LDIF(5) 							File Formats Manual							   LDIF(5)

NAME

       ldif - LDAP Data Interchange Format

DESCRIPTION

       The  LDAP  Data Interchange Format (LDIF) is used to represent LDAP entries in text form. LDAP tools, such as ldapadd(1) and ldapsearch(1),
       read and write LDIF.

       The basic form of an LDIF entry 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 sharpe 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.

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
	    ...

       Notice 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.

SEE ALSO

       ldap(3), ldapsearch(1), ldapadd(1).

       "LDAP Data Interchange Format," Good, G., RFC 2849.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

       OpenLDAP  is  developed and maintained by The OpenLDAP Project (http://www.openldap.org/).  OpenLDAP is derived from University of Michigan
       LDAP 3.3 Release.

OpenLDAP 2.1.X							    RELEASEDATE 							   LDIF(5)