GETHOSTENT(3N)          NETWORK FUNCTIONS          GETHOSTENT(3N)



NAME
     gethostent,   gethostbyaddr,   gethostbyname,    sethostent,
     endhostent - get network host entry

SYNOPSIS
     #include <sys/types.h>
     #include <sys/socket.h>
     #include <netdb.h>

     struct hostent *gethostent()

     struct hostent *gethostbyname(name)
     char *name;

     struct hostent *gethostbyaddr(addr, len, type)
     char *addr;
     int len, type;

     sethostent(stayopen)
     int stayopen
     endhostent()

DESCRIPTION
     gethostent, gethostbyname, and gethostbyaddr() each return a
     pointer to an object with the following structure containing
     the broken-out fields of a line in  the  network  host  data
     base, /etc/hosts.  In the case of gethostbyaddr(), _a_d_d_r is a
     pointer to the binary format address of length  _l_e_n  (not  a
     character string).

          struct    hostent {
               char *h_name;  /* official name of host */
               char **h_aliases;   /* alias list */
               int  h_addrtype;    /* address type */
               int  h_length; /* length of address */
               char **h_addr_list; /* list of addresses from name server */
          };

     The members of this structure are:

     h_name              Official name of the host.

     h_aliases           A zero  terminated  array  of  alternate
                         names for the host.

     h_addrtype          The  type  of  address  being  returned;
                         currently always AF_INET.

     h_length            The length, in bytes, of the address.

     h_addr_list         A pointer to a list of network addresses
                         for  the named host.  Host addresses are



Sun Release 4.1   Last change: 7 September 1988                 1






GETHOSTENT(3N)          NETWORK FUNCTIONS          GETHOSTENT(3N)



                         returned in network byte order.

     gethostent() reads the next line of the  file,  opening  the
     file if necessary.

     sethostent() opens and rewinds the file.   If  the  _s_t_a_y_o_p_e_n
     flag  is  non-zero,  the  host  data base will not be closed
     after  each  call  to  gethostent()  (either  directly,   or
     indirectly through one of the other "gethost" calls).

     endhostent() closes the file.

     gethostbyname() and gethostbyaddr() sequentially search from
     the beginning of the file until a matching host name or host
     address is found, or until end-of-file is encountered.  Host
     addresses are supplied in network order.

FILES
     /etc/hosts

SEE ALSO
     hosts(5), ypserv(8)

DIAGNOSTICS
     A NULL pointer is returned on end-of-file or error.

BUGS
     All information is contained in a static area so it must  be
     copied if it is to be saved.  Only the Internet address for-
     mat is currently understood.

























Sun Release 4.1   Last change: 7 September 1988                 2