LDIF(5) 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 llddaappaadddd(1) and llddaappsseeaarrcchh(1),
       read and write LDIF.

       The basic form of an LDIF entry is:

           dn: 
           : 
           : 
           :: 
           :< 
           ...

       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  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  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.

EEXXAAMMPPLLEE
       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
       llddaapp(3), llddaappsseeaarrcchh(1), llddaappaadddd(1).

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

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



OpenLDAP 2.2.19                   2004/11/26                           LDIF(5)