Attributes in the Directory

This section contains these topics:

• About Attribute Management

• Managing Attributes by Using Oracle Directory Manager

• Managing Attributes by Using Command-Line Tools

  See Also: "Attribute Options" for information about attribute options "Managing Entries with Attribute Options by Using Oracle Directory Manager" and "Managing Entries with Attribute Options by Using Command-Line Tools" for instructions on adding and deleting attribute options and for searching for entries containing attribute options "Size of Attribute Values" for information about using syntax to specify the size of the attribute value

About Attribute Management

You need to understand attributes from a conceptual standpoint before attempting operations involving attributes.

In most cases, the attributes available in the base schema will suit the needs of your organization. However, if you decide to use an attribute not available in the base schema, you can add a new attribute or modify an existing one.

By default, attributes are multi-valued. You can specify an attribute as single-valued by using either Oracle Directory Manager or command-line tools.

See Also: "Attributes" for a conceptual discussion of attributes

Rules for Adding Attributes

The rules for adding attributes are:

• The name and the object identifier of an attribute must be unique across all the schema components.

• Syntax and matching rules must agree.

• Any super attributes must already exist.

Rules for Modifying Attributes

The rules for modifying attributes are:

• The name and the object identifier of an attribute must be unique across all the schema components.

• The syntax of an attribute cannot be modified.

• A single-valued attribute can be made multi-valued, but a multi-valued attribute cannot be made single-valued.

• You cannot modify or delete base schema attributes.

Rules for Deleting Attributes

The rules for deleting attributes are:

• You can delete only user-defined attributes. Do not delete attributes from the base schema.

• You can delete any attribute that is not referenced directly or indirectly by some other schema component.

  If you delete an attribute that is referenced by any entry, that entry will no longer be available for directory operations.

  See Also: "Size of Attribute Values" for information about using syntax to specify the size of the attribute value

Managing Attributes by Using Oracle Directory Manager

This section tells you how to use Oracle Directory Manager to search for, view, add, modify, delete, and index attributes.

Viewing All Directory Attributes by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To view attributes by using Oracle Directory Manager:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers, directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management.

3. In the right pane, select the Attributes tab page This tab page displays a table containing the attribute properties. The columns in this table are described in Table C-24.

   See Also: "Viewing Attributes for a Specific Entry by Using Oracle Directory Manager" for instructions about how to view attributes for a specific entry

Searching for Attributes by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To search for attributes by using Oracle Directory Manager:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers and directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management. The corresponding tab pages appear in the right pane.

3. Select the Attributes tab page.

4. Choose the Find Attributes button in the lower right corner. The Find Attributes dialog box appears

5. In the menu at the left end of the search criteria bar, select the property of the attributes for which you want to search. Options are described in Table C-24.

6. In the menu in the middle of the search criteria bar, select the filter you want to use for your search. Options are described in Table C-25.

7. In the text box at the right end of the search criteria bar, type part or all of the value of the attribute for which you want to search. For example, to search for all attributes whose names begin with the letters orcl, you would type those letters in the text box at the right end of the search criteria bar and create the phrase Name Begins With orcl.

8. To further refine your search, use the buttons in the Search Criteria box to enhance the search criteria bar. These are described in Table C-26.

9. Choose Search. The results of your search appear in the window at the lower portion of the Find Attributes dialog box.

Adding an Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager

You can add a completely new attribute, or copy from an existing one.

Tip: Because equality, syntax, and matching rules are numerous and complex, it may be simpler to copy these characteristics from a similar existing attribute. See "Creating a New Attribute from an Existing One by Using Oracle Directory Manager".

Adding a New Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To add a new attribute:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers and directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management.

3. In the right pane, select the Attributes tab, then choose the Create button in the toolbar. The New Attribute Type dialog box appears. It contains two tab pages--General and Advanced--with fields in which you either enter values or select from menus.

4. In the General tab, enter values in each of the fields. These are described in Table C-27.

5. Select the Advanced tab, and enter values in each of the fields. These are described in Table C-28.

6. Choose OK.

   Note: To use this attribute, remember to declare it to be part of the attribute set for an object class. You do this by selecting Schema Management in the navigator pane, then, in the right pane, selecting the Object Classes tab page. For further instructions, see "Guidelines for Modifying Object Classes".

Creating a New Attribute from an Existing One by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To add an attribute by copying an existing attribute:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers and directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management.

3. In the right pane, select the Attributes tab.

4. In the Attributes tab page, select the attribute you want to copy.

5. Choose Create Like. The New Attribute Type dialog box for that attribute appears. This dialog box contains two tab pages--General and Advanced.

6. Select the General tab and enter values in each of the fields. These are described in Table C-27. You must always change the DN to that of the new attribute.

7. Select the Advanced tab and enter values in each of the fields. These are described in Table C-28.

8. Choose OK.

   Note: To use this attribute, remember to declare it to be part of the attribute set for an object class. You do this by selecting Schema Management in the navigator pane, then, in the right pane, selecting the Object Classes tab page. For further instructions, see "Guidelines for Modifying Object Classes".

Modifying an Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To modify an attribute by using Oracle Directory Manager:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers and directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management.

3. In the right pane, select the Attributes tab, then select an editable attribute in the list.

4. Choose Edit. The Attribute dialog box displays two tab pages--General and Advanced--with fields in which you enter values either by typing or selecting from menus.

5. Select the General tab and enter values in each of the fields. These are described in Table C-27.

6. Select the Advanced tab and enter values in each of the fields. These are described in Table C-28.

7. Choose OK.

Deleting an Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager

Note: You can delete only user-defined attributes. Do not delete attributes from the base schema.

To delete an attribute:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers and directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management.

3. In the right pane, select the Attributes tab, then select an editable attribute in the list.

4. Choose Delete.

Indexing an Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager

Oracle Internet Directory uses indexes to make attributes available for searches. When Oracle Internet Directory is installed, certain attributes are already indexed. If you want to use additional attributes in search filters, you must index them.

Note: You can use Oracle Directory Manager to index an attribute only at the time when you create it. You cannot use Oracle Directory Manager to index an already existing attribute. To index an already existing attribute, use the Catalog Management tool as described in "Indexing an Attribute by Using Command-Line Tools". You can index only those attributes that have: An equality matching rule Matching rules supported by Oracle Internet Directory as listed in "Matching Rules" Less than 128 characters in their names

Viewing Indexed Attributes by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To view indexed attributes:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers and directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management.

3. In the right pane, select the Attributes tab page. This tab page displays all of the attributes in the schema. A selected check box in the Indexed column indicates an indexed attribute.

Adding an Index to an Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To add an index to an attribute:

1. Create an attribute as described in "Adding an Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager".

2. In the New Attribute Type dialog box, on the Advanced tab page, select the Indexed check box.

Dropping an Index from an Attribute by Using Oracle Directory Manager

To drop an index from an attribute:

1. In the navigator pane, expand each of the following objects in succession: Oracle Internet Directory Servers and directory server instance.

2. Select Schema Management.

3. In the right pane, select the Attributes tab.

4. Select the indexed attribute. Note that this must be an attribute that is editable as indicated by the icon to the left of the attribute name.

5. Choose Drop Index.

Managing Attributes by Using Command-Line Tools

This section discusses adding, modifying, and indexing attributes by using command-line tools.

Adding and Modifying Attributes by Using ldapmodify

To add a new attribute to the schema by using ldapmodify, type a command similar to the following at the system prompt:

ldapmodify -h host -p port -f ldif_file_name

The LDIF file contains data similar to this:

dn: cn=subschemasubentry
changetype: modify
add: attributetypes
attributetypes: ( 1.2.3.4.5 NAME 'myattr' SYNTAX

                 '1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.38' )

To specify an attribute as single-valued, include in the attribute definition entry in the LDIF file the keyword SINGLE-VALUE with surrounding white space.

You can find a given syntax Object ID by using either Oracle Directory Manager or the ldapsearch command line tool.

See Also: "ldapmodify Syntax" for a detailed explanation of ldapmodify and its options "Syntaxes in the Directory" for instructions on how to view syntaxes by using either Oracle Directory Manager or ldapsearch

Deleting Attributes by Using ldapmodify

Note: You can delete only user-defined attributes. Do not delete attributes from the base schema.

To delete an attribute by using ldapmodify, type a command similar to the following at the system prompt:

ldapmodify -h host -p port -f ldif_file_name

The LDIF file contains data similar to this:

dn: cn=subschemasubentry
changetype: modify
delete: attributetypes
attributetypes: ( 1.2.3.4.5 NAME 'myattr' SYNTAX

                 '1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.38' )

You can find a given syntax Object ID by using either Oracle Directory Manager or the ldapsearch command line tool.

See Also: "ldapmodify Syntax" for a detailed explanation of ldapmodify and its options "Syntaxes in the Directory" for instructions on how to view syntaxes by using either Oracle Directory Manager or ldapsearch

Indexing an Attribute by Using Command-Line Tools

Oracle Internet Directory uses indexes to make attributes available for searches. When Oracle Internet Directory is installed, the entry cn=catalogs lists available attributes that can be used in a search.

If you want to use additional attributes in search filters, you must add them to the catalog entry. You can index only those attributes that have:

• An equality matching rule

• Matching rules supported by Oracle Internet Directory as listed in "Matching Rules"

• No more than 128 characters in their names

You can index a new attribute--that is, one for which no data exists in the directory--by using ldapmodify. You can index an attribute for which data already exists in the directory by using the Catalog Management tool. You can drop an index from an attribute by using ldapmodify, but Oracle Corporation recommends that you use the Catalog Management tool.

Indexing an Attribute for Which No Data Exists by Using ldapmodify

Once you have defined a new attribute in the schema, you can add it to the catalog entry by using ldapmodify.

To add an attribute for which no directory data exists by using ldapmodify, import an LDIF file by using ldapmodify. For example, to add a new attribute foo that has already been defined in the schema, import the following LDIF file by using ldapmodify:

dn: cn=catalogs 
changetype: modify 
add: orclindexedattribute 
orclindexedattribute: foo

You should not use this method to index an attribute for which data exists in the directory. To index such an attribute, use the Catalog Management tool.

Dropping an Index from an Attribute by Using ldapmodify

To drop an index from an attribute by using ldapmodify, specify delete in the LDIF file. For example:

dn: cn=catalogs 
changetype: modify 
delete: orclindexedattribute
orclindexedattribute: foo

See Also: "ldapmodify Syntax"

Indexing an Attribute for Which Data Exists by Using the Catalog Management Tool

Use the Catalog Management tool to index an attribute for which data already exists and to drop an index from an attribute.

See Also: "The Catalog Management Tool (catalog.sh) Syntax"

Note: Unless you are absolutely sure that the indexes were not created by the base schema that was installed with Oracle Internet Directory, be careful not to use the catalog.sh -delete option to remove indexes from attributes. Removing indexes from base schema attributes can adversely impact the operation of Oracle Internet Directory.