Subject: Protocol: Add, ModDN, and RDN attrs

From: "Jim Sermersheim" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 11:07:25 -0700

For the Add operation, the protocol document states:
 
>Clients MUST include distinguished values (those forming the entry's
own RDN) in this list

It is silent on whether the distinguished value(s) are to be present
when renaming an entry's RDN using Modify DN.

I believe the language in Add is flawed, as a read of X.511 says

Add:
'The entry argument contains the attribute information which, together
with that from the RDN, constitutes the entry to be created"

Modify DN:
"If an attribute value in the newRDN does not already exist in the
entry (either as part of the old RDN or as a non-distinguished value),
it is added. If it cannot be added, an error is returned."

The statements from X.511 are clear that the attribute(s) named in the
RDN are added (if needed) as part of the operation.

I propose aligning the Protocol text for Add and Modify DN with X.511.
I worry about breaking implementations though. I know of at least one
implementation that is aligned with the wording in X.511. I imagine most
or all X.500 vendors also follow this.

Comments?

Jim

---

From: Mark Smith <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 17:02:28 -0500

> or all X.500 vendors also follow this.

I am not sure this change is justified.  What problem are you trying to 
address?  The language in 2251 is fairly clear; I suspect we will break 
implementations if we make this change to the LDAP protocol.

-Mark