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RE: attribute alias problem

At 08:30 AM 7/2/99 +0200, Van Liedekerke Franky wrote:
>So what does the alternative name do exactly?

Very little.  I believe that it acts like a separate attribute
type with the same syntax except that it may satisfy some
schema checks.

>I know the sun directory
>server uses this the way I described: as an alias for searchin. I expected
>openldap to be the same...

I wouldn't expect them to be same.  I expect them both to behave
in ways which are consistent with the standards they implement.
(SDS implements LDAPv3 and OpenLDAP 1.x implements LDAPv2).

For LDAPv2, I do not believe standards cover alternative attribute names.

LDAPv3 (RFC2252) states:
   Servers MAY recognize additional names and attributes not listed in
   this document, and if they do so, MUST publish the definitions of the
   types in the attributeTypes attribute of their subschema entries.

Hence, LDAPv3 servers are under no obligation to recognize additional
names for attributes even when such names are listed in attributeTypes.
The term "recognize" is not qualified and as such could mean anything.

Portable applications should avoid using alternative attribute names.

Kurt