Set-Annotation - Could not find annotation with name

[Dan_N]

Hi,

I'm using some commands to get and set annotation fields for a while without issues.

In the meantime vCenter was upgraded to version 7.0.3 and Set-Annotation doesn't work as before. I'm not sure if the syntax changed or what I'm doing wrong.

- reading the list of VMs from a text file (Linux):

$vmList = Get-Content t.txt

- get the list of VMs with the annotation field is working fine

foreach ($vmName in $vmList) {Get-Annotation -Entity $vmName -CustomAttribute "Backup"}

AnnotatedEntity Name    Value
---------------         ----         -----
vm1 ​                    Backup   yes
vm2                    Backup   no

- Set-Annotation doesn't work as before:

foreach ($vmName in $vmList) {Set-Annotation -Entity $vmName -CustomAttribute "Backup" -value no-backup}

Set-Annotation: 2/8/2023 6:58:49 AM Set-Annotation Could not find annotation with name 'Backup'.
Set-Annotation: 2/8/2023 6:58:49 AM Set-Annotation Could not find annotation with name 'Backup'.

Any idea please?

[LucD · Accepted solution]

Does it work like this?

$ca = Get-CustomAttribute -Name 'Backup'

$vmList = Get-Content t.txt
foreach ($vmName in $vmList) {
    Get-VM -Name $vmName |
    Set-Annotation -CustomAttribute $ca -value 'no-backup'
}

I suspect the OBN feature might have an issue.

[Dan_N]

Thanks it's working fine like that!

The difference was made by $ca variable. It's working even with the following syntax:

foreach ($vmName in $vmList) {Set-Annotation -Entity $vmName -CustomAttribute $ca -value no-backup}

[LucD]

Using the name of an object instead of the object itself is handled by a feature in PowerCLI that is called OBN (Object By Name).
I noticed as well that sometimes this doesn't work as expected.