Directory Server (LDAP) - Edit an attribute

Edit an attribute

Not all schema changes are allowed. See Disallowed schema changes for change restrictions.

Any part of a definition can be changed before you have added entries that use the attribute. Use either of the following methods to edit an attribute. The Web administration tool is the preferred method.

Web administration

If you have not done so already, expand Schema management in the navigation area, then click Manage attributes. To edit an attribute:

Click the radio button next to the attribute that you want to edit.
Click Edit .
Select a tab:
- Use the General tab to:
  - Select a tab, either:
    - General to:
      - Change the Description
      - Change the Syntax
      - Set the Attribute length
      - Change the Multiple value settings
      - Select a Matching rule
      - Change the Superior attribute
    - Click the IBM extensions tab to edit the extensions for the attribute, or click OK to apply your changes or click Cancel to return to Manage attributes without making any changes.
    - IBM extensions, if you are using the IBM Directory Server, to:
      - Change the Security class
      - Change the Indexing rules
  - Click OK to apply your changes or click Cancel to return to Manage attributes without making any changes.
Click OK to apply the changes or click Cancel to return to Manage attributes without making any changes.

Command line

This example adds indexing to the attribute, so that searching on it is faster. Use the ldapmodify command and the LDIF file to change the definition:

ldapmodify -D <admindn> -w <adminpw> -i myschemachange.ldif

Where the myschemachange.ldif file contains:

dn: cn=schema
changetype: modify
replace: attributetypes
attributetypes: ( myAttribute-oid NAME ( 'myAttribute' ) DESC 'An attribute
                 I defined for my LDAP application' EQUALITY 2.5.13.2
                 SYNTAX 1.3.6.1.4.1.1466.115.121.1.15 USAGE userApplications )
-
replace: ibmattributetypes
ibmattributetypes: ( myAttribute-oid  DBNAME ( 'myAttrTable' 'myAttrColumn' )
                  ACCESS-CLASS normal LENGTH 200 EQUALITY SUBSTR )

Note:

Both portions of the definition (attributetypes and ibmattributetypes) must be included in the replace operation, even though only the ibmattributetypes section is changing. The only change is adding "EQUALITY SUBSTR" to the end of the definition to request indexes for equality and substring matching.

See ldapmodify and ldapadd for more information about this command.