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This little real-life example will be based on changing the user's login shell for a given account.

• grills represents the LDAP server (master)

Verify that the user exists in the directory server:

# ldaplist passwd jpeg
dn: uid=jpeg,ou=people,dc=thilelli,dc=net

Get detailed parameters for this account:

# ldaplist -l passwd jpeg
dn: uid=jpeg,ou=people,dc=thilelli,dc=net
        cn: jpeg
        uidNumber: 1000
        gecos: Gabel, Julien
        homeDirectory: /u/jpeg
        gidNumber: 1000
        objectClass: posixAccount
        objectClass: shadowAccount
        objectClass: account
        objectClass: top
        uid: ut0tar
        userPassword: XXXXXXXX
        shadowLastChange: 6445
        shadowFlag: 0
        loginShell: /usr/local/bin/bash

Create the desired modifications using a ldif LDAP file:

# ldaplist -l passwd jpeg > ldapmodifiy.jpeg.ldif
/* Edit and save the ldif file. */
#
# cat ldapmodifiy.jpeg.ldif
dn: uid=jpeg,ou=people,dc=thilelli,dc=net
changetype: modify
replace: loginShell
loginShell: /usr/local/bin/ksh

Inject this modification(s) into the LDAP server:

# ldapmodify -h grills -D "cn=Directory Manager" -f ldapmodifiy.jpeg.ldif
Enter bind password: 
modifying entry uid=jpeg,ou=people,dc=thilelli,dc=net

Verify that the changes are done as expected:

# ldaplist -l passwd jpeg
dn: uid=jpeg,ou=people,dc=thilelli,dc=net
        cn: jpeg
        uidNumber: 1000
        gecos: Gabel, Julien
        homeDirectory: /u/jpeg
        gidNumber: 1000
        objectClass: posixAccount
        objectClass: shadowAccount
        objectClass: account
        objectClass: top
        uid: ut0tar
        userPassword: XXXXXXXX
        shadowLastChange: 6445
        shadowFlag: 0
        loginShell: /usr/local/bin/ksh

The example shown below use the ldaplist(1) and ldapmodify(1) commands line, which use and options may vary between OS versions and/or family. Be warned.