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 ldapadd(1)
          and ldapsearch(1), read and write LDIF.

          The basic form of an LDIF entry is:

              dn: <distinguished name>
              <attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
              <attrdesc>: <attrvalue>
              <attrdesc>:: <base64-encoded-value>
              <attrdesc>:< <URL>
              ...

          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 <attrtype> 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 <attrtype>
          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.
     EXAMPLE
          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
          ldap(3), ldapsearch(1), ldapadd(1).

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

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