domain name length vs character string length

[Jack Tavares]

A question:
 
the library routine
 
dns_name_fromtext() 
 
limits a domain name to 255 characters (per RFC1035)
 
So, running named-checkzone (or named) with a RR with a domainname
longer than 255 gives an "out of space" error. (bind9.3.2)
 
arpa/nameser.h lists
 
#define NS_MAXDNAME 1025
#define NS_MAXCNAME 255
 
and NS_MAXDNAME is used in many places in the bind code to expand
dns names received over the wire.
 
So, does this mean one can have a domainname in wire format that,
converted to string representation) can be greater than 255?
 
If so, one could not put that in a zone file, because named complains
about it on start up.
 
Thank you