Overview

Contents

Introduction

For details about the changes in this release, go to Release Changelog

DirX Directory Manager is a Java application providing a configurable, platform independent administrative GUI for local and remote management of LDAP servers in general and DirX Directory in particular. Its features include:

  • LDAP based

    • Browsing, searching, adding, viewing, modifying, deleting ordinary directory entries

    • Importing directory entries through LDIF content and change files as well as DSMLv1 and DSMLv2 files into the directory

    • Exporting directory entries into DSMLv1 files, DSMLv2 files (add requests), or LDIF content files

    • Managing the schema

    • Support of simple paging (export, copy and delete subtree)

    • Displaying various diagnostic information from LDAP-Server and DSA

    • SSL server authentication

    • LDAP SASL bind EXTERNAL / SSL client authentication based on file keymaterial or chipcards

  • DirX Directory

    • Managing Access Control Subentries

    • Managing Indices

    • Managing Replication (Shadowing agreements as well as LDIF agreements)

    • Managing LDAP Configuration Subentries (including Audit and SSL)

    • Managing Password Policy Subentries

    • Managing Collective Attribute Subentries

    • Setting up scripts and running dirxcp,dirxadm and dirxauddecode in a GUI pane

  • GUI highlights

    • Managing multiple servers

    • Customizable logical views

For details please refer to DirX Directory Manager’s online help.

Licensing

The DirX Directory Manager is licensed under Eviden Proprietary License v2.0. For licensing of the dependencies see the <DXDM_INST_PATH>/reports/cyclonedx folder containing CycloneDX SBOM files.

Java Requirements

DirX Directory Manager requires a user-supplied Java SE installation. No embedded Java environment comes with the DirX Directory Manager installation. It is user’s responsibility to download and install any Java SE security patches prior to the installation of DirX Directory Manager.

The installed Java Runtime must comply to the following restrictions:

  • The product must be an implementation of the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE).

  • The related major version number must be 21.

  • It must be a 64-bit distribution.

  • The distribution must be TCK-tested (Technology Compatibility Kit for Java test suite)

Tested and considered working Java distributions are:

  • Oracle Java SE 21

  • Microsoft build of OpenJDK 21

  • Adoptium Temurin 21

  • Redhat OpenJDK 21

From time to time it may be necessary to upgrade the used Java VM for security reasons.
In order to do so:

  1. Install the new Java VM on the machine

  2. Update the value of environment variable DXDM_JAVA_HOME if the path to the Java VM installation changed:

    • Windows: You can search for the Edit the system environment variables application of the Control panel, and after running it, press "Environmental variables…​" button. The variable should already be among System variables. Select it in the list and press "Edit, set the new value of the path, and then close everything with "OK" buttons. Alternatively, you can use Command Prompt or PowerShell.

    • Linux: Open the script <DXDM_INST_PATH>/.ddxm-rc in a text editor. Find the variable and edit its value to the new path, then save the changes.

  3. Refresh the environment

Notes and Known Issues

  • You can find the known issues in the Release Notes.

  • On high-DPI displays, the application may not scale properly. To correct this, set environment variable DXDM_UI_SCALE (Directory Manager specific) or JDISCOVER_UI_SCALE (all apps supporting jDiscover 9.1.0 or newer). The value should reasonably be between 0.5 and 2.0, with higher values leading to larger fonts and components. The default value is 1.0.

  • For issues with the installer, see Setup Troubleshooting.

  • The following error message can appear at the start of the application or during the uninstallation: + "Could not find a valid Java virtual machine to load."
    The reason for this error message can be that Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is not installed or cannot be found or the JVM’s version is incorrect. The correct version of Java is described in the section Java Requirements. Follow the same steps as for the upgrade of JVM.

  • The focus of DirX Directory Manager is DirX Directory. i.e. the LDAP based functionality may not work properly with non DirX Directory servers in some details, particularly the schema management functionality is optimized for DirX Directory.

  • (Linux) In order to be able to run dirxcp/dirxadm scripts, DirX Directory Manager must be installed in the same account as DirX Directory.

Setup - Installation/Uninstallation

Modes

The installation/uninstallation can be run in these modes:

  • Graphical (GUI) mode (-i GUI): The installation/uninstallation program displays a graphical user interface that guides you through the installation/uninstallation steps. This is the default mode on Windows.

  • Console mode (-i console): The installation/uninstallation program runs in a text terminal and prompts you for the required information. This is the default mode on Linux.

  • Silent mode (-i silent): The installation/uninstallation program runs without any user interaction. All required information must be provided in advance in the dirxmgr.properties file provided alongside the installer/uninstaller executable.

To run the installer/uninstaller in a specific mode, modify the INSTALLER_UI property in the dirxmgr.properties placed alongside the executable.
When running the executable from command line, you can add the -i command line option followed by the mode name (see options above).

Installation

The installation set comes with these files:

  • dirxmgr.exe (Windows) or dirxmgr.bin (Linux) respectively. Executing this file installs the software.

  • dirxmgr.properties controls the type of the user interface that is to be used by InstallAnywhere.

You can place additional files alongside dirxmgr.exe/dirxmgr.bin. See details in section Custom Profiles.

Before installing

Windows

Use the "master setup" that is provided with the CD - or double click dirxmgr.exe (located in …​\Installation\<WINDOWS_PLATFORM>\DirX\Directory Manager)

Linux

  1. Open a shell

  2. cd …​/Installation/<LINUX_PLATFORM>/DirX/Directory_Manager

  3. sh ./dirxmgr.bin -i GUI (requires a graphical terminal) or sh ./dirxmgr.bin (does not require a graphical terminal)

Uninstallation

Windows

Follow the standard Windows procedure (based on the version):

  • Settings → Apps → Installed apps → Uninstall

  • Settings → Apps & features → Uninstall

  • Settings → Control Panel → Add/Remove Programs

  • or execute the Uninstall DirX Directory Manager.exe located in <DXDM_INST_PATH>\UninstallerData

Linux

  1. Open a shell

  2. cd <DXDM_INST_PATH>/UninstallerData

  3. (Mind the quotes) sh ./"Uninstall DirX Directory Manager" -i GUI (requires a graphical terminal) or #sh ./"Uninstall DirX Directory Manager" (does not require a graphical terminal)

Setup Troubleshooting

If the installer doesn’t start, consider the following:

  • The installer might not support the currently set Java in path and won’t start. To manually set the Java the installer will use (not the one the application will use), execute the installer like this: dirxmgr.exe LAX_VM <FULL_PATH_TO_JAVA_EXECUTABLE> (Windows) or dirxmgr.bin LAX_VM <FULL_PATH_TO_JAVA_EXECUTABLE> (Linux).

  • If the operating system you try to install on is not supported (see the list above), try setting an environment variable JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS="-Dos.name=<OS_NAME>", where <OS_NAME> is for example Windows Server 2025 (or other supported version of your operating system) before running the installer. After successful installation, unset the variable.

  • On older Windows systems (like Windows Server 2016), try running the installer in compatibility mode. To do so, right-click the executable and open Properties. In Compatibility tab, check the box "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select Windows 8.

How to Start DirX Directory Manager

Windows

  • If you chose to create Desktop shortcut during installation, find the DirX Directory Manager shortcut there

  • If you chose to create shortcuts in the start menu during installation, find it in Start > DirX Directory Manager (directory) > DirX Directory Manager (shortcut)

  • You can also directly execute the script <DXDM_INST_PATH>/bin/run.bat.

Linux

  • If you chose to create link during installation, find the DirX Directory Manager link there

  • You can also directly execute the script <DXDM_INST_PATH>/bin/run.sh.

Performance Hints

You can control this application’s performance and resource consumption by specifying appropriate options for the JVM you are running. For details, consult the vendor’s original documentation.

In particular, you should make sure that this application is granted enough memory:

  • The initial size on start should be at least 128 MB (parameter -Xms128m)

  • The maximum size should be at least 512 MB (parameter -Xmx512m). Depending on the volume of data you are to manage, a considerably larger size might be required.

Custom Profiles

Once you have installed DirX Directory Manager at one machine, you can customize the installation for future uses by creating "server profiles" in the DirX Directory Manager. A server profile is identified by its profile name and the suffix .server. All the .server files that are put in a directory profiles that is placed alongside dirxmgr.exe/dirxmgr.bin will be implicitly picked up by the installation and be installed, too.