Re: what is the correct return code for an incomplete entry

["Kurt D. Zeilenga" <Kurt@OpenLDAP.org>]

At 08:26 AM 5/18/01, Ken Morgan wrote:
>We have a scenario in which the results of a single entry search can be an
>incomplete entry,  where some of the attributes of the entry cannot be
>retrieved
>from the server's data repository due to some internal constraints.  We
>want the
>server to return the incomplete entry, but do not know what return code to
>use to signal that the entry is not complete ( X.511 uses an
>incompleteEntry
>boolean flag within the EntryInformation returned by the server to indicate
>this condition).  We considered adminLimitExceeded, but we're not
>convinced that applies  - its description in X.511 seems to indicate that
>no
>partial results are returned to the user.

LDAP provides no means for the server to signal the client that
the entries returned are not complete.  The resultCode in the
SearchDoneResult PDU should not be used for this purpose as this
code applies to the whole operation and not to individual entries
returned by the operation.

One could implement a control which indicated incompleteEntry.
That, of course, would be a new feature and best pursued on
an individual basis or within LDAPext.

>Any advice on how this scenario should be handled?

In LDAPv3, returning partial results is not abnormal... so I
suggest that the result code not be altered based upon the
fact that incomplete results were returned.  That is, if
there were no other exceptional conditions requiring a different
result code, I suggest implementations return success.

To bring this back to LDAPbis area of concern, I think RFC 2251
is clear that partial results can be returned so I don't see
any need for a clarification in this area.

Kurt