ldif

LDIF(5)                                                                LDIF(5)



NAME
       ldif - LDAP Data Interchange Format

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

       The basic form of an LDIF entry 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 sharpe 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.

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
            ...

       Notice  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.

SEE ALSO
       ldap(3),   ldapsearch(1),   ldapadd(1)   LDAP   Data  Interchange  For-
       mat,Good,G.,RFC2849.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
       OpenLDAP  is  developed  and  maintained  by   The   OpenLDAP   Project
       (http://www.openldap.org/).   OpenLDAP  is  derived  from University of
       Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.



OpenLDAP 2.0.27-Release         20 August 2000                         LDIF(5)