diff --git a/ldapcherry/attributes.py b/ldapcherry/attributes.py
index cfea209..af894e6 100644
--- a/ldapcherry/attributes.py
+++ b/ldapcherry/attributes.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 from ldapcherry.pyyamlwrapper import loadNoDump
 from ldapcherry.pyyamlwrapper import DumplicatedKey
-from ldapcherry.exceptions import MissingAttributesFile, MissingKey, WrongAttributeType, WrongBackend
+from ldapcherry.exceptions import MissingAttributesFile, MissingKey, WrongAttributeType, WrongBackend, DumplicateUserKey, MissingUserKey
 from sets import Set
 import yaml
 
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
         self.backends = Set([])
         self.self_attributes = Set([])
         self.backend_attributes = {}
+        self.displayed_attributes = []
+        self.key = None
         try:
             stream = open(attributes_file, 'r')
         except:
@@ -39,11 +41,26 @@
                 raise WrongAttributeType(attr['type'], attrid, attributes_file)
             if 'self' in attr and attr['self']:
                 self.self_attributes.add(attrid)
+            if 'key' in attr and attr['key']:
+                if not self.key is None:
+                    raise DumplicateUserKey(attrid, self.key)
+                self.key = attrid
             for b in attr['backends']:
                 self.backends.add(b)
                 if b not in self.backend_attributes:
                     self.backend_attributes[b] = []
                 self.backend_attributes[b].append(attr['backends'][b])
+            if 'search_displayed' in attr and attr['search_displayed']:
+                self.displayed_attributes.append(attrid)
+
+        if self.key is None:
+            raise MissingUserKey()
+
+    def get_search_attributes(self):
+        return self.displayed_attributes
+
+    def get_key(self):
+        return self.key
 
     def _mandatory_check(self, attr):
         for m in ['description', 'display_name', 'type', 'backends']:
diff --git a/ldapcherry/exceptions.py b/ldapcherry/exceptions.py
index 27d62b4..4932725 100644
--- a/ldapcherry/exceptions.py
+++ b/ldapcherry/exceptions.py
@@ -79,6 +79,16 @@
         possible_values_str = string.join(possible_values, ', ')
         self.log = "wrong value for param <%(param)s> in section <%(section)s>, possible values are [%(values)s]" % {'param': param, 'section': section, 'values': possible_values_str}
 
+class DumplicateUserKey(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, attrid1, attrid2):
+        self.attrid1 = attrid1
+        self.attrid2 = attrid2
+        self.log = "duplicate key in <%(attrid1)s> and <%(attrid2)s>" % {'attrid1': attrid1, 'attrid2': attrid2}
+
+class MissingUserKey(Exception):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.log = "missing key"
+
 class WrongAttributeType(Exception):
     def __init__(self, key, section, ymlfile):
         self.key = key
diff --git a/tests/cfg/attributes.yml b/tests/cfg/attributes.yml
index 5f5ebaf..834b851 100644
--- a/tests/cfg/attributes.yml
+++ b/tests/cfg/attributes.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
     description: "Firt Name and Display Name"
     display_name: "Display Name"
     type: string
+    search_displayed: True
     autofill: 
         function: cn
         args:
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@
 first-name:
     description: "First name of the user"
     display_name: "First Name"
+    search_displayed: True
     type: string
     backends:
         ldap: givenName
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@
 name:
     description: "Family name of the user"
     display_name: "Name"
+    search_displayed: True
     type: string
     backends:
         ldap: sn
@@ -27,6 +30,7 @@
 email:
     description: "Email of the user"
     display_name: "Name"
+    search_displayed: True
     type: email
     autofill: 
         function: email
@@ -40,6 +44,8 @@
 uid:
     description: "UID of the user"
     display_name: "UID"
+    search_displayed: True
+    key: True
     type: string
     autofill: 
         function: uid
diff --git a/tests/cfg/attributes_missing_mandatory.yml b/tests/cfg/attributes_missing_mandatory.yml
index 07729df..1ffbc45 100644
--- a/tests/cfg/attributes_missing_mandatory.yml
+++ b/tests/cfg/attributes_missing_mandatory.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 uid:
     display_name: "UID"
     type: string
+    key: True
     autofill: 
         function: uid
         args:
diff --git a/tests/cfg/attributes_wrong_type.yml b/tests/cfg/attributes_wrong_type.yml
index 9a5bc71..4a276a9 100644
--- a/tests/cfg/attributes_wrong_type.yml
+++ b/tests/cfg/attributes_wrong_type.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
     description: "Firt Name and Display Name"
     display_name: "Display Name"
     type: notatype
+    key: True
     autofill: 
         function: cn
         args: