Use AppCmd to LIST CONFIG in APPHOST only

Question

I have a requirement to use powershell to configure IIS7.5 on WebApplications that have not yet had code deployed (possibly at all, possibly old/broken web.configs exist) to the file system. I would like to be able to do this all at the APPHOST level. (Note at the bottom about use of Powershell > AppCmd).

I can SET all the values properly, however, being somewhat diligent, I like to also validate the values were set properly by retrieving them after setting.

Here's the scenario: I can set this value using AppCmd so the setting is applied at the APPHOST level using the /Commit:APPHOST flag. However, I havent found a way to READ the values exclusively at the APPHOST level.

Setting the Code is successful:

C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe set config "webSiteName/webAppName" -section:system.webServer/security/authentication/anonymousAuthentication /enabled:"True" /commit:apphost

However, I cant find a way to read the values using AppCmd (or Powershell): Running the following AppCmd returns an error due to the broken pre-existing web.config in the folder (the specific error is unimportant, as it is reading the WebApp's web.config instead of the ApplicationHost.config/APPHOST):

C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\appcmd.exe list config "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST/webSiteName/webAppName" -section:system.webServer/security/authentication/anonymousAuthentication
ERROR ( message:Configuration error
Filename: \\?\c:\inetpub\wwwroot\webSiteName\webAppName\web.config
Line Number: 254
Description: The configuration section 'system.runtime.caching' cannot be read because it is missing a section declaration
. )

Note: I would prefer to do this all in Powershell instead of using AppCmd, so if anyone has the syntax for modifying the APPHOST settings for anonymousAuthentication section of a WebApplication, that lives under a Website, from inside Powershell (Get-WebConfiguration seems to only use the WebApp web.config), that would be totally awesome and much appreciated!

Answer 1

Here's how to do this in PowerShell:

[Reflection.Assembly]::Load(
"Microsoft.Web.Administration, Version=7.0.0.0, 
Culture=Neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35") > $null

$serverManager = New-Object Microsoft.Web.Administration.ServerManager
$config = $serverManager.GetApplicationHostConfiguration()
$anonymousAuthenticationSection = $config.GetSection("system.webServer/security/authentication/anonymousAuthentication", "simpleasp.net")
Write-Host "Current value: " $anonymousAuthenticationSection["enabled"]

# Now set new value
$anonymousAuthenticationSection["enabled"] = $true

$serverManager.CommitChanges()