MIB Explorer FAQ
================

Q1:MIB Explorer refuses to compile my MIB module file,
   although the MIB compiler XYZ of vendor ZYX compiles
   it wihtout any errors, why?

A1:MIB Explorer uses nearly any machine readable information
   that can be extracted from MIB modules. As a consequence,
   MIB Explorer has to make sure that the extracted information
   is valid and syntactically and semantically correct. In
   addition, MIB Explorer is not only a MIB browser, it can
   also be used to write new MIB specifications. That's why
   it contains a strict MIB compiler that enforces the SMIv1/v2
   rules. Many other compilers check for the SMI syntax very
   leniently, which makes them not suitable for MIB module
   verification.
   See also http://www.mibdesigner.com/html/mibdesign.html
   for a description of most common MIB design errors and
   their solution.

Q2:Why does MIB Explorer refuse to compile MIB modules
   containing ASN.1 MACRO definitions like the RFC1155-MIB,
   SNMPv2-SMI, SNMPv2-CONF, or SNMPv2-TC modules?

A2:ASN.1 MACROS are *not* part of the SMIv1/v2 languages.
   MACROS are used to define the SMI language with ASN.1
   syntax. Thus, the modules above have to be treated as
   non-compliant to the SMI rules. In order to make them
   compliant, one has to remove all MACROs from the 
   modules.

Q3:MIB Explorer does not allow sub-typing in SEQUENCE
   constructs, why? The following 

   SEQUENCE { Integer32 (1..65535),

   causes a 'Syntax error: Encountered: "(" at line nnn, column 23: 
   Was expecting one of: 
     "}" ...
     "," ...'

A3:SMIv2 does not allow sub-typing in SEQUENCE constructs,
   see RFC2578 §7.1.12 for details.

Q4:What could be the cause for the following error?
   
   Syntax error: Encountered: "abc MODULE-IDENTITY" at line nnn, column 1: 
   Was expecting one of: 
     <LOWERCASENAME> "OBJECT-TYPE" ...
     <LOWERCASENAME> "TRAP-TYPE" ...
     <UPPERCASENAME> ...
     <LOWERCASENAME> <OID> ...
     "Gauge32" ...
     "Unsigned32" ...
     "UInteger32" ...
     "Integer32" ...
     "Counter64" ...
     "Counter32" ...
     .

A4:SMIv2 requires that a MIB module does contain exactly one MODULE-IDENTITY 
   construct immediately following the IMPORTS statement. In the 
   above case, another construct (e.g. OBJECT IDENTIFIER) preceeds
   the MODULE-IDENTITY statement.