Re: should I modify attribute definition in core.schema to suit my need?

[Michael Ströder <michael@stroeder.com>]

Zhang Weiwu wrote:
> Generally I think I should not touch the attribute definition in system
> schema file like core.schema.

Yes!

> However I got a problem here:
> 
> our web application is designed to understand LDAP schema and provider
> proper user interface for each syntax. Our web application can
> understand syntax 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.11 which is "Country
> String", two printable string characters as listed in ISO 3166. For this
> syntax the web application pops up a nice country selector. However when
> user enter 'c' (for country, defined in core.schema as *Directory
> String*) the web application treat it as all other Directory String,
> which is an input box. The users, being confused, typed their country
> name manually (like "American" or "U.S.A."), breaking compatibility
> because 'c' should be two printable string characters as listed in ISO
> 3166.

I'd file an ITS for that.

> We can update our web application to treat 'c' specially, but it's much
> easier to just modify syntax definition of 'c' in core.schema. Can I do
> that? Am I going to get more trouble from doing so?

In web2ldap I had exactly the same problem. Therefore I have implemented
a local schema registry which can override server-side schema. I took
this route since there are so many LDAP servers with completely broken
subschema subentries out there. The nice side-effect is that I can
register arbitrary plugin classes for attribute types and syntaxes.

Ciao, Michael.