[SNMP4J] Octet strings returned for sysDesc with whitespace

[Rozensky, Ronald S (Ronald)]

I'm using SNMP4J 1.7.1 to query a variety of devices, but the Cisco's
are returning a hex sysDesc:

 

1.3.6.1.2.1.1.1.0 =
43:69:73:63:6f:20:49:6e:74:65:72:6e:65:74:77:6f:72:6b:20:4f:70:65:72:61:
74:69:6e:67:20:53:79:73:74:65:6d:20:53:6f:66:74:77:61:72:65:20:0d:0a:49:
4f:53:20:28:74:6d:29:20:34:35:30:30:20:53:6f:66:74:77:61:72:65:20:28:43:
34:35:30:30:2d:4a:53:2d:4d:29:2c:20:56:65:72:73:69:6f:6e:20:31:32:2e:30:
28:35:29:2c:20:52:45:4c:45:41:53:45:20:53:4f:46:54:57:41:52:45:20:28:66:
63:31:29:0d:0a:43:6f:70:79:72:69:67:68:74:20:28:63:29:20:31:39:38:36:2d:
31:39:39:39:20:62:79:20:63:69:73:63:6f:20:53:79:73:74:65:6d:73:2c:20:49:
6e:63:2e:0d:0a:43:6f:6d:70:69:6c:65:64:20:57:65:64:20:31:36:2d:4a:75:6e:
2d:39:39:20:30:33:3a:33:39:20:62:79:20:70:68:61:6e:67:75:79:65

 

Cisco includes whitespace in the description. The toString in
OctetString is checking if the characters are printable in isPrintable.
isPrintable is using Character.isISOControl-but is not ignoring
whitespace (linefeeds, tabs, space, etc.).  If isPrintable is changed to
be as follows:

 

  public boolean isPrintable() {

    for (int i=0; i<value.length; i++) {

      if (!Character.isWhitespace((char)value[i]) &&

          (Character.isISOControl((char)value[i]) ||

          ((value[i] & 0xFF) >= 0x80))) {

        return false;

      }

    }

    return true;

  }

 

The result is:

Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software   IOS (tm) C3550 Software
(C3550-I5Q3L2-M), Version 12.1(19)EA1a, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-2003 by cisco Systems, Inc.  Compiled Tue 09-Dec-03
03:21 by yenanh

 

Can the above change be made to isPrintable?  This would save a lot of
processing downstream having to check the description and converting
when necessary.

 

Ron Rozensky