LDAP Updates

Examples in this documentation depend on features activated in the ds-evaluation setup profile.

For details, see Learn About the Evaluation Setup Profile.

For details on the LDIF format shown in the examples that follow, see RFC 2849.

Add Entries

Add Users

The following example adds two new users:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: cn=Arsene Lupin,ou=Special Users,dc=example,dc=com
objectClass: person
objectClass: top
cn: Arsene Lupin
telephoneNumber: +33 1 23 45 67 89
sn: Lupin

dn: cn=Horace Velmont,ou=Special Users,dc=example,dc=com
objectClass: person
objectClass: top
cn: Horace Velmont
telephoneNumber: +33 1 12 23 34 45
sn: Velmont
EOF

Bulk Adds

The following example adds 10,000 generated entries, using the --numConnections option to perform multiple add operations in parallel:

# Generate user entries with user IDs larger than those that exist,
# and remove container entries from the output:
$ makeldif \
 --outputLdif output.ldif \
 <(sed "s/<sequential:0>/<sequential:100000>/" /path/to/opendj/config/MakeLDIF/example.template)

$ sed '1,10d' output.ldif > /tmp/generated-users.ldif

# Bulk add the generated user entries:
$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery \
 --numConnections 64 \
 /tmp/generated-users.ldif

When you use the --numConnections option, the number of connection is rounded up to the nearest power of two for performance reasons.

Modify Entries

Add Attributes

The following example shows you how to add a description and JPEG photo to Sam Carter’s entry:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=scarter,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
add: description
description: Accounting Manager
-
add: jpegphoto
jpegphoto:<file:///tmp/picture.jpg
EOF

Change an Attribute

The following example replaces the description on Sam Carter’s entry:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=scarter,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
replace: description
description: New description
EOF

Delete an Attribute

The following example deletes the JPEG photo on Sam Carter’s entry:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=scarter,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
delete: jpegphoto
EOF

Delete One Attribute Value

The following example deletes a single CN value on Barbara Jensen’s entry:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
delete: cn
cn: Barbara Jensen
EOF

From Standard Input

A double dash, --, signifies the end of command options. After the double dash, only trailing arguments are allowed. To indicate standard input as a trailing argument, use a bare dash, -, after the double dash.

Consider the following changes expressed in LDIF:

dn: uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
replace: description
description: New description from standard input

To send these changes to the ldapmodify command on standard input, use either of the following equivalent constructions:

# With dashes:
$ cat bjensen-stdin-description.ldif | ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery \
 -- -

# Without dashes:
$ cat bjensen-stdin-description.ldif | ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery

Optimistic Concurrency (MVCC)

Consider an application that lets end users update user profiles through a browser. It stores user profiles as DS entries. End users can look up user profiles and modify them. The application assumes that the end users can tell the right information when they see it, and updates profiles exactly as users see them on their screens.

Suppose two users, Alice and Bob, are busy and often interrupted. Alice has Babs Jensen’s new phone and room numbers. Bob has Babs’s new location and description. Both assume that they have all the information that has changed. What can you do to make sure that your application applies the right changes when Alice and Bob simultaneously update Babs Jensen’s profile?

DS servers have two features to help you in this situation. One of the features is the LDAP Assertion Control, described in Supported LDAP Controls, used to tell the directory server to perform the modification only if an assertion you make stays true. The other feature is DS support for entity tag (ETag) attributes, making it easy to check whether the entry in the directory is the same as the entry you read.

Alice and Bob both get Babs’s entry. In LDIF, the relevant attributes from the entry look like the following. The ETag is a generated value that depends on the content of the entry:

$ ldapsearch \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --baseDN dc=example,dc=com \
 "(uid=bjensen)" \
 telephoneNumber roomNumber l ETag

dn: uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
telephoneNumber: +1 408 555 1862
roomNumber: 0209
l: San Francisco
ETag: ETAG

Bob prepares his changes in your application. Bob is almost ready to submit the new location and description when Carol stops by to ask Bob a few questions.

Alice starts just after Bob, but manages to submit her changes without interruption. Now Babs’s entry has a new phone number, room number, and ETag:

$ ldapsearch \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --baseDN dc=example,dc=com \
 "(uid=bjensen)" \
 telephoneNumber roomNumber l ETag

dn: uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
telephoneNumber: +47 2108 1746
roomNumber: 1389
l: San Francisco
ETag: NEW_ETAG

In your application, you use the ETag value with the assertion control to prevent Bob’s update from succeeding. The application tries the equivalent of the following commands with Bob’s updates:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery \
 --assertionFilter "(ETag=${ETAG})" << EOF
dn: uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
replace: l
l: Grenoble
-
add: description
description: Employee of the Month
EOF

# The LDAP modify request failed: 122 (Assertion Failed)
# Additional Information:  Entry uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com cannot be modified because the request contained an LDAP assertion control and the associated filter did not match the contents of the entry

The application reloads Babs’s entry with the new ETag value, and tries Bob’s update again. This time Bob’s changes do not collide with other changes. Babs’s entry is successfully updated:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery \
 --assertionFilter "(ETag=${NEW_ETAG})" << EOF
dn: uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
replace: l
l: Grenoble
-
add: description
description: Employee of the Month
EOF

# MODIFY operation successful for DN uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com

JSON Attribute

DS servers support attribute values that have JSON syntax as demonstrated in JSON Query Filters.

This example depends on the configuration and sample data used in JSON Query Matching Rule Index. Unless you have installed the server with the evaluation profile, perform the commands in that example to prepare the server before trying this one.

The following example replaces the existing JSON value with a new JSON value:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=bjensen,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
replace: json
json: {"stuff":["things","devices","paraphernalia"]}
EOF

Notice that the JSON object is replaced entirely.

When DS servers receive update requests for Json syntax attributes, they expect valid JSON objects. By default, Json syntax attribute values must comply with The JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Data Interchange Format, described in RFC 7159. You can use the advanced core schema configuration option json-validation-policy to have the server be more lenient in what it accepts, or to disable JSON syntax checking.

The following example relaxes JSON syntax checking to allow comments, single quotes, and unquoted control characters such as newlines, in strings:

$ dsconfig \
 set-schema-provider-prop \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 4444 \
 --bindDN uid=admin \
 --bindPassword password \
 --provider-name "Core Schema" \
 --set json-validation-policy:lenient \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --no-prompt

Change Incoming Updates

Some client applications send updates including attributes with names that differ from the attribute names defined in the LDAP schema. Other client applications might try to update attributes they should not update, such as the operational attributes creatorsName, createTimestamp, modifiersName, and modifyTimestamp. Ideally, you would fix the client application behavior, but that is not always possible. You can configure the attribute cleanup plugin to filter add and modify requests, rename attributes in requests using incorrect names, and remove attributes that applications should not change.

Rename Attributes

The following example renames incoming email attributes to mail attributes:

Configure the attribute cleanup plugin to rename the inbound attribute:

$ dsconfig \
 create-plugin \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 4444 \
 --bindDN uid=admin \
 --bindPassword password \
 --type attribute-cleanup \
 --plugin-name "Rename email to mail" \
 --set enabled:true \
 --set rename-inbound-attributes:email:mail \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --no-prompt

Confirm that it worked as expected:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=newuser,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
uid: newuser
objectClass: person
objectClass: organizationalPerson
objectClass: inetOrgPerson
objectClass: top
cn: New User
sn: User
ou: People
email: newuser@example.com
userPassword: chngthspwd
EOF
$ ldapsearch \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --baseDN dc=example,dc=com \
 "(uid=newuser)" \
  mail

dn: uid=newuser,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
mail: newuser@example.com

Remove Attributes

The following example prevents client applications from adding or modifying creatorsName, createTimestamp, modifiersName, and modifyTimestamp attributes.

Set up the attribute cleanup plugin:

$ dsconfig \
 create-plugin \
 --type attribute-cleanup \
 --plugin-name "Remove attrs" \
 --set enabled:true \
 --set remove-inbound-attributes:creatorsName \
 --set remove-inbound-attributes:createTimestamp \
 --set remove-inbound-attributes:modifiersName \
 --set remove-inbound-attributes:modifyTimestamp \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 4444 \
 --bindDN uid=admin \
 --bindPassword password \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --no-prompt

Confirm that it worked as expected:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=badattr,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
uid: newuser
objectClass: person
objectClass: organizationalPerson
objectClass: inetOrgPerson
objectClass: top
cn: Bad Attr
sn: Attr
ou: People
mail: badattr@example.com
userPassword: chngthspwd
creatorsName: cn=Bad Attr
createTimestamp: Never in a million years.
modifiersName: uid=admin
modifyTimestamp: 20110930164937Z
EOF

$ ldapsearch \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --baseDN dc=example,dc=com \
 "(uid=badattr)" \
 creatorsName createTimestamp modifiersTimestamp modifyTimestamp

dn: uid=badattr,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
creatorsName: uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com
createTimestamp: <timestamp>

Rename Entries

The Relative Distinguished Name (RDN) refers to the part of an entry’s DN that differentiates it from all other DNs at the same level in the directory tree. For example, uid=bjensen is the RDN of the entry with the DN uid=bjensen,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com. When you change the RDN of the entry, you rename the entry, modifying the naming attribute and DN.

In this example, Sam Carter is changing her last name to Jensen, and changing her login from scarter to sjensen. The following example shows you how to rename and change Sam Carter’s entry. Notice the boolean field, deleteoldrdn: 1, which indicates that the previous RDN, uid: scarter, should be removed. Setting deleteoldrdn: 0 instead would preserve uid: scarter on the entry:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: uid=scarter,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modrdn
newrdn: uid=sjensen
deleteoldrdn: 1

dn: uid=sjensen,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
replace: cn
cn: Sam Jensen
-
replace: sn
sn: Jensen
-
replace: homeDirectory
homeDirectory: /home/sjensen
-
replace: mail
mail: sjensen@example.com
EOF

Move Entries

When you rename an entry with child entries, the directory has to move all the entries underneath it.

DS directory servers support the modify DN operation only for moving entries in the same backend, under the same base DN. Depending on the number of entries you move, this can be a resource-intensive operation.

Move a Branch

The following example moves all entries at and below ou=People,dc=example,dc=com under ou=Subscribers,dc=example,dc=com. All the entries in this example are in the same backend. The line deleteoldrdn: 1 indicates that the old RDN, ou: People, should be removed:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN uid=admin \
 --bindPassword password << EOF
dn: ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modrdn
newrdn: ou=Subscribers
deleteoldrdn: 1
newsuperior: dc=example,dc=com
EOF

Be aware that the move does not modify ACIs and other values that depend on ou=People. You must also edit any affected entries.

Move an Entry

The following example moves an application entry that is under dc=example,dc=com under ou=Apps,dc=example,dc=com instead. The line deleteoldrdn: 0 indicates that old RDN, cn, should be preserved:

$ ldapmodify \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com" \
 --bindPassword bribery << EOF
dn: cn=New App,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: moddn
newrdn: cn=An App
deleteoldrdn: 0
newsuperior: ou=Apps,dc=example,dc=com
EOF

Delete Entries

Remove a Branch

This can be a resource-intensive operation. The resources required to remove a branch depend on the number of entries to delete.

The following example shows you how to give an administrator access to use the subtree delete control, and to use the subtree delete option to remove an entry and its child entries:

$ dsconfig \
 set-access-control-handler-prop \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 4444 \
 --bindDN uid=admin \
 --bindPassword password \
 --add global-aci:"(targetcontrol=\"SubtreeDelete\")\
 (version 3.0; acl \"Allow Subtree Delete\"; allow(read) \
 userdn=\"ldap:///uid=kvaughan,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com\";)" \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --no-prompt

$ ldapdelete \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
--bindDN "uid=kvaughan,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com" \
--bindPassword bribery \
--deleteSubtree "ou=Special Users,dc=example,dc=com"

From Standard Input

Consider the following list of users to delete:

$ cat users-to-delete.txt

uid=sfarmer,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
uid=skellehe,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
uid=slee,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
uid=smason,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
uid=speterso,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com
uid=striplet,ou=People,dc=example,dc=com

To send this list to the ldapdelete command on standard input, use either of the following equivalent constructions:

# With dashes:
$ cat users-to-delete.txt | ldapdelete \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com \
 --bindPassword bribery \
 -- -

# Without dashes:
$ cat users-to-delete.txt | ldapdelete \
 --hostname localhost \
 --port 1636 \
 --useSsl \
 --usePkcs12TrustStore /path/to/opendj/config/keystore \
 --trustStorePassword:file /path/to/opendj/config/keystore.pin \
 --bindDN uid=kvaughan,ou=people,dc=example,dc=com \
 --bindPassword bribery

DS 7.1.8

LDAP Updates

Add Entries

Add Users

Bulk Adds

Modify Entries

Add Attributes

Change an Attribute

Delete an Attribute

Delete One Attribute Value

From Standard Input

Optimistic Concurrency (MVCC)

JSON Attribute

Change Incoming Updates

Rename Attributes

Remove Attributes

Rename Entries

Move Entries

Move a Branch

Move an Entry

Delete Entries

Remove a Branch

From Standard Input