Re: object class 'alias'

[Bruce Greenblatt <bgreenblatt@dtasi.com>]

Kur

You've misunderstood the spec.  The structural object class of an entry is
the bottommost one in the object class hierarchy when it is created.
Clause 4.4 is attempting to say that the structural object class of an
entry ultimately descends from either top or alias.  This confusing
terminology is taken from the X.500 series.  It is my understanding that
this particular clause was written in a bar in Rhodes...  E.g. 8.1.19 of
x.501 says:

With respect to a particular entry, the single structural object class used
to determine the DIT Content Rule and DIT Structure Rule applying to the
entry. This object class is indicated by the structuralObjectClass
operational attribute. This object class is the most subordinate object
class of the entry's structural object class superclass chain.

Similarly, 8.3.2 says:

An object or alias entry is characterised by precisely one structural
object class superclass chain which has a single structural object class as
the most subordinate object class. This structural object class is referred
to as the structural object class of the entry.

To the best of my knowledge, X.500 never gives a term for the other object
classes in the chain other than abstract.  

Bruce

>PS:
>
>In my review I noticed the an inconsistency.
>RFC2252 implies the "alias" object class is ABSTRACT
>while RFC2256 declares it as STRUCTURAL.
>
>  RFC2252, 4.4, para 1:
>    In general every entry will contain an abstract class ("top" or
>    "alias")....
>
>  RFC2256, 7.2:
>    ( 2.5.6.1 NAME 'alias' SUP top STRUCTURAL MUST aliasedObjectName )
>
>
>