IEEE 1224-1993

This standard defines a standard interface supporting the manipulation of complex arguments and parameters used by X.400 and Directory Services APIs. The interface supports manipulation of abstract data defined in ASN.1 and is for use in conjunction with, but is otherwise independent of, the X.400 and Directory Services APIs. An application shall be able to link and use multiple implementations of this API. This standard provides a language-independent specification of an interface and environment to support application portability at the source-code level. It is intended to be used by application developers, system implementors, test method writers, and users. This standard describes the external characteristics and facilities that are of importance to applications developers, rather than the internal construction techniques employed to achieve these capabilities. Special emphasis is placed on those functions and facilities that are needed in a wide variety of commercial applications.