Additional Rules

The table below summarizes major points to remember about CDS, GDS, and DNS character sets, metacharacters, restrictions, case-matching rules, internal storage of data, and ordering of elements in a name. For additional details, see the documentation for each technology.

Summary of CDS, GDS, and DNS Characteristics

Characteristic CDS GDS DNS

Character Set a to z, A to Z, 0 to 9 plus space and special characters shown in the figure, Valid Characters in CDS, GDS, and DNS Names a to z, A to Z, 0 to 9 plus . : , ' + - = ( ) ? / and space a to z, A to Z, 0 to 9 plus . -

Metacharacters / * ? \ / , = \ .

Restrictions Simple names cannot contain slashes.

The first simple name following the global cell name (or /.: prefix) cannot contain an equal sign.

When entering a name as part of a cdscp show or list command, you must use a backslash to escape any asterisk or question mark character in the rightmost simple name. Otherwise, the character is interpreted as a wildcard. Relative distinguished names cannot begin or end with a slash.

Attribute types must begin with an alphabetic character, can contain only alphanumerics, and cannot contain spaces. An alternate method of specifying attribute types is by object identifier, a sequence of digits separated by . (dots).

You must use backslash to escape a slash, a comma, and an equal sign when using them as anything other than metacharacters.

Multiple consecutive unescaped occurrences of slashes, commas, equal signs and backslashes are not allowed.

Each attribute value assertion contains exactly one unescaped equal sign. The first character must be alphabetic.

The first and last characters cannot be . (dot) or - (dash).

Cell names in DNS must contain at least one dot; they must be more than one level deep.

Case-Matching Rules Case exact Attribute types are matched case insensitive. The case-matching rule for an attribute value can be case exact or case insensitive, depending on the rule defined for its type at the DSA. Case insensitive

Internal Representation Case exact Depends on the case-matching rule defined at DSA. If the rule says case insensitive, alphabetic characters are converted to all lowercase characters. Spaces are removed regardless of the case-matching rule. Alphabetic characters are converted to all lowercase characters.

Ordering of Name Elements Big endian (left to right from root to lower-level names). Big endian (left to right from root to lower-level names). Little endian (right to left from root to lower-level names).

Characteristic	CDS	GDS	DNS
Character Set	a to z, A to Z, 0 to 9 plus space and special characters shown in the figure, Valid Characters in CDS, GDS, and DNS Names	a to z, A to Z, 0 to 9 plus . : , ' + - = ( ) ? / and space	a to z, A to Z, 0 to 9 plus . -
Metacharacters	/ * ? \	/ , = \	.
Restrictions	Simple names cannot contain slashes. The first simple name following the global cell name (or /.: prefix) cannot contain an equal sign. When entering a name as part of a cdscp show or list command, you must use a backslash to escape any asterisk or question mark character in the rightmost simple name. Otherwise, the character is interpreted as a wildcard.	Relative distinguished names cannot begin or end with a slash. Attribute types must begin with an alphabetic character, can contain only alphanumerics, and cannot contain spaces. An alternate method of specifying attribute types is by object identifier, a sequence of digits separated by . (dots). You must use backslash to escape a slash, a comma, and an equal sign when using them as anything other than metacharacters. Multiple consecutive unescaped occurrences of slashes, commas, equal signs and backslashes are not allowed. Each attribute value assertion contains exactly one unescaped equal sign.	The first character must be alphabetic. The first and last characters cannot be . (dot) or - (dash). Cell names in DNS must contain at least one dot; they must be more than one level deep.
Case-Matching Rules	Case exact	Attribute types are matched case insensitive. The case-matching rule for an attribute value can be case exact or case insensitive, depending on the rule defined for its type at the DSA.	Case insensitive
Internal Representation	Case exact	Depends on the case-matching rule defined at DSA. If the rule says case insensitive, alphabetic characters are converted to all lowercase characters. Spaces are removed regardless of the case-matching rule.	Alphabetic characters are converted to all lowercase characters.
Ordering of Name Elements	Big endian (left to right from root to lower-level names).	Big endian (left to right from root to lower-level names).	Little endian (right to left from root to lower-level names).