Subject: referrals/continuations and LDAPUrl (WG last call on the Java API)

From: "Kurt D. Zeilenga" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 16:10:26 -0800

>   The API doesn't distinguish between LDAP search continuation 
>   references and LDAP referrals, presenting a unified interface to the 
>   client for handling the two. 

I would think that an referral/continuation handler provided
the application would need to distinguish the between a
search continuation and a referral. I note that chasing
requirements for referrals and continuations differ, for
example how the client needs to process an LDAP URL with
an absent base differs.

Also, I note it would be useful if methods of LDAPUrl
(4.41.1) distinguished between an explicit and default
parameters of an LDAP URL.  For example getScope() could return
SCOPE_DEFAULT if an explicit scope wasn't provided.  As
this behavior is likely only useful to applications
doing their own referral/reference chasing, likely
best to have some means to enable/disable this behavior.

What does "explicit URL string" imply?  Does it imply
that URLs with implicit parameters are not allowed? 
e.g. LDAPUrl("ldap://")

What does "full-blown LDAP URL" imply?

And "nearest X.500/LDAP"?  nearest?  X.500?

Also, I suggest the default port be 389 so that:
	LDAPUrl("ldap://localhost")
and
	LDAPUrl("localhost", null, null);
are equivalent.

Kurt