https://bugs.openldap.org/show_bug.cgi?id=9350
--- Comment #3 from dab1818@gmail.com dab1818@gmail.com --- no. base = "" it's a "Root DN" base = NULL it's a "default DN" from system-wide configuration files
for example /etc/openldap/ldap.conf: URI ldap://localhost BASE dc=example,dc=com ... #see: man 5 ldap.conf