PMP> Syntax change

PMP> Syntax change

Ron Bergman rbergma at dpc.com
Tue Nov 17 10:31:40 EST 1998


So... Does the BITS encoding match the encoding in the previous draft?

Where is the BITS encoding formally defined?  I can't find it in RFC 1902.

	Ron Bergman
	Dataproducts Corp.


On Mon, 16 Nov 1998, Michael Kirkham wrote:

> 
> BITS is encoded as OCTET STRING.  They are not the same as the "Bit
> String" ASN.1 type.  Rather, they are a way of formalizing the naming of
> and assignment of individual meaning to individual bits in an OCTET
> STRING.  It essentially accomplishes the same task as giving bits names in
> the DESCRIPTION, but allows the names of bits to be used by management
> applications in the same way that names to enumerations can be (ie., via a
> compiled MIB file).
> 
> I don't mean to argue for or against the change to BITS -- just to
> clarify.  I don't think it should affect any code whatsoever given that it
> is totally transparent on the wire.  That is, assuming the bit assignments
> are kept consistent in the change to BITS.
> 
> [Note, however, the latest draft I have 11-02-98, which uses the BITS
> construct incorrectly: the bit names are still listed in the DESCRIPTION,
> rather than externally a la enums.  I haven't paid close enough attention 
> to know if there is a later draft.]
> 
> On Mon, 16 Nov 1998, Ron Bergman wrote:
> 
> > Bobby,
> > 
> > I am also opposed to this change.  I cannot find an exact definition of
> > BITS in SMIv2.  But if it is the same as Bit String it is a very different
> > syntax from the current HR MIB (RFC 1514).  Since this breaks all current
> > Printer MIB implementations, there cannot be any good reasons for this
> > change.
> > 
> > 	Ron Bergman
> > 	Dataproducts Corp.
> > 
> > 
> > On Mon, 16 Nov 1998, Jay Martin wrote:
> > 
> > > Bobby,
> > > 
> > > Sorry for not catching this change sooner.  We've been
> > > pretty swamped with voluminous drafts in the PWG over
> > > the past couple of years.  Hopefully you can understand
> > > how such a change might have been missed.
> > > 
> > > So, can you give us some kind of a response to our questions?
> > > 
> > > 	...jay
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Bobby Krupczak wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > Hi!
> > > > 
> > > > >This is not good for me, either.  Can anyone explain
> > > > >why this was done?  I can get behind this kind of change
> > > > >if someone can clearly delineate the positive aspects of
> > > > >using a Bit string as opposed to octetString.
> > > > 
> > > > >Harry Lewis wrote:
> > > > >>
> > > > >> During discussion and review at the "MIB meeting" in Tucson (PWG), we noticed
> > > > >> (for the first time) that hrPrinterDetectedErrorState syntax was changed from
> > > > >> octetString to Bits!! I have determined that this will result in code changes
> > > > >> for us. We are, therefore OPPOSED to this change! Can someone state the reason
> > > > >> for this change? Is anyone adamantly opposed to leaving it as is?
> > > > 
> > > > I love this response!!!! Ive been awaiting feedback from various
> > > > printer working group people for 6 months and only now that its gone
> > > > through 2 revisions and only now that Im working on the
> > > > interoperability report for the IETF that anyone objects.
> > > > 
> > > > Harry Lewis, in particular, should have made these comments much much
> > > > earlier in the process.
> > > > 
> > > > Bobby
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --==--==-  Michael Kirkham    Senior Engineer   InterWorking Labs, Inc.
> ==--==--=  4113 Scotts Valley Drive, Suite 200  Scotts Valley, CA 95066
> --==--==-  mikek at iwl.com      +1 831 430 3610   +1 831 430 9144 Fax
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 




More information about the Pmp mailing list