LDAP data type

Scope

Objects: Procedures, Transactions, Work Panels, Web Panels
Languages: Java, .NET
Interfaces: Web, Win

Introduction

LDAPClient data type is a new GeneXus type that allows connecting to LDAP servers. It can be used to authenticate users or retrieve attributes under a specified context.

Description

Properties

Methods

Connect

Creates the connection to the LDAP server at the specified host, port and using the specified authentication method. Optionally if user and password were specified they will be used to create the connection.

Returned Values

Numeric: 1 successfully connected, 0 couldn't connect to server.


Example

&ldapClient.Host = 'myServer'
&ldapClient.Port = 389
&ldapClient.AuthenticationMethod = 'simple'
&ldapClient.User = 'myUser'
&ldapClient.Password = 'myPassword'
 
&ret = &ldapClient.Connect()


Disconnect


Terminates the connection with the server.

Example:

& ldapClient.Disconnect()


GetAttribute(String AttName, String context, Properties props)

Return the values of the "AttName" attribute defined by a context and a set of attributes.

Example:

&MatchAtts->Properties

&MatchAtts.set("uid", "John")
for &auxString in &ldapClient.GetAttribute("mail", "ou=People, o=myserver", &MatchAtts)
msg(&auxString)
endfor

See Properties data type.

Considerations

• Java: Information about SASL Authentication: http://java.sun.com/products/jndi/tutorial/ldap/security/sasl.html.
• Java: Information about LDAP Authentication here: http://java.sun.com/products/jndi/tutorial/ldap/security/auth.html
• Java: To use LDAPClient data type in Java, Sun Virtual Machine must be used. 
• Java: Microsoft Virtual Machine doesn´t have native support for it. However it is possible to use LDAPClient (*just authenticate users) with Microsoft VM, if JNDI 1.1.2 is downloaded (JNDI 1.1.2 Class Libraries, LDAP Service Provider, 1.0.3) (http://java.sun.com/products/jndi/downloads/index.html). After that, jndi.jar, ldap.jar, providerutil.jar must be added to classpath.  When using Microsoft VM it will be possible to authenticate users but it won't be possible to retrieve attributes.
• When specifying a context (when retrieving attributes for example) it is important to take into account that contexts are different depending on the directory tree structure and depending on the LDAP server. For example when using Netscape Server a possible context could be:
  
  uid = John, ou = People, dc = myCompany, dc = com
  
  When using Active Directory an example could be:
  
  cn = John, ou = Users , dc = myCompany, dc = com
  
  So it is very important to know that the context being used matches the server's directory tree structure in order to get correct results.