Handling a multi-value attribute question

[Mike Flynn]

Well, it is used as more than a greeting for the user - That was just one example.  Another is the user's certificates of completion that uses these values separately.

But, I am curious - Why is givenName a multi-value attribute?  We have nickname...  Was there a specific scenario that created a need for multiple values for these?


________________________________
 From: Peter Schober <peter.schober at univie.ac.at>
To: users at shibboleth.net 
Sent: Thursday, December 6, 2012 7:09 AM
Subject: Re: Handling a multi-value attribute question
 
* Mike Flynn <shibbolethlynda at yahoo.com> [2012-12-06 15:41]:
> In this instance, with multiple values, how do I know which value to
> use? 

One could also frame this as a use case for "attribute options"
https://spaces.internet2.edu/display/macedir/Attribute+Options
i.e., specific properties of attributes.
In this case it could be a "preferred" or "legalname" property.
No support in protocols or software exists for that today, of course,
outside LDAP.

> Should the school in question make that determination and apprise
> me?

I doubt most institutions would even be able to tell you which values
always to prefer (only "first" and "last" come to mind anyway).
But you can always ask, if you're willing to do different processing
of attribute values depending in the issuer of the assertion
(which for a simple greeting is complete overkill, IMO. As an IDP
admin I wouldn't even send name attributes if their only use way for a
greeting, let alone go into that level of detail regarding multiple
values.)
-peter
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