Overview - Object Identifier Files

The X/Open Directory Service (XDS) interface offers client application programmers the ability to create and maintain names in either CDS or GDS. Programmers can also create new CDS attribute names or GDS attribute type labels. In the DCE R1.1 Directory Service, every CDS attribute name and GDS attribute type label has a corresponding unique number called an object identifier, or OID.

CDS provides a method for translating between object identifiers and human-readable names. This translation capability enables users to enter names instead of object identifiers at the DCE control program (dcecp) interface. Also, the dcecp program displays the names rather than object identifiers in command output. CDS attribute names and their corresponding identifiers are stored in a file called cds_attributes. GDS attribute type labels and their corresponding identifiers are stored in a file called cds_globalnames. (See the OSF DCE Administration Guide - Introduction and the OSF DCE Testing Guide for the full pathnames of all CDS files.)

This topic describes the contents and usage of both the cds_attributes and cds_globalnames files and explains how application developers or Directory Service managers can update the files with the object identifiers of new attributes.