# Getting All the Members of Set Objects

In RPSL, an object can be a member of a set object in two ways.

  • You can list objects in a "members:" attribute in the set object.

  • You can use the "member-of:" attribute. You can use this in route, route6, aut-num and inet-rtr object types. The value of the "member-of:" attribute identifies a set object that this object wants to be a member of.

However, just specifying "member-of:" is not enough. The referenced set object must also have a "mbrs-by-ref:" attribute. This lists the maintainer of the object that wants to be a member of the set. This means that the set owner must validate the membership claim of an object with a "member-of:" attribute. It does this by matching the "mnt-by" line of the object with one of the maintainers in the "mbrs-by-ref:" attributes of the set object.