the extension is inserted into the site, you can approve it and install it locally from the Console Extensions node.

Important

For local testing, you can import unsigned console extensions when you use version 2107 or later. For more information and additional import methods, see Import console extensions.

Run the following PowerShell script after editing the $adminServiceProvider and $cabFilePath:

$adminServiceProvider - The top-level SMSProvider server where the administration service is installed
$cabFilePath - Path to the extension's authenticode-signed .cab file

$adminServiceProvider = "SMSProviderServer.contoso.com"
$cabFilePath = "C:\Testing\MyExtension.cab"
$adminServiceURL = "https://$adminServiceProvider/AdminService/v1/ConsoleExtensionMetadata/AdminService.UploadExtension"
$cabFileName = (Get-Item -Path $cabFilePath).Name
$Data = Get-Content $cabFilePath
$Bytes = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllBytes($cabFilePath)
$base64Content = [Convert]::ToBase64String($Bytes)

$Headers = @{
    "Content-Type" = "Application/json"
}

$Body = @{
            CabFile = @{
                FileName = $cabFileName
                FileContent = $base64Content
            }
        } | ConvertTo-Json

$result = Invoke-WebRequest -Method Post -Uri $adminServiceURL -Body $Body -Headers $Headers -UseDefaultCredentials

if ($result.StatusCode -eq 200) {Write-Host "$cabFileName was published successfully."}
else {Write-Host "$cabFileName publish failed. Review AdminService.log for more information."}

In the Configuration Manager console, go to Administration > Overview > Updates and Servicing > Console Extensions.
Select your extension, then choose Approve Installation.
To install the extension on the current console, select Install under Local Extension.
Rerunning the PowerShell script with the same extension and the same version will overwrite the current existing one.

Applies only to technical preview versions of Configuration Manager

Make sure you've joined the community hub and that you've accepted the invite after your join request is approved. You contribute extensions the same way you would contribute other community hub objects. However, for there are additional requirements and additional information you need to supply for an extension. When you contribute a console extension to Community hub, the content must be signed. Content for console extensions isn't hosted by Microsoft. When you contribute your item, you'll be asked to provide a location to the signed .cab file along with other information for the extension. The following items are required for contributing extensions:

Content URL: Location for the downloadable .cab file
SHA-256 hash of the content: SHA-256 hash of the .cab file
License URL: URL of the license for the extension, such as https://mit-license.org/
Privacy statement URL: URL of your privacy statement

Important

If you import an extension locally into the console by posting it through the administration service, the download will fail if you attempt to download the same extension from the Community hub. To test the download of your extension from Community hub, delete the imported extension and then download from Community hub.

Console extension registration though community hub

Version information

Prerequisites

Create an extension

Create a valid payload cab file

Register the extension to a site for testing

Next steps

Feedback

Feedback

Additional resources

Console extension registration though community hub

Version information

Prerequisites

Create an extension

Create a valid payload cab file

Register the extension to a site for testing

Share your extension on community hub

Next steps

Feedback

Feedback

Additional resources