Netscape Directory Server Plug-In Programmer's Guide: Chapter 6 Writing Pre/Post-Operation Plug-Ins

Plug-In Programmer's Guide
Netscape Directory Server

Chapter 6 Writing Pre/Post-Operation Plug-Ins

This chapter explains how to write functions that the Netscape Directory Server (Directory Server) calls before and after executing an LDAP operation. These functions are called pre-operation and post-operation plug-in functions.

How Pre/Post-Operation Plug-Ins Work

Types Pre-Operation and Post-Operation Functions

Registering Pre/Post-Operation Functions

How Pre/Post-Operation Plug-Ins Work

The Directory Server can perform the following LDAP operations: Bind, Unbind, Search, Modify, Add, Delete, Modify RDN, Compare, and Abandon.

Note

The Directory Server can also perform extended operations as defined in the LDAP v3 protocol. For information on implementing plug-in functions to execute extended operations, see Chapter 10 "Writing Extended Operation Plug-Ins".

You can configure the Directory Server to call your custom plug-in functions before and after executing any of these LDAP operations.

For example, you can write a pre-operation function that validates an entry before the server performs an LDAP add operation. An example of a post-operation plug-in function would be one that sends a notification to a user after their entry has been modified by an LDAP modify operation.

You can also set up the Directory Server to call your own plug-in functions before and after:

Sending an LDAP entry back to the client

Sending an LDAP result code back to the client

Sending an LDAP referral back to the client

Figure 6-1 illustrates how the Directory Server front-end calls pre-operation and post-operation functions before and after executing an LDAP operation.

When processing a request, the Directory Server will call all registered pre-operation functions before it calls the back-end to service the request. All pre-operation functions must return before the front-end calls the associated back-end function.

Figure 6-1    Calling Pre-Operation and Post-Operation Plug-In Functions

Types Pre-Operation and Post-Operation Functions

As is the case with other server plug-in functions, pre-operation functions and post-operation functions are specified in a parameter block that you can set on server startup. Each function corresponds to an ID in the parameter block. In your initialization function, you can call the slapi_pblock_set() function to specify the name of your function that corresponds to the pre-operation or post-operation function. For more information on the parameter block, see Getting Data from the Parameter Block.

Types of Pre-Operation Functions

Table 6-1 lists the Directory Server pre-operation functions and the purpose of each function.

Table 6-1    Functions Called Before the Directory Server Executes an Operation

ID in Parameter Block

Description

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_BIND_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP bind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Bind Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_UNBIND_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP unbind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Unbind Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_SEARCH_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP search operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Search Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_COMPARE_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP compare operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Compare Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_ADD_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP add operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Add Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_MODIFY_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_MODRDN_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify RDN operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify RDN Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_DELETE_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP delete operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Delete Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_ABANDON_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP abandon operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Abandon Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_ENTRY_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server sends an entry back to the client (for example, when you call slapi_send_ldap_search_entry(), the pre-operation entry function is called before the entry is sent back to the client).

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_REFERRAL_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server sends a referral back to the client (for example, when you call slapi_str2filter(), the pre-operation referral function is called before the referral is sent back to the client).

SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_RESULT_FN

Specifies the function called before the Directory Server sends a result code back to the client (for example, when you call slapi_send_ldap_result(), the pre-operation result function is called before the result code is sent back to the client).

Types of Post-Operation Functions

Table 6-2 lists the Directory Server post-operation functions and the purpose of each function.

Table 6-2    Functions Called After the Directory Server Executes an Operation

ID in Parameter Block

Description

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_BIND_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP bind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Bind Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_UNBIND_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP unbind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Unbind Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_SEARCH_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP search operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Search Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_COMPARE_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP compare operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Compare Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_ADD_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP add operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Add Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_MODIFY_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_MODRDN_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify RDN operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify RDN Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_DELETE_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP delete operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Delete Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_ABANDON_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP abandon operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Abandon Operation.

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_ENTRY_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server sends an entry back to the client (for example, when you call slapi_send_ldap_search_entry(), the post-operation entry function is called after the entry is sent back to the client).

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_REFERRAL_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server sends a referral back to the client (for example, when you call slapi_str2filter(), the pre-operation referral function is called after the referral is sent back to the client).

SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_RESULT_FN

Specifies the function called after the Directory Server sends a result code back to the client (for example, when you call slapi_send_ldap_result(), the pre-operation result function is called after the result code is sent back to the client).

Registering Pre/Post-Operation Functions

To register your pre-operation and post-operation plug-in functions, you need to write an initialization function and then configure the server to load your plug-in. For details, follow the procedures outlined in Writing Plug-in Initialization Functions and Configuring Plug-Ins.

ID in Parameter Block	Description
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_BIND_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP bind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Bind Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_UNBIND_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP unbind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Unbind Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_SEARCH_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP search operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Search Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_COMPARE_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP compare operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Compare Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_ADD_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP add operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Add Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_MODIFY_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_MODRDN_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify RDN operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify RDN Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_DELETE_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP delete operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Delete Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_ABANDON_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server executes an LDAP abandon operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Abandon Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_ENTRY_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server sends an entry back to the client (for example, when you call `slapi_send_ldap_search_entry()`, the pre-operation entry function is called before the entry is sent back to the client).
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_REFERRAL_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server sends a referral back to the client (for example, when you call `slapi_str2filter()`, the pre-operation referral function is called before the referral is sent back to the client).
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_PRE_RESULT_FN`	Specifies the function called before the Directory Server sends a result code back to the client (for example, when you call `slapi_send_ldap_result()`, the pre-operation result function is called before the result code is sent back to the client).

ID in Parameter Block	Description
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_BIND_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP bind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Bind Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_UNBIND_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP unbind operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Unbind Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_SEARCH_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP search operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Search Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_COMPARE_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP compare operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Compare Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_ADD_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP add operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Add Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_MODIFY_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_MODRDN_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP modify RDN operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Modify RDN Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_DELETE_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP delete operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Delete Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_ABANDON_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server executes an LDAP abandon operation. For information on writing this type of function, see Processing an LDAP Abandon Operation.
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_ENTRY_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server sends an entry back to the client (for example, when you call `slapi_send_ldap_search_entry()`, the post-operation entry function is called after the entry is sent back to the client).
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_REFERRAL_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server sends a referral back to the client (for example, when you call `slapi_str2filter()`, the pre-operation referral function is called after the referral is sent back to the client).
`SLAPI_PLUGIN_POST_RESULT_FN`	Specifies the function called after the Directory Server sends a result code back to the client (for example, when you call `slapi_send_ldap_result()`, the pre-operation result function is called after the result code is sent back to the client).

Last Updated October 30, 2003


Note	The Directory Server can also perform extended operations as defined in the LDAP v3 protocol. For information on implementing plug-in functions to execute extended operations, see Chapter 10 "Writing Extended Operation Plug-Ins".