code: public int get_searchScope() {
          int searchScope = SearchControls.OBJECT_SCOPE;
          String scopeBuf = get_scope();
          if (scopeBuf != null) {
              if (scopeBuf.compareToIgnoreCase("base") == 0) {
                  searchScope = SearchControls.OBJECT_SCOPE;
              } else if (scopeBuf.compareToIgnoreCase("one") == 0) {
                  searchScope = SearchControls.ONELEVEL_SCOPE;
              } else if (scopeBuf.compareToIgnoreCase("sub") == 0) {
                  searchScope = SearchControls.SUBTREE_SCOPE;
              }
          }
          return searchScope;
      }
docs: Returns the search scope used in LDAP search