out of memory error

 At a first glance you do not seem to get the next object of the result so it loops forever.

 You need to call results.next();

StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
while( true )
{
    SearchResult res = (SearchResult) results.next();
    Attributes attrs = res.getAttributes();
    if (results.hasMore())
        sb.append(attrs1.get("member").toString().substring(4) + ",");
    else
    {
        sb.append(attrs1.get("member").toString().substring(4));
        break ;
    }
}
System.out.println(sb.toString());


or something...

Your code looked as if you were getting there.  Your commented out lines of code are what you will need, plus with one other small change (use attrs instead of attrs1):

StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
while (results.hasMore()) {
SearchResult res = (SearchResult) results.next();
Attributes attrs = res.getAttributes();
if (results.hasMore())
sb.append(attrs.get("member").toString().substring(4) + ",");
else
sb.append(attrs.get("member").toString().substring(4));
}
System.out.println(sb.toString());
 

> (use attrs instead of attrs1):

That's the bit I missed...heh

hi  grim_toaster

When i do put in the commented out lines in...it gives me this error
                java.lang.ClassCastException: java.lang.String
      at com.sasol.iview.LDAPLookup.main(LDAPLookup.java:43)

this error is pointing to SearchResult res = (SearchResult) results.next();

can u help with this
sb

 The object you are receiving is probably of type String, therefore you need to cast it into String instead of SearchResults.

I have changed it a bit and this seems to work. It brings back the results I want...
but I got a feeling im doin something wrong.
Do you gurus see anything wrong with this.

DirContext dctx = new InitialDirContext(env);
Attributes attrs = dctx.getAttributes("CN=SAPPortal-Sec-Prod-Admin,OU=SAPPortal Groups,OU=Groups,OU=Core,DC=sasol,DC=com");
StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
while (results.hasMore()) {
if (results.hasMore()){
sb.append(attrs.get("member").toString().substring(4) + ",");
break;
}
results.next();
}
System.out.println(sb.toString());

 It looks fine to me apart from this statement:

> break;

  Why do you have it there?

its weird , if i take out the break...it returns the string about 4/5 times...so I would have duplicate results.
when i add in the break..it returns the string just once.

 Yes because you enter the if loop as long as there are more results.

i dont know why i needed the loop either...
thanx grim_toaster, your suggested code works.

thanx for everyone's help

have a great day
scarlet