Selected Attribute Types

In the interface, attributes are displayed as instances of OM class DS_C_ATTRIBUTE with the attribute type represented as the value of the OM attribute DS_ATTRIBUTE_TYPE, and the attribute value (or values) represented as the value (or values) of the OM attribute DS_ATTRIBUTE_VALUES. Each attribute type has an object identifier, assigned in the standards, which is the value of the OM attribute DS_ATTRIBUTE_TYPE. These object identifiers are represented in the interface by constants with the same name as the directory attribute, and they are prefixed with DS_A_ so that they can be easily identified.

The following table shows the names of the attribute types defined in the standards, together with the BER for encoding of the object identifiers associated with each of them. The second following table shows the names of the attribute types, together with the OM value syntax that is used in the interface to represent values of that attribute type. The second table also includes the range of lengths permitted for the string types. This indicates whether the attribute can be multivalued and which matching rules are provided for the syntax. Following the table is a brief description of each attribute.

The standards define matching rules that are used for deciding whether two values are equal (E), for ordering (O) two values, and for identifying one value as a substring (S) of another in directory service operations. Specific matching rules are given in this topic for certain attributes. In addition, the following general rules apply as indicated:

· All attribute values whose syntax is String(OM_S_NUMERIC_STRING), String(OM_S_PRINTABLE_STRING), or String(OM_S_TELETEX_STRING) are considered insignificant for the following reasons:

- Differences caused by the presence of spaces preceding the first printing character

- Spaces following the last printing character

- More than one consecutive space anywhere within the value

· For all attribute values whose syntax is String(OM_S_TELETEX_STRING), differences in the case of alphabetical characters are considered insignificant.

Note: The third and fourth columns of the following table contain the contents octets of the BER encoding of the object identifier. All these object identifiers stem from the root {joint-iso-ccitt(2) ds(5) attributeType(4)}.

Object Identifiers for Selected Attribute Types

Object Identifier BER

Package	Attribute Type	Decimal	Hexadecimal
BDCP	DS_A_ALIASED_OBJECT_ NAME	85, 4, 1	\x55\x04\x01
BDCP	DS_A_BUSINESS_ CATEGORY	85, 4, 15	\x55\x04\x0F
BDCP	DS_A_COMMON_NAME	85, 4, 3	\x55\x04\x03
BDCP	DS_A_COUNTRY_NAME	85, 4, 6	\x55\x04\x06
BDCP	DS_A_DESCRIPTION	85, 4, 13	\x55\x04\x0D
BDCP	DS_A_DEST_INDICATOR	85, 4, 27	\x55\x04\x1B
BDCP	DS_A_FACSIMILE_ PHONE_NBR	85, 4, 23	\x55\x04\x17
BDCP	DS_A_INTERNAT_ISDN_ NBR	85, 4, 25	\x55\x04\x19
BDCP	DS_A_KNOWLEDGE_ INFO	85, 4, 2	\x55\x04\x02
BDCP	DS_A_LOCALITY_ NAME	85, 4, 7	\x55\x04\x07
BDCP	DS_A_MEMBER	85, 4, 31	\x55\x04\x1F
BDCP	DS_A_OBJECT_CLASS	85, 4, 0	\x55\x04\x00
BDCP	DS_A_ORG_NAME	85, 4, 10	\x55\x04\x0A
BDCP	DS_A_ORG_UNIT_NAME	85, 4, 11	\x55\x04\x0B
BDCP	DS_A_OWNER	85, 4, 32	\x55\x04\x20
BDCP	DS_A_PHYS_DELIV_OFF_ NAME	85, 4, 19	\x55\x04\x13
BDCP	DS_A_POST_OFFICE_BOX	85, 4, 18	\x55\x04\x12
BDCP	DS_A_POSTAL_ADDRESS	85, 4, 16	\x55\x04\x10
BDCP	DS_A_POSTAL_CODE	85, 4, 17	\x55\x04\x11
BDCP	DS_A_PREF_DELIV_ METHOD	85, 4, 28	\x55\x04\x1C
BDCP	DS_A_PRESENTATION_ ADDRESS	85, 4, 29	\x55\x04\x1D
BDCP	DS_A_REGISTERED_ ADDRESS	85, 4, 26	\x55\x04\x1A
BDCP	DS_A_ROLE_OCCUPANT	85, 4, 33	\x55\x04\x21
BDCP	DS_A_SEARCH_GUIDE	85, 4, 14	\x55\x04\x0E
BDCP	DS_A_SEE_ALSO	85, 4, 34	\x55\x04\x22
BDCP	DS_A_SERIAL_NBR	85, 4, 5	\x55\x04\x05
BDCP	DS_A_STATE_OR_PROV_ NAME	85, 4, 8	\x55\x04\x08
BDCP	DS_A_STREET_ADDRESS	85, 4, 9	\x55\x04\x09
BDCP	DS_A_SUPPORT_APPLIC_ CONTEXT	85, 4, 3	\x55\x04\x1E
BDCP	DS_A_SURNAME	85, 4, 4	\x55\x04\x04
BDCP	DS_A_PHONE_NBR	85, 4, 20	\x55\x04\x14
BDCP	DS_A_TELETEX_TERM_ IDENT	85, 4, 22	\x55\x04\x16
BDCP	DS_A_TELEX_NBR	85, 4, 21	\x55\x04\x15
BDCP	DS_A_TITLE	85, 4, 12	\x55\x04\x0C
BDCP	DS_A_USER_PASSWORD	85, 4, 35	\x55\x04\x23
BDCP	DS_A_X121_ADDRESS	85, 4, 24	\x55\x04\x18

Representation of Values for Selected Attribute Types

Attribute Type	OM Value Syntax	Value Length	Multi- valued	Matching Rules
DS_A_ALIASED_ OBJECT_NAME	Object(DS_C_ NAME)	-	no	E
DS_A_BUSINESS_ CATEGORY	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_ STRING)	1128	yes	E, S
DS_A_COMMON_ NAME	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_ STRING)	164	yes	E, S
DS_A_COUNTRY_ NAME	String(OM_S_ PRINTABLE_STRING), as permitted by ISO 3166	2	no	E
DS_A_ DESCRIPTION	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_ STRING)	11024	yes	E, S
DS_A_DEST_ INDICATOR	String(OM_S_ PRINTABLE_STRING), as permitted by Recommendations F.1 and F.31	1128	yes	E, S
DS_A_FACSIMILE_ PHONE_NBR	Object(DS_C_ FACSIMILE_ PHONE_NBR)	-	yes	-
DS_A_INTERNAT_ ISDN_NBR	String(OM_S_ NUMERIC_STRING), as permitted by E.164	1-16	yes	-
DS_A_ KNOWLEDGE_INFO	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_ STRING)	-	yes	E, S
DS_A_LOCALITY_ NAME	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_ STRING)	1128	yes	E, S
DS_A_MEMBER	Object(DS_ C_NAME)	-	yes	E
DS_A_OBJECT_ CLASS	String(OM_S_ OBJECT_ IDENTIFIER_STRING)	-	yes	E
DS_A_ORG_ NAME	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_ STRING)	164	yes	E, S
DS_A_ORG_ UNIT_NAME	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_ STRING)	164	yes	E, S
DS_A_OWNER	Object(DS_ C_NAME)	-	yes	E
DS_A_PHYS_ DELIV_OFF_NAME	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_STRING)	1128	yes	E, S
DS_A_POST_ OFFICE_BOX	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_STRING)	140	yes	E, S
DS_A_POSTAL_ ADDRESS	Object(DS_ C_POSTAL_ ADDRESS)	-	yes	E
DS_A_POSTAL_ CODE	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_STRING)	140	yes	E, S
DS_A_PREF_ DELIV_METHOD	Enum(DS_ Preferred_ Delivery_Method)	-	yes	-
DS_A_ PRESENTATION_ ADDRESS	Object(DS_C_ PRESENTATION_ ADDRESS	-	no	E
DS_A_ REGISTERED_ ADDRESS)	Object(DS_C_ POSTAL_ADDRESS	-	yes	-
DS_A_ROLE_ OCCUPANT	Object(DS_ C_NAME)	-	yes	E
DS_A_SEARCH_ GUIDE	Object(DS_C_ SEARCH_GUIDE)	-	yes	-
DS_A_SEE_ ALSO	Object(DS_C_ NAME)	-	yes	E
DS_A_SERIAL_ NBR	String(OM_S_ PRINTABLE_STRING)	164	yes	E, S
DS_A_STATE_ OR_PROV_NAME	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_STRING)	1128	yes	E, S
DS_A_STREET_ ADDRESS	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_STRING)	1128	yes	E, S
DS_A_SUPPORT_ APPLIC_CONTEXT	String(OM_S_ OBJECT_ IDENTIFIER_STRING)	-	yes	E
DS_A_SURNAME	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_STRING)	164	yes	E, S
DS_A_PHONE_ NBR	String(OM_S_ PRINTABLE_STRING), as permitted by E.123 (for example, +44 582 10101)	132	yes	E, S
DS_A_TELETEX_ TERM_IDENT	Object(DS_C_ TELETEX_ TERM_IDENT)	-	yes	-
DS_A_TELEX_ NBR	Object(DS_C_ TELEX_NBR)	-	yes	-
DS_A_TITLE	String(OM_S_ TELETEX_STRING)	164	yes	E, S
DS_A_USER_ PASSWORD	String(OM_S_ OCTET_STRING)	0128	yes	-
DS_A_X121_ ADDRESS	String(OM_S_ NUMERIC_STRING), as permitted by X.121.	115	yes	E, S

Throughout the descriptions that follow, the term object indicates the directory object whose directory entry contains the corresponding directory attributes.

· DS_A_ALIASED_OBJECT_NAME

This attribute occurs only in alias entries. It assigns the distinguished name (DN) of the object, provided with an alias, using the entry in which this attribute occurs. An alias is an alternative to an object's DN. Any object can (but need not) have one or more aliases. The directory service is said to dereference an alias whenever it replaces the alias during name processing with the DN associated with it by means of this attribute.

· DS_A_BUSINESS_CATEGORY

This attribute provides descriptions of the businesses in which the object is engaged.

· DS_A_COMMON_NAME

This attribute provides the names by which the object is commonly known in the context defined by its position in the DIT. The names can conform to the naming convention of the country or culture with which the object is associated. They can be ambiguous.

· DS_A_COUNTRY_NAME

This attribute identifies the country in which the object is located or with which it is associated in some other important way. The matching rules require that differences in the case of alphabetical characters be considered insignificant. It has a length of two characters and its values are those listed in ISO 3166.

· DS_A_DESCRIPTION

This attribute gives informative descriptions of the object.

· DS_A_DEST_INDICATOR

This attribute provides the country-city pairs by means of which the object can be reached via the public telegram service. The matching rules require that differences in the case of alphabetical characters be considered insignificant.

· DS_A_FACSIMILE_PHONE_NBR

This attribute provides the telephone numbers for facsimile terminals (and their parameters, if required) by means of which the object can be reached or with which it is associated in some other important way.

· DS_A_INTERNAT_ISDN_NBR

This attribute provides the international ISDN numbers by means of which the object can be reached or with which it is associated in some other important way. The matching rules require that differences caused by the presence of spaces be considered insignificant.

· DS_A_KNOWLEDGE_INFO

This attribute occurs only in entries that describe a DSA. It provides a human-intelligible accumulated description of the directory knowledge possessed by the DSA.

· DS_A_LOCALITY_NAME

This attribute identifies geographical areas or localities. When used as part of a directory name, it specifies the localities in which the object is located or with which it is associated in some other important way.

· DS_A_MEMBER

This attribute gives the names of objects that are considered members of the present object; for example, a distribution list for electronic mail.

· DS_A_OBJECT_CLASS

This attribute identifies the object classes to which the object belongs, and it also identifies their superclasses. All such object classes that have object identifiers assigned to them are present, except that object class DS_O_TOP need not (but can) be present provided that some other value is present. This attribute must be present in every entry and cannot be modified. For a further discussion, see Selected Object Classes.

· DS_A_ORG_NAME

This attribute identifies organizations. When used as part of a directory name, it specifies an organization with which the object is affiliated. Several values can identify the same organization in different ways.

· DS_A_ORG_UNIT_NAME

This attribute identifies organizational units. When used as part of a directory name, it specifies an organizational unit with which the object is affiliated. The units are understood to be parts of the organization that the DS_A_ORG_NAME attribute indicates. Several values can identify the same unit in different ways.

· DS_A_OWNER

This attribute gives the names of objects that have responsibility for the object.

· DS_A_PHYS_DELIV_OFF_NAME

This attribute gives the names of cities, towns, villages, and so on, that contain physical delivery offices through which the object can take delivery of physical mail.

· DS_A_POST_OFFICE_BOX

This attribute identifies post office boxes at which the object can take delivery of physical mail. This information is also displayed as part of the DS_A_POSTAL_ADDRESS attribute, if it is present.

· DS_A_POSTAL_ADDRESS

This attribute gives the postal addresses at which the object can take delivery of physical mail. The matching rules require that differences in the case of alphabetical characters be considered insignificant.

· DS_A_POSTAL_CODE

This attribute gives the postal codes that are assigned to areas or buildings through which the object can take delivery of physical mail. This information is also displayed as part of the DS_A_POSTAL_ADDRESS attribute, if it is present.

· DS_A_PREF_DELIV_METHOD

This attribute gives the object's preferred methods of communication, in the order of preference. The values are as follows:

- DS_ANY_DELIV_METHOD, meaning that the object has no preference.

- DS_G3_FACSIMILE_DELIV, meaning via the Group 3 facsimile.

- DS_G4_FACSIMILE_DELIV, meaning via the Group 4 facsimile.

- DS_IA5_TERMINAL_DELIV, meaning via the IA5 text.

- DS_MHS_DELIV, meaning via X.400.

- DS_PHYS_DELIV, meaning via the postal or other physical delivery system.

- DS_PHONE_DELIV, meaning via telephone.

- DS_TELETEX_DELIV, meaning via teletex.

- DS_TELEX_DELIV, meaning via telex.

- DS_VIDEOTEX_DELIV, meaning via videotex.

· DS_A_PRESENTATION_ADDRESS

This attribute contains the OSI presentation address of the object, which is an OSI application entity. The matching rule for a presented value to match a value stored in the directory is that the P-Selector, S-Selector, and T-Selector of the two presentation addresses must be equal, and the N-Addresses of the presented value must be a subset of those of the stored value.

· DS_A_REGISTERED_ADDRESS

This attribute contains mnemonics by means of which the object can be reached via the public telegram service, according to Recommendation F.1. A mnemonic identifies an object in the context of a particular city, and it is registered in the country containing the city. The matching rules require that differences in the case of alphabetical characters be considered insignificant.

· DS_A_ROLE_OCCUPANT

This attribute occurs only in entries that describe an organizational role. It gives the names of objects that fulfill the organizational role.

· DS_A_SEARCH_GUIDE

This attribute contains the criteria that can be used to build filters for conducting searches in which the object is the base object.

· DS_A_SEE_ALSO

This attribute contains the names of objects that represent other aspects of the real-world object that the present object represents.

· DS_A_SERIAL_NBR

This attribute contains the serial numbers of a device.

· DS_A_STATE_OR_PROV_NAME

This attribute specifies a state or province. When used as part of a directory name, it identifies states, provinces, or other geographical regions in which the object is located or with which it is associated in some other important way.

· DS_A_STREET_ADDRESS

This attribute identifies a site for the local distribution and physical delivery of mail. When used as part of a directory name, it identifies the street address (for example, street name and house number) at which the object is located or with which it is associated in some other important way.

· DS_A_SUPPORT_APPLIC_CONTEXT

This attribute occurs only in entries that describe an OSI application entity. It identifies OSI application contexts supported by the object.

· DS_A_SURNAME

This attribute occurs only in entries that describe individuals. The surname by which the individual is commonly known, normally inherited from the individual's parent (or parents) or taken at marriage, as determined by the custom of the country or culture with which the individual is associated.

· DS_A_PHONE_NBR

This attribute identifies telephones by means of which the object can be reached or with which it is associated in some other important way. The matching rules require that differences caused by the presence of spaces and dashes be considered insignificant.

· DS_A_TELETEX_TERM_IDENT

This attribute contains descriptions of teletex terminals by means of which the object can be reached or with which it is associated in some other important way.

· DS_A_TELEX_NBR

This attribute contains descriptions of telex terminals by means of which the object can be reached or with which it is associated in some other important way.

· DS_A_TITLE

This attribute identifies positions or functions of the object within its organization.

· DS_A_USER_PASSWORD

This attribute contains the passwords assigned to the object.

· DS_A_X121_ADDRESS

This attribute identifies points on the public data network at which the object can be reached or with which it is associated in some other important way. The matching rules require that differences caused by the presence of spaces be considered insignificant.