ldapmodrdn(1) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, ldapmodrdn is the illumos /usr/bin/ldapmodrdn, which renames LDAP entries. Its option letters differ from the NetBSD (OpenLDAP-style) page. -H prints usage help instead of taking an LDAP URI, -P is a certificate database path instead of a protocol version, and -Y is a proxy DN instead of a SASL mechanism.
The manual pages
- Solnix: ldapmodrdn(1) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - NetBSD: ldapmodrdn(1) 11.0
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos ldapmodrdn at /usr/bin/ldapmodrdn, published in pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. No other variants are shipped. The bundle contains a counterpart page only for NetBSD, so nothing is claimed here about Linux, FreeBSD or OpenBSD.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| NetBSD | -H meaning | Solnix -H displays usage help, the same as -?. NetBSD -H ldapuri takes one or more LDAP URIs naming the server. A script that passes -H ldap://host to Solnix will not connect to that host; use -h and -p instead.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -H, -?; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -H |
| NetBSD | -h and -p are the primary host/port options | On Solnix, -h ldaphost and -p ldapport are the documented way to pick the server. NetBSD marks both as deprecated in favor of -H.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -h, -p; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -h, -p |
| NetBSD | -V and -P (protocol version) | Solnix -V version sets the LDAP protocol version (2 or 3, default 3) and -P path is the client certificate database. NetBSD -P {2|3} sets the protocol version and -V[V] prints version information.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -V, -P; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -V[V], -P {2|3} |
| NetBSD | password options | Solnix -w passwd is visible in ps; without -w, Solnix prompts and reads the password from standard in. Solnix -j filename reads the password from a file. NetBSD uses -W to prompt and -y passwdfile for a file. On Solnix, -W is a key-database password, not a prompt.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -w, -j, -W; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -W, -w, -y |
| NetBSD | -Y meaning | Solnix -Y proxyid sets the proxy DN (proxied authorization ID). NetBSD -Y mech selects the SASL mechanism. On Solnix, the SASL mechanism is set with -o mech=value.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -Y, -o; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -Y |
| NetBSD | -Z, TLS and certificates | Solnix -Z requests SSL for certificate-based client authentication and needs -N (certificate name), the SSL password and often -P. NetBSD -Z[Z] issues StartTLS, and -ZZ requires it to succeed. NetBSD -N means no reverse DNS for SASL.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -Z, -N, -P, -W; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -Z[Z], -N |
| NetBSD | -o meaning and SASL setup | Solnix -o takes attributename=value with secProp, realm, authzid, authid or mech for SASL. NetBSD -o sets general options (nettimeout, ldif-wrap), and SASL uses separate -O, -U, -R, -X and -Y.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -o; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -o, -O, -U, -R, -X, -Y |
| NetBSD | -O and -R meaning | Solnix -O hopLimit caps referral hops (default no limit), and -R stops referrals being followed. NetBSD -O sets SASL security properties, and -R sets the SASL realm.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -O, -R; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -O, -R |
| NetBSD | -E meaning | Solnix -E asks the server to report the bind identity through an authentication response control. NetBSD -E [!]ext[=extparam] gives modrdn extensions, and the page lists none.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -E; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -E, -e |
| NetBSD | moving entries and controls | NetBSD has -s newsup, which moves the entry under a new superior (not in LDAPv2), and -e for general controls. The Solnix page documents neither: it only changes the RDN of the entry.Source: NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -s, -e; Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION |
| NetBSD | Solnix-only options | Solnix has -i locale (input character set, default from LANG), -k path (conversion routines) and -J [:criticality] (a control with a criticality flag). The NetBSD page has none of these. NetBSD has -x for simple authentication; the Solnix page lists no -x.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -i, -k, -J; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) SYNOPSIS, -x |
| NetBSD | -M and -d detail | NetBSD -MM makes the manage DSA IT control critical; Solnix -M has no critical form. NetBSD -d works only if built with LDAP_DEBUG; the Solnix page lists masks (1 trace, 2 packets, 4 arguments, 32 filters, 128 access control) to add together.Source: Solnix ldapmodrdn(1) -M, -d; NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) -M[M], -d |
Standards
- POSIX: ldapmodrdn is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
- Solnix: Stability Level: Evolving (ATTRIBUTES, see attributes(7)).
- NetBSD: The NetBSD ldapmodrdn(1) page in the bundle has no STANDARDS section.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not rely on short options across these systems:
-H,-P,-V,-Y,-Z,-N,-O,-R,-Wand-oall mean different things on Solnix and NetBSD. Check the local page first. - Pass the DN and RDN as the positional pair, or via
-f, with-c,-n,-rand-v. These behave the same on both pages.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.