[//000000001]: # (ldapx \- LDAP extended object interface) [//000000002]: # (Generated from file 'ldapx\.man' by tcllib/doctools with format 'markdown') [//000000003]: # (Copyright © 2006\-2018 Pierre David ) [//000000004]: # (ldapx\(n\) 1\.3 tcllib "LDAP extended object interface")
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# NAME ldapx \- LDAP extended object interface # Table Of Contents - [Table Of Contents](#toc) - [Synopsis](#synopsis) - [Description](#section1) - [OVERVIEW](#section2) - [ENTRY CLASS](#section3) - [Entry Instance Data](#subsection1) - [Entry Options](#subsection2) - [Methods for all kinds of entries](#subsection3) - [Methods for standard entries only](#subsection4) - [Methods for change entries only](#subsection5) - [Entry Example](#subsection6) - [LDAP CLASS](#section4) - [Ldap Instance Data](#subsection7) - [Ldap Options](#subsection8) - [Ldap Methods](#subsection9) - [Ldap Example](#subsection10) - [LDIF CLASS](#section5) - [Ldif Instance Data](#subsection11) - [Ldif Options](#subsection12) - [Ldif Methods](#subsection13) - [Ldif Example](#subsection14) - [References](#section6) - [Bugs, Ideas, Feedback](#section7) - [Keywords](#keywords) - [Category](#category) - [Copyright](#copyright) # SYNOPSIS package require Tcl 8\.5 9 package require ldapx ?1\.3? [*e* __reset__](#1) [*e* __dn__ ?*newdn*?](#2) [*e* __rdn__](#3) [*e* __superior__](#4) [*e* __print__](#5) [*se* __isempty__](#6) [*se* __get__ *attr*](#7) [*se* __get1__ *attr*](#8) [*se* __set__ *attr* *values*](#9) [*se* __set1__ *attr* *value*](#10) [*se* __add__ *attr* *values*](#11) [*se* __add1__ *attr* *value*](#12) [*se* __del__ *attr* ?*values*?](#13) [*se* __del1__ *attr* *value*](#14) [*se* __getattr__](#15) [*se* __getall__](#16) [*se* __setall__ *avpairs*](#17) [*se* __backup__ ?*other*?](#18) [*se* __swap__](#19) [*se* __restore__ ?*other*?](#20) [*se* __apply__ *centry*](#21) [*ce* __change__ ?*new*?](#22) [*ce* __diff__ *new* ?*old*?](#23) [*la* __error__ ?*newmsg*?](#24) [*la* __connect__ *url* ?*binddn*? ?*bindpw*? ?*starttls*?](#25) [*la* __disconnect__](#26) [*la* __traverse__ *base* *filter* *attrs* *entry* *body*](#27) [*la* __search__ *base* *filter* *attrs*](#28) [*la* __read__ *base* *filter* *entry* \.\.\. *entry*](#29) [*la* __commit__ *entry* \.\.\. *entry*](#30) [*li* __channel__ *chan*](#31) [*li* __error__ ?*newmsg*?](#32) [*li* __read__ *entry*](#33) [*li* __write__ *entry*](#34) # DESCRIPTION The __ldapx__ package provides an extended Tcl interface to LDAP directores and LDIF files\. The __ldapx__ package is built upon the __[ldap](ldap\.md)__ package in order to get low level LDAP access\. LDAP access is compatible with RFC 2251 \([http://www\.rfc\-editor\.org/rfc/rfc2251\.txt](http://www\.rfc\-editor\.org/rfc/rfc2251\.txt)\)\. LDIF access is compatible with RFC 2849 \([http://www\.rfc\-editor\.org/rfc/rfc2849\.txt](http://www\.rfc\-editor\.org/rfc/rfc2849\.txt)\)\. # OVERVIEW The __ldapx__ package provides objects to interact with LDAP directories and LDIF files with an easy to use programming interface\. It implements three __[snit](\.\./snit/snit\.md)__::type classes\. The first class, __entry__, is used to store individual entries\. Two different formats are available: the first one is the *standard* format, which represents an entry as read from the directory\. The second format is the *change* format, which stores differences between two standard entries\. With these entries, an application which wants to modify an entry in a directory needs to read a \(standard\) entry from the directory, create a fresh copy into a new \(standard\) entry, modify the new copy, and then compute the differences between the two entries into a new \(change\) entry, which may be commited to the directory\. Such kinds of modifications are so heavily used that standard entries may contain their own copy of the original data\. With such a copy, the application described above reads a \(standard\) entry from the directory, backs\-up the original data, modifies the entry, and computes the differences between the entry and its backup\. These differences are then commited to the directory\. Methods are provided to compute differences between two entries, to apply differences to an entry in order to get a new entry, and to get or set attributes in standard entries\. The second class is the __ldap__ class\. It provides a method to __connect__ and bind to the directory with a uniform access to LDAP and LDAPS through an URL \(ldap:// or ldaps://\)\. The __traverse__ control structure executes a body for each entry found in the directory\. The __commit__ method applies some changes \(represented as __entry__ objects\) to the directory\. Since some attributes are represented as UTF\-8 strings, the option __\-utf8__ controls which attributes must be converted and which attributes must not be converted\. The last class is the __ldif__ class\. It provides a method to associate a standard Tcl *channel* to an LDIF object\. Then, methods __read__ and __write__ read or write entries from or to this channel\. This class can make use of standard or change entries, according to the type of the LDIF file which may contain either standard entries or change entries \(but not both at the same time\)\. The option __\-utf8__ works exactly as with the __ldap__ class\. # ENTRY CLASS ## Entry Instance Data An instance of the __entry__ class keeps the following data: - dn This is the DN of the entry, which includes \(in LDAP terminology\) the RDN \(relative DN\) and the Superior parts\. - format The format may be *uninitialized* \(entry not yet used\), *standard* or *change*\. Most methods check the format of the entry, which can be reset with the __reset__ method\. - attrvals In a *standard* entry, this is where the attributes and associated values are stored\. Many methods provide access to these informations\. Attribute names are always converted into lower case\. - backup In a *standard* entry, the backup may contain a copy of the dn and all attributes and values\. Methods __backup__ and __restore__ manipulate these data, and method __diff__ may use this backup\. - change In a *change* entry, these data represent the modifications\. Such modifications are handled by specialized methods such as __apply__ or __commit__\. Detailed format should not be used directly by programs\. Internally, modifications are represented as a list of elements, each element has one of the following formats \(which match the corresponding LDAP operations\): 1. \{__add__ \{attr1 \{val1\.\.\.valn\} attr2 \{\.\.\.\} \.\.\.\}\} Addition of a new entry\. 1. \{__mod__ \{modop \{attr1 ?val1\.\.\.valn?\} attr2 \.\.\.\} \{modop \.\.\.\} \.\.\.\} Modification of one or more attributes and/or values, where can be __modadd__, __moddel__ or __modrepl__ \(see the LDAP modify operation\)\. 1. \{__del__\} Deletion of an old entry\. 1. \{__modrdn__ newrdn deleteoldrdn ?newsuperior?\} Renaming of an entry\. ## Entry Options No option is defined by this class\. ## Methods for all kinds of entries - *e* __reset__ This method resets the entry to an uninitialized state\. - *e* __dn__ ?*newdn*? This method returns the current DN of the entry\. If the optional *newdn* is specified, it replaces the current DN of the entry\. - *e* __rdn__ This method returns the RDN part of the DN of the entry\. - *e* __superior__ This method returns the superior part of the DN of the entry\. - *e* __print__ This method returns the entry as a string ready to be printed\. ## Methods for standard entries only In all methods, attribute names are converted in lower case\. - *se* __isempty__ This method returns 1 if the entry is empty \(i\.e\. without any attribute\)\. - *se* __get__ *attr* This method returns all values of the attribute *attr*, or the empty list if the attribute is not fond\. - *se* __get1__ *attr* This method returns the first value of the attribute\. - *se* __set__ *attr* *values* This method sets the values \(list *values*\) of the attribute *attr*\. If the list is empty, this method deletes all - *se* __set1__ *attr* *value* This method sets the values of the attribute *attr* to be an unique value *value*\. Previous values, if any, are replaced by the new value\. - *se* __add__ *attr* *values* This method adds all elements the list *values* to the values of the attribute *attr*\. - *se* __add1__ *attr* *value* This method adds a single value given by the parameter *value* to the attribute *attr*\. - *se* __del__ *attr* ?*values*? If the optional list *values* is specified, this method deletes all specified values from the attribute *attr*\. If the argument *values* is not specified, this method deletes all values\. - *se* __del1__ *attr* *value* This method deletes a unique *value* from the attribute *attr*\. - *se* __getattr__ This method returns all attributes names\. - *se* __getall__ This method returns all attributes and values from the entry, packed in a list of pairs \. - *se* __setall__ *avpairs* This method sets at once all attributes and values\. The format of the *avpairs* argument is the same as the one returned by method __getall__\. - *se* __backup__ ?*other*? This method stores in an *other* standard entry object a copy of the current DN and attributes/values\. If the optional *other* argument is not specified, copy is done in the current entry \(in a specific place, see section [OVERVIEW](#section2)\)\. - *se* __swap__ This method swaps the current and backup contexts of the entry\. - *se* __restore__ ?*other*? If the optional argument *other* is given, which must then be a *standard* entry, this method restores the current entry into the *other* entry\. If the argument *other* argument is not specified, this methods restores the current entry from its internal backup \(see section [OVERVIEW](#section2)\)\. - *se* __apply__ *centry* This method applies changes defined in the *centry* argument, which must be a *change* entry\. ## Methods for change entries only - *ce* __change__ ?*new*? If the optional argument *new* is specified, this method modifies the change list \(see subsection [Entry Instance Data](#subsection1) for the exact format\)\. In both cases, current change list is returned\. Warning: values returned by this method should only be used by specialized methods such as __apply__ or __commit__\. - *ce* __diff__ *new* ?*old*? This method computes the differences between the *new* and *old* entries under the form of a change list, and stores this list into the current *change* entry\. If the optional argument *old* is not specified, difference is computed from the entry and its internal backup \(see section [OVERVIEW](#section2)\)\. Return value is the computed change list\. ## Entry Example package require ldapx # # Create an entry and fill it as a standard entry with # attributes and values # ::ldapx::entry create e e dn "uid=joe,ou=people,o=mycomp" e set1 "uid" "joe" e set "objectClass" {person anotherObjectClass} e set1 "givenName" "Joe" e set1 "sn" "User" e set "telephoneNumber" {+31415926535 +2182818} e set1 "anotherAttr" "This is a beautiful day, isn't it?" puts stdout "e\n[e print]" # # Create a second entry as a backup of the first, and # make some changes on it. # Entry is named automatically by snit. # set b [::ldapx::entry create %AUTO%] e backup $b puts stdout "$b\n[$b print]" $b del "anotherAttr" $b del1 "objectClass" "anotherObjectClass" # # Create a change entry, a compute differences between first # and second entry. # ::ldapx::entry create c c diff e $b puts stdout "$c\n[$c print]" # # Apply changes to first entry. It should be the same as the # second entry, now. # e apply c ::ldapx::entry create nc nc diff e $b puts stdout "nc\n[nc print]" # # Clean-up # e destroy $b destroy c destroy nc destroy # LDAP CLASS ## Ldap Instance Data An instance of the __ldap__ class keeps the following data: - channel This is the channel used by the __[ldap](ldap\.md)__ package for communication with the LDAP server\. - lastError This variable contains the error message which appeared in the last method of the __ldap__ class \(this string is modified in nearly all methods\)\. The __error__ method may be used to fetch this message\. ## Ldap Options Options are configured on __ldap__ instances using the __configure__ method\. The first option is used for TLS parameters: - __\-tlsoptions__ *list* Specify the set of TLS options to use when connecting to the LDAP server \(see the __connect__ method\)\. For the list of valid options, see the __[LDAP](ldap\.md)__ package documentation\. The default is __\-request 1 \-require 1 \-ssl2 no \-ssl3 no \-tls1 yes \-tls1\.1 yes \-tls1\.2 yes__\. Example: $l configure -tlsoptions {-request yes -require yes} A set of options of the __ldap__ class is used during search operations \(methods __traverse__, __search__ and __read__, see below\)\. - __\-scope__ __base__|__one__|__sub__ Specify the scope of the LDAP search to be one of __base__, __one__ or __sub__ to specify a base object, one\-level or subtree search\. The default is __sub__\. - __\-derefaliases__ __never__|__seach__|__find__|__always__ Specify how aliases dereferencing is handled: __never__ is used to specify that aliases are never derefenced, __always__ that aliases are always derefenced, __search__ that aliases are dereferenced when searching, or __find__ that aliases are dereferenced only when locating the base object for the search\. The default is __never__\. - __\-sizelimit__ integer Specify the maximum number of entries to be retreived during a search\. A value of __0__ means no limit\. Default is __0__\. - __\-timelimit__ integer Specify the time limit for a search to complete\. A value of __0__ means no limit\. Default is __0__\. - __\-attrsonly__ __0__|__1__ Specify if only attribute names are to be retrieved \(value __1__\)\. Normally \(value __0__\), attribute values are also retrieved\. Default is __0__\. The last option is used when getting entries or committing changes in the directory: - __\-utf8__ pattern\-yes pattern\-no Specify which attribute values are encoded in UTF\-8\. This information is specific to the LDAP schema in use by the application, since some attributes such as jpegPhoto, for example, are not encoded in UTF\-8\. This option takes the form of a list with two regular expressions suitable for the __regexp__ command \(anchored by ^ and $\)\. The first specifies which attribute names are to be UTF\-8 encoded, and the second selects, among those, the attribute names which will not be UTF\-8 encoded\. It is thus possible to say: convert all attributes, except jpegPhoto\. Default is \{\{\.\*\} \{\}\}, meaning: all attributes are converted, without exception\. ## Ldap Methods - *la* __error__ ?*newmsg*? This method returns the error message that occurred in the last call to a __ldap__ class method\. If the optional argument *newmsg* is supplied, it becomes the last error message\. - *la* __connect__ *url* ?*binddn*? ?*bindpw*? ?*starttls*? This method connects to the LDAP server using given URL \(which can be of the form [ldap://host:port](ldap://host:port) or [ldaps://host:port](ldaps://host:port)\)\. If an optional *binddn* argument is given together with the *bindpw* argument, the __connect__ binds to the LDAP server using the specified DN and password\. If the *starttls* argument is given a true value \(__1__, __yes__, etc\.\) and the URL uses the [ldap://](ldap://) scheme, a TLS negotiation is initiated with the newly created connection, before LDAP binding\. Default value: __no__\. This method returns 1 if connection was successful, or 0 if an error occurred \(use the __[error](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#error)__ method to get the message\)\. - *la* __disconnect__ This method disconnects \(and unbinds, if necessary\) from the LDAP server\. - *la* __traverse__ *base* *filter* *attrs* *entry* *body* This method is a new control structure\. It searches the LDAP directory from the specified base DN \(given by the *base* argument\) and selects entries based on the argument *filter*\. For each entry found, this method fetches attributes specified by the *attrs* argument \(or all attributes if it is an empty list\), stores them in the *entry* instance of class __entry__ and executes the script defined by the argument *body*\. Options are used to refine the search\. Caution: when this method is used, the script *body* cannot perform another LDAP search \(methods __traverse__, __search__ or __read__\)\. - *la* __search__ *base* *filter* *attrs* This method searches the directory using the same way as method __traverse__\. All found entries are stored in newly created instances of class __entry__, which are returned in a list\. The newly created instances should be destroyed when they are no longer used\. - *la* __read__ *base* *filter* *entry* \.\.\. *entry* This method reads one or more entries, using the same search criteria as methods __traverse__ and __search__\. All attributes are stored in the entries\. This method provides a quick way to read some entries\. It returns the number of entries found in the directory \(which may be more than the number of read entries\)\. If called without any *entry* argument, this method just returns the number of entries found, without returning any data\. - *la* __commit__ *entry* \.\.\. *entry* This method commits the changes stored in the *entry* arguments\. Each *entry* may be either a *change* entry, or a *standard* entry with a backup\. Note: in the future, this method should use the LDAP transaction extension provided by OpenLDAP 2\.3 and later\. ## Ldap Example package require ldapx # # Connects to the LDAP directory using StartTLS # ::ldapx::ldap create l l configure -tlsoptions {-cadir /etc/ssl/certs -request yes -require yes} set url "ldap://server.mycomp.com" if {! [l connect $url "cn=admin,o=mycomp" "mypasswd" yes]} then { puts stderr "error: [l error]" exit 1 } # # Search all entries matching some criterion # l configure -scope one ::ldapx::entry create e set n 0 l traverse "ou=people,o=mycomp" "(sn=Joe*)" {sn givenName} e { puts "dn: [e dn]" puts " sn: [e get1 sn]" puts " givenName: [e get1 givenName]" incr n } puts "$n entries found" e destroy # # Add a telephone number to some entries # Note this modification cannot be done in the "traverse" operation. # set lent [l search "ou=people,o=mycomp" "(sn=Joe*)" {}] ::ldapx::entry create c foreach e $lent { $e backup $e add1 "telephoneNumber" "+31415926535" c diff $e if {! [l commit c]} then { puts stderr "error: [l error]" exit 1 } $e destroy } c destroy l disconnect l destroy # LDIF CLASS ## Ldif Instance Data An instance of the __ldif__ class keeps the following data: - channel This is the Tcl channel used to retrieve or store LDIF file contents\. The association between an instance and a channel is made by the method __channel__\. There is no need to disrupt this association when the LDIF file operation has ended\. - format LDIF files may contain *standard* entries or *change* entries, but not both\. This variable contains the detected format of the file \(when reading\) or the format of entries written to the file \(when writing\)\. - lastError This variable contains the error message which appeared in the last method of the __ldif__ class \(this string is modified in nearly all methods\)\. The __error__ method may be used to fetch this message\. - version This is the version of the LDIF file\. Only version 1 is supported: the method __read__ can only read from version 1 files, and method __write__ only creates version 1 files\. ## Ldif Options This class defines two options: - __\-ignore__ list\-of\-attributes This option is used to ignore certain attribute names on reading\. For example, to read OpenLDAP replica files \(replog\), one must ignore __replica__ and __time__ attributes since they do not conform to the RFC 2849 standard for LDIF files\. Default is empty list: no attribute is ignored\. - __\-utf8__ pattern\-yes pattern\-no Specify which attribute values are encoded in UTF\-8\. This information is specific to the LDAP schema in use by the application, since some attributes such as jpegPhoto, for example, are not encoded in UTF\-8\. This option takes the form of a list with two regular expressions suitable for the __regexp__ command \(anchored by ^ and $\)\. The first specifies which attribute names are to be UTF\-8 encoded, and the second selects, among those, the attribute names which will not be UTF\-8 encoded\. It is thus possible to say: convert all attributes, except jpegPhoto\. Default is \{\{\.\*\} \{\}\}, meaning: all attributes are converted, without exception\. ## Ldif Methods - *li* __channel__ *chan* This method associates the Tcl channel named *chan* with the LDIF instance\. It resets the type of LDIF object to *uninitialized*\. - *li* __error__ ?*newmsg*? This method returns the error message that occurred in the last call to a __ldif__ class method\. If the optional argument *newmsg* is supplied, it becomes the last error message\. - *li* __read__ *entry* This method reads the next entry from the LDIF file and stores it in the *entry* object of class __entry__\. The entry may be a *standard* or *change* entry\. - *li* __write__ *entry* This method writes the entry given in the argument *entry* to the LDIF file\. ## Ldif Example package require ldapx # This examples reads a LDIF file containing entries, # compare them to a LDAP directory, and writes on standard # output an LDIF file containing changes to apply to the # LDAP directory to match exactly the LDIF file. ::ldapx::ldif create liin liin channel stdin ::ldapx::ldif create liout liout channel stdout ::ldapx::ldap create la if {! [la connect "ldap://server.mycomp.com"]} then { puts stderr "error: [la error]" exit 1 } la configure -scope one # Reads LDIF file ::ldapx::entry create e1 ::ldapx::entry create e2 ::ldapx::entry create c while {[liin read e1] != 0} { set base [e1 superior] set id [e1 rdn] if {[la read $base "($id)" e2] == 0} then { e2 reset } c diff e1 e2 if {[llength [c change]] != 0} then { liout write c } } la disconnect la destroy e1 destroy e2 destroy c destroy liout destroy liin destroy # References # Bugs, Ideas, Feedback This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems\. Please report such in the category *ldap* of the [Tcllib Trackers](http://core\.tcl\.tk/tcllib/reportlist)\. Please also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation\. When proposing code changes, please provide *unified diffs*, i\.e the output of __diff \-u__\. Note further that *attachments* are strongly preferred over inlined patches\. Attachments can be made by going to the __Edit__ form of the ticket immediately after its creation, and then using the left\-most button in the secondary navigation bar\. # KEYWORDS [directory access](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#directory\_access), [internet](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#internet), [ldap](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#ldap), [ldap client](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#ldap\_client), [ldif](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#ldif), [protocol](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#protocol), [rfc 2251](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#rfc\_2251), [rfc 2849](\.\./\.\./\.\./\.\./index\.md\#rfc\_2849) # CATEGORY Networking # COPYRIGHT Copyright © 2006\-2018 Pierre David