XADM: The LDAP Query Field Size Is Limited to 260 Characters in Exchange System Manager

When you create an address list, if you enter the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query manually as follows, the query's field is limited to 260 characters:

1. In Exchange System Manager, expand the Recipients container, and then right-click All Address Lists.
2. Click New, and then click Address List.
3. Type the name of your new address list, and then click Filter Rules.
4. In the Find list, click Custom Search, and then click the Advanced tab.
5. Enter the LDAP query (limited to only 260 characters).

For example, the following sample query cannot be entered in this query field in Exchange System Manager:

This issue can occur because this field is limited to 260 characters in Exchange System Manager.

To work around this issue, you need to use the ADSI Edit snap-in.

WARNING: If you use the ADSI Edit snap-in, the LDP utility, or any other LDAP version 3 client, and you incorrectly modify the attributes of Active Directory objects, you can cause serious problems. These problems may require you to reinstall Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server, or both. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that occur if you incorrectly modify Active Directory object attributes can be solved. Modify these attributes at your own risk.

To work around this issue:

1. Create a new address list.
2. Start ADSI Edit, expand the Configuration container, and then expand the Services container. Expand the Microsoft Exchange container, expand the organization_name container, and then expand the Address Lists container.
3. Expand the All Address Lists container, and then click new_list (where new_list is the name of the address list that you created in step 1). Right-click new_list, and then click Properties in the shortcut menu.
4. In the Properties dialog box, locate the pureportedsearch attribute under Select a property to view.
5. Fill this attribute with your LDAP query.
   
   Note The limit for the purportedSearch attribute in ADSI Edit is 2,048 characters.
6. Validate, and then quit ADSI Edit.
7. In Exchange System Manager, right-click the new address list, and then open the properties. Click Preview to run the query.

This behavior is by design.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: