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NAME

       ldif - LDAP Data Interchange Format

DESCRIPTION

       The  LDAP  Data  Interchange  Format  (LDIF)  is used to represent LDAP entries and change
       records in text form. LDAP tools, such as ldapadd(1) and  ldapsearch(1),  read  and  write
       LDIF entry records.  ldapmodify(1) reads LDIF change records.

       This  manual page provides a basic description of LDIF.  A formal specification of LDIF is
       published in RFC 2849.

ENTRY RECORDS

       LDIF entry records are used to represent directory entries.  The basic form  of  an  entry
       record is:

            dn: <distinguished name>
            <attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
            <attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
            <attrdesc>:: <base64-encoded-value>
            <attrdesc>:< <URL>
            ...

       The  value  may  be  specified  as  UTF-8  text or as base64 encoded data, or a URI may be
       provided to the location of the attribute value.

       A line may be continued by starting the next line with a single space or tab, e.g.,

            dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen,dc=exam
             ple,dc=com

       Lines beginning with a sharp sign ('#') are ignored.

       Multiple attribute values are specified on separate lines, e.g.,

            cn: Barbara J Jensen
            cn: Babs Jensen

       If an value contains a non-printing character, or begins with a space or a colon ':',  the
       <attrtype>  is  followed  by  a double colon and the value is encoded in base 64 notation.
       e.g., the value " begins with a space" would be encoded like this:

            cn:: IGJlZ2lucyB3aXRoIGEgc3BhY2U=

       If the attribute value is located in a file, the <attrtype> is followed by a  ':<'  and  a
       file: URI.  e.g., the value contained in the file /tmp/value would be listed like this:

            cn:< file:///tmp/value
       Other URI schemes (ftp,http) may be supported as well.

       Multiple entries within the same LDIF file are separated by blank lines.

ENTRY RECORD EXAMPLE

       Here is an example of an LDIF file containing three entries.

            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=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
            ...

       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.

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:

            dn: <distinguishedname>

            changetype: <[modify|add|delete|modrdn]>

       Finally,  the change information itself is given, the format of which depends on what kind
       of change was specified above.  For a changetype of modify, the format is one or  more  of
       the following:

            add: <attributetype>
            <attrdesc>: <value1>
            <attrdesc>: <value2>
            ...
            -

       Or, for a replace modification:

            replace: <attributetype>
            <attrdesc>: <value1>
            <attrdesc>: <value2>
            ...
            -

       If  no attributetype lines are given to replace, the entire attribute is to be deleted (if
       present).

       Or, for a delete modification:

            delete: <attributetype>
            <attrdesc>: <value1>
            <attrdesc>: <value2>
            ...
            -

       If no attributetype lines are given to delete, the entire attribute is to be deleted.

       For a changetype of add, the format is:

            <attrdesc1>: <value1>
            <attrdesc1>: <value2>
            ...
            <attrdescN>: <value1>
            <attrdescN>: <value2>

       For a changetype of modrdn or moddn, the format is:

            newrdn: <newrdn>
            deleteoldrdn: 0 | 1
            newsuperior: <DN>

       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.

       For a changetype of delete, no additional information is needed in the record.

       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.

CHANGE RECORD EXAMPLE

       The following sample LDIF file contains a change record of each type of change.

            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

INCLUDE STATEMENT

       The  LDIF  parser  has been extended to support an include statement for referencing other
       LDIF files.  The include statement must be separated from other records by a  blank  line.
       The  referenced  file  is  specified  using  a  file:  URI  and  all  of  its contents are
       incorporated as if they were part of the original LDIF file. As above, other  URI  schemes
       may be supported. For example:

            dn: dc=example,dc=com
            objectclass: domain
            dc: example

            include: file:///tmp/example.com.ldif

            dn: dc=example,dc=org
            objectclass: domain
            dc: example
       This  feature  is not part of the LDIF specification in RFC 2849 but is expected to appear
       in a future revision of this spec. It is supported by the ldapadd(1),  ldapmodify(1),  and
       slapadd(8) commands.

SEE ALSO

       ldap(3), ldapsearch(1), ldapadd(1), ldapmodify(1), slapadd(8), slapcat(8), slapd-ldif(5).

       "LDAP Data Interchange Format," Good, G., RFC 2849.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

       OpenLDAP    Software    is    developed   and   maintained   by   The   OpenLDAP   Project
       <http://www.openldap.org/>.  OpenLDAP Software is derived from University of Michigan LDAP
       3.3 Release.