RE: AttributeTypeValue and binary

["Salter, Thomas A" <Thomas.Salter@unisys.com>]

I agree.  I especially want to see the explanation that "binary" means "BER
encoding of an ASN.1 data type" included in the first reference to the
binary option.  First-time readers tend to think that binary means JPEGs and
other non-printable things.


 > -----Original Message-----
 > From: Kurt D. Zeilenga [mailto:Kurt@OpenLDAP.org]
 > Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 4:21 PM
 > To: ietf-ldapbis@OpenLDAP.org
 > Subject: AttributeTypeValue and binary
 > 
 > 
 > RFC 2251, 4.1.6:
 >    A field of type AttributeValue takes on as its value 
 > either a string
 >    encoding of a AttributeValue data type, or an OCTET 
 > STRING containing
 >    an encoded binary value, depending on whether the 
 > "binary" option is
 >    present in the companion AttributeDescription to this 
 > AttributeValue.
 >         AttributeValue ::= OCTET STRING
 > 
 > This wording can be interpreted as either:
 >    A field of type AttributeValue is an OCTET STRING which contains
 >    either a string encoding of a AttributeValue data type or an
 >    binary encoded value depending on whether the "binary" option is
 >    present in the companion AttributeDescription to this 
 > AttributeValue.
 > 
 > or:
 >    A field of type AttributeValue is an OCTET STRING which contains
 >    either a string encoding of a AttributeValue data type or an
 >    OCTET STRING containing an binary encoded value depending on
 >    whether the "binary" option is present in the companion
 >    AttributeDescription to this AttributeValue.
 > 
 > RFC 2252, 4.3.1 provides clarification that the correct 
 > interpretation
 > is the former.  I think RFC 2251 should be clarified to remove any
 > doubt.
 > 
 > Actually, I suggest that the description of the "binary" transfer
 > option be described completely within (and only within) RFC 2251
 > and that "binary" syntax be described within RFC 2252.  
 > 
 > Also as previously noted on the LDAPext mailing list (see archives
 > for discussion), "binary" transfer of values of "binary" syntax
 > makes little sense and likely should be disallowed.
 > 
 > Comments?
 >