content/api/user-guide/4.2.1.1-attribute-types.mdtext

Title: 4.2.1.1 - AttributeTypes
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# 4.2.1.1 - AttributeTypes

The **AttributeType** **SchemaObject** exposes extra parameters. Here is the description as found in RFC 4512 :

    4.1.2.  Attribute Types

    Attribute Type definitions are written according to the ABNF:

     AttributeTypeDescription = LPAREN WSP
         numericoid                    ; object identifier
         [ SP "NAME" SP qdescrs ]      ; short names (descriptors)
         [ SP "DESC" SP qdstring ]     ; description
         [ SP "OBSOLETE" ]             ; not active
         [ SP "SUP" SP oid ]           ; supertype
         [ SP "EQUALITY" SP oid ]      ; equality matching rule
         [ SP "ORDERING" SP oid ]      ; ordering matching rule
         [ SP "SUBSTR" SP oid ]        ; substrings matching rule
         [ SP "SYNTAX" SP noidlen ]    ; value syntax
         [ SP "SINGLE-VALUE" ]         ; single-value
         [ SP "COLLECTIVE" ]           ; collective
         [ SP "NO-USER-MODIFICATION" ] ; not user modifiable
         [ SP "USAGE" SP usage ]       ; usage
         extensions WSP RPAREN         ; extensions

     usage = "userApplications"     /  ; user
             "directoryOperation"   /  ; directory operational
             "distributedOperation" /  ; DSA-shared operational
             "dSAOperation"            ; DSA-specific operational

The follwing methods have been added to cover ones not already present within the **SchemaObject** interface :

* getEquality() : returns the **MatchingRule** instance used to control the equality of the **AttributeType**
* getEqualityName() : returns the name of the EQUALITY **MatchingRule**.
* getEqualityOid() : returns the OID of the EQUALITY **MatchingRule**.
* getOrdering() : returns the **MatchingRule** instance used to control the ordering of the *AttributeType**
* getOrderingName() : returns the name of the ORDERING **MatchingRule**.
* getOrderingOid() : returns the OID of the ORDERING **MatchingRule**.
* getSubstring() : returns the **MatchingRule** instance used to match a substring from the **AttributeType**
* getSubstringName() : returns the name of the SUBSTR **MatchingRule**.
* getSubstringOid() : returns the OID of the SUBSTR **MatchingRule**.
* getSuperior() : returns the **AttributeType** instance that this instance inherits from
* getSuperiorName() : returns the superior **AttributeType**'s name
* getSuperiorOid() : returns the superior **AttributeType**'s OID
* getSyntax() : returns the associated **LdapSyntax** instance (or the parent's **AttributeType**'s one)
* getSyntaxLength() : returns the maximum length for the **AttributeType** value
* getSyntaxName() : returns the associated **LdapSyntax** instance's name
* getSyntaxOid() :  returns the associated **LdapSyntax** instance's OID
* getUsage() : returns the usage (one of (USER_APPLICATIONS, DIRECTORY_OPERATION, DISTRIBUTED_OPERATION and DSA_OPERATION)
* isAncestorOf(AttributeType) : tells if the **AttributeType** is the superior of another one
* isCollective() : tells if the **AttributeType** is a collective attribute
* isDescendantOf(AttributeType)
* isOperational() : tells if the **AttributeType** is an operational attribute (one of DIRECTORY_OPERATION, DISTRIBUTED_OPERATION and DSA_OPERATION)
* isSingleValued() : tells if the **AttributeType** only accept single values
* isUser() : tells if the **AttributeType** is a USER_APPLICATIONS attribute
* isUserModifiable() : tells if the **AttributeType** is modifiable or not

What is important to know is that an **AttributeType** may inherit some characteristics from a **SUP** **AttributeType**. For example, the **Syntax**, **MatchingRules**, etc. In any case, if you don't define the specific characteristics for a given **AttributeType**, they'll be inherited from its parent -- if there is one.