ldif \- LDAP Data Interchange Format
.SH DESCRIPTION
The LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF) is used to represent LDAP
-entries in text form. LDAP tools, such as
-.BR ldapadd (1)
-and
-.BR ldapsearch (1),
-read and write LDIF.
+entries and change records in text form. LDAP tools, such as
+.BR ldapadd (1) and .BR ldapsearch (1), read and write LDIF entry
+records. ldapmodify(1) reads LDIF change records.
+.LP
+This manual page provides a basic description of LDIF. A
+formal specification of LDIF is published in RFC 2849.
+.SH ENTRY RECORDS
.LP
-The basic form of an LDIF entry is:
+LDIF entry records are used to represent directory entries. The basic
+form of an entry record is:
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- dn: <distinguished name>
- <attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
- <attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
- <attrdesc>:: <base64-encoded-value>
- <attrdesc>:< <URL>
- ...
+ dn: <distinguished name>
+
<attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
+
<attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
+
<attrdesc>:: <base64-encoded-value>
+ ...
.ft
.fi
.LP
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen,dc=exam
- ple,dc=com
+ dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen,dc=exam
+ ple,dc=com
.ft
.fi
.LP
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- cn: Barbara J Jensen
- cn: Babs Jensen
+ cn: Barbara J Jensen
+ cn: Babs Jensen
.ft
.fi
.LP
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- cn:: IGJlZ2lucyB3aXRoIGEgc3BhY2U=
+ cn:: IGJlZ2lucyB3aXRoIGEgc3BhY2U=
.ft
.fi
.LP
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- cn:< file:///tmp/value
+ cn:< file:///tmp/value
.ft
.fi
Other URI schemes (ftp,http) may be supported as well.
.LP
Multiple entries within the same LDIF file are separated by blank
lines.
-.SH EXAMPLE
+.SH ENTRY RECORD EXAMPLE
Here is an example of an LDIF file containing three entries.
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
- cn: Barbara J Jensen
- cn: Babs Jensen
- objectclass: person
- description:< file:///tmp/babs
- sn: Jensen
+ dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
+ cn: Barbara J Jensen
+ cn: Babs Jensen
+ objectclass: person
+ description:< file:///tmp/babs
+ sn: Jensen
- dn: cn=Bjorn J Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
- cn: Bjorn J Jensen
- cn: Bjorn Jensen
- objectclass: person
- sn: Jensen
+ dn: cn=Bjorn J Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
+ cn: Bjorn J Jensen
+ cn: Bjorn Jensen
+ objectclass: person
+ sn: Jensen
- dn: cn=Jennifer J Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
- cn: Jennifer J Jensen
- cn: Jennifer Jensen
- objectclass: person
- sn: Jensen
- jpegPhoto:: /9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAAAAAQABAAD/2wBDABALD
- A4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQ
- ERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVG
- ...
+ dn: cn=Jennifer J Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
+ cn: Jennifer J Jensen
+ cn: Jennifer Jensen
+ objectclass: person
+ sn: Jensen
+ jpegPhoto:: /9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAAAAAQABAAD/2wBDABALD
+ A4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQ
+ ERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVG
+ ...
.ft
.fi
.LP
-Notice that the description in Barbara Jensen's entry is
+Note that the description in Barbara Jensen's entry is
read from file:///tmp/babs and the jpegPhoto in Jennifer
Jensen's entry is encoded using base 64.
+.SH CHANGE RECORDS
+LDIF change records are used to represent directory change requests.
+Each change record starts with line indicating the distinguished
+name of the entry being changed:
+.LP
+.nf
+ dn: <distinguishedname>
+.fi
+.LP
+.nf
+ changetype: <[modify|add|delete|modrdn]>
+.fi
+.LP
+Finally, the change information itself is given, the format of which
+depends on what kind of change was specified above. For a \fIchangetype\fP
+of \fImodify\fP, the format is one or more of the following:
+.LP
+.nf
+ add: <attributetype>
+ <attrdesc>: <value1>
+ <attrdesc>: <value2>
+ ...
+ -
+.fi
+.LP
+Or, for a replace modification:
+.LP
+.nf
+ replace: <attributetype>
+ <attrdesc>: <value1>
+ <attrdesc>: <value2>
+ ...
+ -
+.fi
+.LP
+If no \fIattributetype\fP lines are given to replace,
+the entire attribute is to be deleted (if present).
+.LP
+Or, for a delete modification:
+.LP
+.nf
+ delete: <attributetype>
+ <attrdesc>: <value1>
+ <attrdesc>: <value2>
+ ...
+ -
+.fi
+.LP
+If no \fIattributetype\fP lines are given to delete,
+the entire attribute is to be deleted.
+.LP
+For a \fIchangetype\fP of \fIadd\fP, the format is:
+.LP
+.nf
+ <attrdesc1>: <value1>
+ <attrdesc1>: <value2>
+ ...
+ <attrdescN>: <value1>
+ <attrdescN>: <value2>
+.fi
+.LP
+For a \fIchangetype\fP of \fImodrdn\fP or \fImoddn\fP,
+the format is:
+.LP
+.nf
+ newrdn: <newrdn>
+ deleteoldrdn: 0 | 1
+ newsuperior: <DN>
+.fi
+.LP
+where a value of 1 for deleteoldrdn means to delete the values
+forming the old rdn from the entry, and a value of 0 means to
+leave the values as non-distinguished attributes in the entry.
+The newsuperior line is optional and, if present, specifies the
+new superior to move the entry to.
+.LP
+For a \fIchangetype\fP of \fIdelete\fP, no additional information
+is needed in the record.
+.LP
+Note that attribute values may be presented using base64 or in
+files as described for entry records. Lines in change records
+may be continued in the manner described for entry records as
+well.
+.SH CHANGE RECORD EXAMPLE
+The following sample LDIF file contains a change record
+of each type of change.
+.LP
+.nf
+ dn: cn=Babs Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
+ changetype: add
+ objectclass: person
+ objectclass: extensibleObject
+ cn: babs
+ cn: babs jensen
+ sn: jensen
+
+ dn: cn=Babs Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
+ changetype: modify
+ add: givenName
+ givenName: Barbara
+ givenName: babs
+ -
+ replace: description
+ description: the fabulous babs
+ -
+ delete: sn
+ sn: jensen
+ -
+
+ dn: cn=Babs Jensen,dc=example,dc=com
+ changetype: modrdn
+ newrdn: cn=Barbara J Jensen
+ deleteoldrdn: 0
+ newsuperior: ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
+
+ dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
+ changetype: delete
+.fi
+
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR ldap (3),
.BR ldapsearch (1),
-.BR ldapadd (1).
+.BR ldapadd (1),
+.BR ldapmodify (1),
+.BR slapd.replog (5).
.LP
"LDAP Data Interchange Format," Good, G., RFC 2849.
.SH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
.B OpenLDAP
is developed and maintained by The OpenLDAP Project (http://www.openldap.org/).
.B OpenLDAP
-is derived from University of Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.
+is derived from University of Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.
projects / openldap / commitdiff