---
name: "ud.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "ldap-utils"
version: "2.0.23-6.3"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ud.conf"
---

# ud.conf(5)

ud configuration file

## NAME

ud.conf - ud configuration file

## SYNOPSIS

/etc/ldap/ud.conf

## DESCRIPTION

The *ud* configuration file is used to set system-wide defaults to be applied when running *ud*. Note that each user may specify an optional configuration file, *.udrc*, in his/her home directory which will be used instead of the system-wide configuration file.

## OPTIONS

The different configuration options are:

- **HOST \<name\>**

  Used to specify the name of an LDAP server to which  *ud* should connect.  There may be only one entry per config file. The server's name can be specified as a domain-style name or an IP address.

- **BASE \<base\>**

  Used to specify the search base to use when performing search operations. The base may be changed by those using *ud* by using the *cb* command. There may be only one entry per config file. The base must be specified as a Distinguished Name in LDAP format.

- **GROUPBASE \<base\>**

  Used to specify the base used when creating groups. The base may be changed by those using *ud* by using the  *changegroup* command. There may be only one entry per config file. The base must be specified as a Distinguished Name in LDAP format.

- **SEARCH \<algorithm\>**

  Used to specify a search algorithm to use when performing searches.  More than one algorithm may be specified, and each is tried in turn until a suitable response is found.

  Each algorithm specifies a filter that should be used when performing a find operation.  Filters contain LDAP-style attribute types (e.g., uid, cn, postalAddress) and operators to test for equality or approximate equality.  Prefix operators may also be used to specify AND, OR and NOT operations (see [ldap(3)](/ldap/3.md) for more details on the filter format).  Algorithms use a compile-time constant as a separator to use when parsing the input the user has provided.  This parsed input can then be referenced similarly to an *awk* program using symbols like $1, $2, and $0 for the entire batch of input.

  For example, the algoritm *cn=$0* causes *ud* to perform a lookup on the entire string the user has typed, searching for  anything where the commonName exactly matches the whole thing.

  Another example, *sn~=$NF* causes *ud* to do a search where the last element the user has typed (NF = number of fields and is a special "number" that can be used in *awk* as well as *ud*) searching for any matches that approximately match Surname.

  Search algorithms also support a special feature which allows one to specify the  *exact* number of fields that must be present in order for the algorithm to be applied.  This number must be specified between square brackets.

  For example, *\[1\] uid=$1* causes this algorithm to be applied when the number of fields is exactly equal to one.  If there is exactly one field, the token is looked up as a UID.

## FILES

*/etc/ldap/ud.conf*

## SEE ALSO

[ud(1)](/ud/1.md), [ldap(3)](/ldap/3.md)

## AUTHOR

Bryan Beecher, University of Michigan

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

**OpenLDAP** is developed and maintained by The OpenLDAP Project (http://www.openldap.org/). **OpenLDAP** is derived from University of Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.