Re: [Dime] clarification of message length

Hi David,

Yes, the message length is always a multiple of 4, just like it is the case with grouped AVPs. I am not sure whether that needs to be explicitly stated, because all AVPs the message "sees" are already multiple of 4. I can understand why that was stated for grouped AVPs as their length field *does* take the padding of the last sub-AVP into account, which might not be immediately obvious based on the Section 4 text.

- Jouni

On Jul 14, 2010, at 6:29 PM, David Lehmann wrote:

> The RFC states the following for AVPs in section 4.
> “The length of the padding is not reflected in the AVP Length field.”
>  
> In section 4.2, it states:
> “Thus the AVP length field of an AVP of type Grouped is always a multiple of 4.”
>  
> These statements are clear for the AVP lengths.  However, the length of the message is not so clear.  Section 3 states:
> “The Message Length field is three octets and indicates the length of the Diameter message including the header fields.”
>  
> My question is:  Is the message length always a multiple of 4, as is the case for grouped AVPs?  If so, should section 3 provide a clear statement to that fact?
> e.g. “The Message Length field is three octets and indicates the length of the Diameter message including the header fields and the padded AVPs. Thus the message length field is always a multiple of 4.”
>  
> -David
>  
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