meaning of ldif_record() = xxx ?

["Julian Darley (mail.com)" <jdarley_(_at_)_mail_(_dot_)_com>]

i have just tried:

ldapadd -x -D 'cn=xxxx, o=greenxxxx.net' -W -f entries5.ldif

and got the following:

Enter LDAP Password: xxxx
adding new entry "cn=Max Phone, o=greenxxxx.net"
ldap_add: Invalid syntax
        additional info: value contains invalid data

i would particularly like to know what ldif_record() = 21, or indeed any 
error of the type ldif_record() = yyy means.

i have searched the openldap site without success.

thanks,
julian