RegistryPolicyFile: registrypolicyfile parser returns unsupported valueType for dword and qword resources

[chambersmp]

Details of the scenario you tried and the problem that is occurring

The DSC wrapper module for gpregistrypolicydsc experiencesconstant corrective changes and warnings when managing reg_dword resources due to a case mismatch in the GPRegistryPolicyFileParser.psm1 and the valuemap within the resources schema file.

The GetRegTypeString() method in GPRegistryPolicyFileParser.psm1 is returning the the following unsupported values:

• 'DWord'
• 'QWord'

The expected values should be:

• 'Dword'
• 'Qword'

The file parser should output values aligned with the resource's schema file:
MSFT_RegistryPolicyFile.schema.mof

[Write, Description("Indicates the type of the value."), ValueMap{"Binary","Dword","ExpandString","MultiString","Qword","String","None"}, Values{"Binary","Dword","ExpandString","MultiString","Qword","String","None"}] String ValueType;

Verbose logs showing the problem

During a Puppet run, the dsc_registrypolicyfile resource generates warnings the existing registry file valuetype has been set to DWord. The schema expects this value to resolve as Dword

Warning: Provider returned data that does not match the Type Schema for `dsc_registrypolicyfile[Remove access to use all Windows Update features (Configure notifications)]`
Value type mismatch:
   * dsc_valuetype: DWord (expects an undef value or a match for Enum['Binary', 'Dword', 'ExpandString', 'MultiString', 'None', 'Qword', 'String'], got 'DWord')

Suggested solution to the issue

Update the GetRegTypeString() method in GPRegistryPolicyFileParser.psm1 to return the correct valuetype's aligned with the resource schema mof file.

GPRegistryPolicyDsc/source/Modules/GPRegistryPolicyFileParser/GPRegistryPolicyFileParser.psm1

Line 638 in c827c54

[System.String] GetRegTypeString()

1. RegType REG_DWORD should output Dword instead of DWord.
2. RegType REG_QWORD should output Qword instead of QWord.

Original:

    [System.String] GetRegTypeString()
    {
        [System.String] $result = ''

        switch ($this.ValueType)
        {
...
            ([RegType]::REG_DWORD)
            {
                $Result = 'DWord'
            }
...
            ([RegType]::REG_QWORD)
            {
                $Result = 'QWord'
            }
            default
            {
                $Result = ''
            }
        }
        return $result
    }

Updated:

    [System.String] GetRegTypeString()
    {
        [System.String] $result = ''


        switch ($this.ValueType)
        {
...
            ([RegType]::REG_DWORD)
            {
                # Return Dword instead of DWord
                $Result = 'Dword'
            }
...
            ([RegType]::REG_QWORD)
            {
                # Return Qword instead of QWord
                $Result = 'Qword'
            }
            default
            {
                $Result = ''
            }
        }
        return $result
    }

Version of the DSC module that was used

Version 1.2.0.

@johlju @PlagueHO @gaelcolas @danielboth @jcwalker
Please review and assist where possible, should be a simple matter of swapping from upper to lower case for the affected characters.

[johlju]

Since PowerShell normally is doing case-insensitive matching this is usually not an issue. If this cannot be resolved at the Puppet side, I suggest to avoid getting a regression that the resource (not the helper method of the class) should just output the value in either upper-case or lower-case depending on what is most appropriate. Add a unit test that validates that the resource actually always returns all values correctly. There should also be a unit test that also checks the MOF file so that the values there are not changed from either lower-case or upper-case (depending on the previous choice in the code).

[chambersmp]

@johlju Thanks for reviewing this issue and the PR #35. I'll review the code to see if the suggestion is possible.