Add member to distribution group using Azure AD API - node.js

Question

I want to add a member to a distribution list. As apparently I can't do this using Microsoft Graph, I am trying to use Azure AD Graph API. I am using Node.js.
I am able to connect to Azure using the adal-node library. I get a token back, send requests, and get responses. (I can list groups, users, etc.).
I am following the Add Members documentation, but I am confused.
In the URL, is object_id the id of the Group to witch I want to add the member?
For myorganization, I am using the tennant_id.
Where do I specify the user data? Should I pass that in the POST? If so, whats' the format?
What is the $links in the URL?
Currently, I am doing this:
request.post(
"https://graph.windows.net/TENNANT_ID_HERE/groups/GROUP_ID_HERE/$links/members?api-version=1.6",
{
headers: {
Authorization: "Bearer " + TOKEN_HERE,
"Content-Type": "application/json"
},
form: { key: "value" } //should I put my user object here?
},
function(err, res, body) {
if (err) {
console.log("err: " + err);
} else {
console.log("res: " + JSON.stringify(res, null, 3));
}
}
);
I get the following error:
{
"odata.error": {
"code": "Request_BadRequest",
"message": {
"lang": "en",
"value": "A supported MIME type could not be found that matches the
content type of the response. None of the supported type(s) 'application/xml, text/xml,
application/json;odata=minimalmetadata;streaming=true, application/json;odata=minimalmetadata;
streaming=false, application/json;odata=minimalmetadata,
application/json;odata=fullmetadata;streaming=true,
application/json;odata=fullmetadata;streaming=false,
application/json;odata=fullmetadata,
application/json;odata=nometadata;streaming=true,
application/json;odata=nometadata;streaming=false,
application/json;odata=nometadata,
application/json;streaming=true,
application/json;streaming=false,
application/json;odata=verbose,
application/json'
matches the content type 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'."
}
}
}

Answer 1

The short/most important answer is that neither Microsoft Graph or Azure AD Graph API supports distribution lists. From the documentation:
Important: You can only add members to security groups and mail-enabled security groups.
That said, this isn't technically why your call is failing here. Your code is reaching the point where it's failing due to the type of group you're working with. And while it won't help you with managing a distribution list, the following is what is actually happening.
The form: { key: "value" } option is telling request to send the payload as a URL Encoded Form (application/x-www-form-urlencoded). The API requires the payload be sent as JSON (application/json).
To send over JSON, you need to do two things:
Set the json option to true
Set the body value rather than the form value.
The proper code would look something like this:
request.post(
"https://graph.windows.net/{tenant-id}/groups/{group-id}/$links/members?api-version=1.6",
{
headers: {
Authorization: "Bearer " + TOKEN_HERE
},
json: true,
body: JSON.stringify({ url: "https://graph.windows.net/{tenant-id}/directoryObjects/{user-id}" })
},
function(err, res, body) {
if (err) {
console.log("err: " + err);
} else {
console.log("res: " + JSON.stringify(res, null, 3));
}
}
);
The $links parameter in the URI is telling the API that you're providing a link to another resource (in this case, a user record).

Answer 2

we could add member to a group with AD graph API.
post https://graph.windows.net/{tenantId}/groups/{groupobjectid}/$links/members?api-version=1.6
body
{
"url": "https://graph.windows.net/{tenantId}/directoryObjects/{userObjectId}"
}
Test it with Postman