Network Working Group T. Howes
Request for Comments: 1488 University of Michigan
S. Kille
ISODE Consortium
W. Yeong
Performance Systems International
C. Robbins
NeXor Ltd.
July 1993
The X.500 String Representation of Standard Attribute Syntaxes
Status of this Memo
This RFC specifies an IAB standards track protocol for the Internet
community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements.
Please refer to the current edition of the "IAB Official Protocol
Standards" for the standardization state and status of this protocol.
Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Abstract
The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) [9] requires that
the contents of AttributeValue fields in protocol elements be octet
strings. This document defines the requirements that must be
satisfied by encoding rules used to render Directory attribute
syntaxes into a form suitable for use in the LDAP, then goes on to
define the encoding rules for the standard set of attribute syntaxes
defined in [1,2] and [3].
1. Attribute Syntax Encoding Requirements
This section defines general requirements for lightweight directory
protocol attribute syntax encodings. All documents defining attribute
syntax encodings for use by the lightweight directory protocols are
expected to conform to these requirements.
The encoding rules defined for a given attribute syntax must produce
octet strings. To the greatest extent possible, encoded octet
strings should be usable in their native encoded form for display
purposes. In particular, encoding rules for attribute syntaxes
defining non-binary values should produce strings that can be
displayed with little or no translation by clients implementing the
lightweight directory protocols.
Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 1]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 2. Standard Attribute Syntax Encodings For the purposes of defining the encoding rules for the standard attribute syntaxes, the following auxiliary BNF definitions will be used: <a> ::= 'a' | 'b' | 'c' | 'd' | 'e' | 'f' | 'g' | 'h' | 'i' | 'j' | 'k' | 'l' | 'm' | 'n' | 'o' | 'p' | 'q' | 'r' | 's' | 't' | 'u' | 'v' | 'w' | 'x' | 'y' | 'z' | 'A' | 'B' | 'C' | 'D' | 'E' | 'F' | 'G' | 'H' | 'I' | 'J' | 'K' | 'L' | 'M' | 'N' | 'O' | 'P' | 'Q' | 'R' | 'S' | 'T' | 'U' | 'V' | 'W' | 'X' | 'Y' | 'Z' <d> ::= '0' | '1' | '2' | '3' | '4' | '5' | '6' | '7' | '8' | '9' <hex-digit> ::= <d> | 'a' | 'b' | 'c' | 'd' | 'e' | 'f' | 'A' | 'B' | 'C' | 'D' | 'E' | 'F' <k> ::= <a> | <d> | '-' <p> ::= <a> | <d> | ''' | '(' | ')' | '+' | ',' | '-' | '.' | '/' | ':' | '?' | ' ' <CRLF> ::= The ASCII newline character with hexadecimal value 0x0A <letterstring> ::= <a> | <a> <letterstring> <numericstring> ::= <d> | <d> <numericstring> <keystring> ::= <a> | <a> <anhstring> <anhstring> ::= <k> | <k> <anhstring> <printablestring> ::= <p> | <p> <printablestring> <space> ::= ' ' | ' ' <space> 2.1. Undefined Values of type Undefined are encoded as if they were values of type Octet String. 2.2. Case Ignore String A string of type caseIgnoreStringSyntax is encoded as the string value itself. Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 2]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 2.3. Case Exact String The encoding of a string of type caseExactStringSyntax is the string value itself. 2.4. Printable String The encoding of a string of type printableStringSyntax is the string value itself. 2.5. Numeric String The encoding of a string of type numericStringSyntax is the string value itself. 2.6. Octet String The encoding of a string of type octetStringSyntax is the string value itself. 2.7. Case Ignore IA5 String The encoding of a string of type caseIgnoreIA5String is the string value itself. 2.8. IA5 String The encoding of a string of type iA5StringSyntax is the string value itself. 2.9. T61 String The encoding of a string of type t61StringSyntax is the string value itself. 2.10. Case Ignore List Values of type caseIgnoreListSyntax are encoded according to the following BNF: <caseignorelist> ::= <caseignorestring> | <caseignorestring> '$' <caseignorelist> <caseignorestring> ::= a string encoded according to the rules for Case Ignore String as above. Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 3]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 2.11. Case Exact List Values of type caseExactListSyntax are encoded according to the following BNF: <caseexactlist> ::= <caseexactstring> | <caseexactstring> '$' <caseexactlist> <caseexactstring> ::= a string encoded according to the rules for Case Exact String as above. 2.12. Distinguished Name Values of type distinguishedNameSyntax are encoded to have the representation defined in [5]. 2.13. Boolean Values of type booleanSyntax are encoded according to the following BNF: <boolean> ::= "TRUE" | "FALSE" Boolean values have an encoding of "TRUE" if they are logically true, and have an encoding of "FALSE" otherwise. 2.14. Integer Values of type integerSyntax are encoded as the decimal representation of their values, with each decimal digit represented by the its character equivalent. So the digit 1 is represented by the character 2.15. Object Identifier Values of type objectIdentifierSyntax are encoded according to the following BNF: <oid> ::= <descr> | <descr> '.' <numericoid> | <numericoid> <descr> ::= <keystring> <numericoid> ::= <numericstring> | <numericstring> '.' <numericoid> In the above BNF, <descr> is the syntactic representation of an object descriptor. When encoding values of type objectIdentifierSyntax, the first encoding option should be used in preference to the second, which should be used in preference to the Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 4]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 third wherever possible. That is, in encoding object identifiers, object descriptors (where assigned and known by the implementation) should be used in preference to numeric oids to the greatest extent possible. For example, in encoding the object identifier representing an organizationName, the descriptor "organizationName" is preferable to "ds.4.10", which is in turn preferable to the string "2.5.4.10". 2.16. Telephone Number Values of type telephoneNumberSyntax are encoded as if they were Printable String types. 2.17. Telex Number Values of type telexNumberSyntax are encoded according to the following BNF: <telex-number> ::= <actual-number> '$' <country> '$' <answerback> <actual-number> ::= <printablestring> <country> ::= <printablestring> <answerback> ::= <printablestring> In the above, <actual-number> is the syntactic representation of the number portion of the TELEX number being encoded, <country> is the TELEX country code, and <answerback> is the answerback code of a TELEX terminal. 2.18. Teletex Terminal Identifier Values of type teletexTerminalIdentifier are encoded according to the following BNF: <teletex-id> ::= <printablestring> 0*( '$' <printablestring>) In the above, the first <printablestring> is the encoding of the first portion of the teletex terminal identifier to be encoded, and the subsequent 0 or more <printablestrings> are subsequent portions of the teletex terminal identifier. 2.19. Facsimile Telephone Number Values of type FacsimileTelephoneNumber are encoded according to the following BNF: <fax-number> ::= <printablestring> [ '$' <faxparameters> ] Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 5]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 <faxparameters> ::= <faxparm> | <faxparm> '$' <faxparameters> <faxparm> ::= 'twoDimensional' | 'fineResolution' | 'unlimitedLength' | 'b4Length' | 'a3Width' | 'b4Width' | 'uncompressed' In the above, the first <printablestring> is the actual fax number, and the <faxparm> tokens represent fax parameters. 2.20. Presentation Address Values of type PresentationAddress are encoded to have the representation described in [6]. 2.21. UTC Time Values of type uTCTimeSyntax are encoded as if they were Printable Strings with the strings containing a UTCTime value. 2.22. Guide (search guide) Values of type Guide, such as values of the searchGuide attribute, are encoded according to the following BNF: <guide-value> ::= [ <object-class> '#' ] <criteria> <object-class> ::= an encoded value of type objectIdentifierSyntax <criteria> ::= <criteria-item> | <criteria-set> | '!' <criteria> <criteria-set> ::= [ '(' ] <criteria> '&' <criteria-set> [ ')' ] | [ '(' ] <criteria> '|' <criteria-set> [ ')' ] <criteria-item> ::= [ '(' ] <attributetype> '$' <match-type> [ ')' ] <match-type> ::= "EQ" | "SUBSTR" | "GE" | "LE" | "APPROX" 2.23. Postal Address Values of type PostalAddress are encoded according to the following BNF: <postal-address> ::= <t61string> | <t61string> '$' <postal-address> In the above, each <t61string> component of a postal address value is encoded as a value of type t61StringSyntax. Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 6]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 2.24. User Password Values of type userPasswordSyntax are encoded as if they were of type octetStringSyntax. 2.25. User Certificate Values of type userCertificate are encoded according to the following BNF: <certificate> ::= <signature> '#' <issuer> '#' <validity> '#' <subject> '#' <public-key-info> <signature> ::= <algorithm-id> <issuer> ::= an encoded Distinguished Name <validity> ::= <not-before-time> '#' <not-after-time> <not-before-time> ::= <utc-time> <not-after-time> ::= <utc-time> <algorithm-parameters> ::= <null> | <integervalue> | '{ASN}' <hex-string> <subject> ::= an encoded Distinguished Name <public-key-info> ::= <algorithm-id> '#' <encrypted-value> <encrypted-value> ::= <hex-string> | <hex-string> '-' <d> <algorithm-id> ::= <oid> '#' <algorithm-parameters> <utc-time> ::= an encoded UTCTime value <hex-string> ::= <hex-digit> | <hex-digit> <hex-string> 2.26. CA Certificate Values of type cACertificate are encoded as if the values were of type userCertificate. 2.27. Authority Revocation List Values of type authorityRevocationList are encoded according to the following BNF: Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 7]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 <certificate-list> ::= <signature> '#' <issuer> '#' <utc-time> [ '#' <revoked-certificates> ] <revoked-certificates> ::= <algorithm> '#' <encrypted-value> [ '#' 0*(<revoked-certificate>) '#'] <revoked-certificates> ::= <subject> '#' <algorithm> '#' <serial> '#' <utc-time> The syntactic components <algorithm>, <issuer>, <encrypted-value>, <utc-time>, <subject> and <serial> have the same definitions as in the BNF for the userCertificate attribute syntax. 2.28. Certificate Revocation List Values of type certificateRevocationList are encoded as if the values were of type authorityRevocationList. 2.29. Cross Certificate Pair Values of type crossCertificatePair are encoded according to the following BNF: <certificate-pair> ::= <certificate> '|' <certificate> The syntactic component <certificate> has the same definition as in the BNF for the userCertificate attribute syntax. 2.30. Delivery Method Values of type deliveryMethod are encoded according to the following BNF: <delivery-value> ::= <pdm> | <pdm> '$' <delivery-value> <pdm> ::= 'any' | 'mhs' | 'physical' | 'telex' | 'teletex' | 'g3fax' | 'g4fax' | 'ia5' | 'videotex' | 'telephone' 2.31. Other Mailbox Values of the type otherMailboxSyntax are encoded according to the following BNF: <otherMailbox> ::= <mailbox-type> '$' <mailbox> <mailbox-type> ::= an encoded Printable String <mailbox> ::= an encoded IA5 String Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 8]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 In the above, <mailbox-type> represents the type of mail system in which the mailbox resides, for example "Internet" or "MCIMail"; and <mailbox> is the actual mailbox in the mail system defined by <mailbox-type>. 2.32. Mail Preference Values of type mailPreferenceOption are encoded according to the following BNF: <mail-preference> ::= "NO-LISTS" | "ANY-LIST" | "PROFESSIONAL-LISTS" 2.33. MHS OR Address Values of type MHS OR Address are encoded as strings, according to the format defined in [10]. 2.34. Photo Values of type Photo are encoded as if they were octet strings containing JPEG images in the JPEG File Interchange Format (JFIF), as described in [8]. 2.35. Fax Values of type Fax are encoded as if they were octet strings containing Group 3 Fax images as defined in [7]. 3. Acknowledgements Many of the attribute syntax encodings defined in this document are adapted from those used in the QUIPU X.500 implementation. The contribu- tions of the authors of the QUIPU implementation in the specification of the QUIPU syntaxes [4] are gratefully acknowledged. 4. Bibliography [1] The Directory: Selected Attribute Syntaxes. CCITT, Recommendation X.520. [2] Information Processing Systems -- Open Systems Interconnection -- The Directory: Selected Attribute Syntaxes. [3] Barker, P., and S. Kille, "The COSINE and Internet X.500 Schema", RFC 1274, University College London, November 1991. [4] The ISO Development Environment: User's Manual -- Volume 5: QUIPU. Colin Robbins, Stephen E. Kille. Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 9]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 [5] Kille, S., "A String Representation of Distinguished Names", RFC 1485, July 1993. [6] Kille, S., "A String Representation for Presentation Addresses", RFC 1278, University College London, November 1991. [7] Terminal Equipment and Protocols for Telematic Services - Standardization of Group 3 facsimile apparatus for document transmission. CCITT, Recommendation T.4. [8] JPEG File Interchange Format (Version 1.02). Eric Hamilton, C- Cube Microsystems, Milpitas, CA, September 1, 1992. [9] Yeong, W., Howes, T., and S. Kille, "Lightweight Directory Access Protocol", RFC 1487, Performance Systems International, University of Michigan, ISODE Consortium, July 1993. [10] Kille, S., "Mapping between X.400(1988)/ISO 10021 and RFC 822", RFC 1327, University College London, May 1992. 5. Security Considerations Security issues are not discussed in this memo. Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 10]
RFC 1488 X.500 Syntax Encoding July 1993 6. Authors' Addresses Tim Howes University of Michigan ITD Research Systems 535 W William St. Ann Arbor, MI 48103-4943 USA Phone: +1 313 747-4454 EMail: tim@umich.edu Steve Kille ISODE Consortium PO Box 505 London SW11 1DX UK Phone: +44-71-223-4062 EMail: S.Kille@isode.com Wengyik Yeong PSI, Inc. 510 Huntmar Park Drive Herndon, VA 22070 USA Phone: +1 703-450-8001 EMail: yeongw@psilink.com Colin Robbins NeXor Ltd University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD UK Howes, Kille, Yeong & Robbins [Page 11]
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