Invalid Attribute Syntax Error Message Generated when Exporting Foreign Users to Exchange (260031)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Metadirectory Services 2.1
This article was previously published under Q260031

SYMPTOMS

After you run the Microsoft Exchange LDAP management Agent, you may receive the following error message in the operator's log during the process of Updating the Connected Directory's Foreign Users
Invalid addition response: 21 - INVALID ATTRIBUTE SYNTAX for object cn=user name,cn=Exchangecontainer,cn=recipients,ou=site,o=org
where user name is a name with an apostrophe, such as John O'Neil.

CAUSE

This issue can occur because the templates use a $unquote() function with the second parameter set to 1. Because of this, quotation marks and apostrophes are removed. When a name contains an apostrophe (for example, O'Neil), the apostrophe is removed from the Relative Distinguished Name (RDN) but the Distinguished Name (DN) still contains the apostrophe. The problem occurs because Exchange needs the RDN and the DN of the entry to match exactly. When these values do not match, the user is not permitted to be imported and the error message is recorded in the operator's log.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, edit the Crt.st file and the Exp.st file by changing the value of the second parameter of the $unquote() function from 1 to 0:
  1. Select the MA where the problem is occurring.
  2. Click Properties to view the Properties dialog box.
  3. Click the Record Templates tab.
  4. Click Record this MA's templates to it's Working Directory.
  5. In the MA's working directory, edit the following files:

    Crt.st
    Exp.st

    Change the following syntax from

    "$v_rdn = $unquote($v_rdn, 1)"

    to

    "$v_rdn = $unquote($v_rdn, 0)"

    NOTE: If you are unfamiliar with the storage locations of the template files listed above, click the Intermediate Files and Logs tab in Management Agent Properties. The files and their locations are located in the Working Directory tab.
  6. Click to select the "Update this MA from its working directory's templates located at: DirPath". check box in the properties of the Management Agent Recording Template tab.
  7. Click Update Management Agent on the Action Panel to update the management agent based on the templates you modified in the working directory.
  8. Click Operate MA, run the MA again, and then check the operator logs to verify that the error message is not generated.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/3/2003
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB260031
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.