# ldif

## 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.
    


## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS



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


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