includefile(include/header)

COMMENT(manpage, section, releasedate, archive, short name)
manpage(FBB::GetHostent)(3bobcat)(_CurYrs_)(libbobcat-dev__CurVers_)
                    (Host information)

manpagename(FBB::GetHostent)
            (Obtain bf(hostent) struct from hostname or -address)

manpagesynopsis()
    bf(#include <bobcat/gethostent>)nl()
    Linking option: tt(-lbobcat) 

manpagedescription()
    bf(FBB::GetHostent) objects produce tt(hostent) structs which may
be used by other types of objects. The bf(FBB::GetHostent) class is therefore
primarily used as a base-class for other classes and is seldomly used
`stand-alone'. The tt(hostent) structs are static structs, but a
non-static copy may be obtained using an bf(FBB::Hostent) object.

A tt(hostent) struct is defined as follows:
        verb(
    struct hostent 
    {
        char    *h_name;        // official name of host 
        char    **h_aliases;    // alias list 
        int     h_addrtype;     // host address type (always AF_INET)
        int     h_length;       // length of address 
        char    **h_addr_list;  // list of addresses 
    }
        )
    The tt(address) fields are binary values of the addresses, each address
requiring tt(h_length) bytes, the last address being equal to 0. These binary
values may be converted to character-representations by the
tt(addressToString()) member, which uses bf(inet_ntop()), internally.


includefile(include/namespace)

manpagesection(INHERITS FROM)
    -

manpagesection(CONSTRUCTORS)
    All members of the class bf(FBB::GetHostent) are static. Consequently,
there is no need to construct a bf(FBB::GetHostent) object. 

manpagesection(STATIC MEMBERS)
    itemization(
    itb(hostent const *gethostent(char const *errorprefix, 
                 std::string const &nameOrAddress))
        The bf(gethostent()) member returns a pointer to a static bf(struct
hostent). It contains the information about the host whose name or dotted
decimal address was provided as its second argument. Its first argument is an
error string prefix, prefixing the error message in an bf(FBB::Exception)
object. Such an object is thrown as an exception when the host's information
could not be retrieved.
    itb(std::string addressToString(char const *errorprefix, 
                              void const *ads))
        This member returns the dotted decimal address of the host whose
binary address is provided at bf(ads). Its first argument is an error string
prefix, prefixing the error message in an bf(FBB::Exception) object. Such an
object is thrown as an exception when the dotted decimal address could not be
determined.

    The class' members can only be used when the host whose name or address is
searched can be resolved by a name resolution process, e.g., bf(bind)(1).
    )

manpagesection(EXAMPLE)
        verb(
    #include <iostream>
    #include <algorithm>
    #include <iterator>

    #include <bobcat/hostent>
    #include <bobcat/gethostent>
    
    using namespace std;
    using namespace FBB;
    
    int main(int argc, char **argv)
    try
    {
        if (argc == 1)
        {
            cerr << "Provide a host name or host address to solve\n";
            return 1;
        }
    
        Hostent he(GetHostent::gethostent(argv[1], argv[1]));
        cout << "Hostname: " << he.hostname() << endl;

        cout << "Aliases:\n";
        copy(he.beginAlias(), he.endAlias(), 
                ostream_iterator<char const *>(cout, "\n"));

        cout << "Addresses:\n";
        for (size_t idx = 0; idx < he.nAddresses(); idx++)
            cout << he.dottedDecimalAddress(idx) << endl;
    }
    catch (Exception const &err)
    {
        cout << err.what() << endl;
        return 1;
    }
        )


manpagefiles()
    em(bobcat/gethostent) - defines the class interface

manpageseealso()
    bf(bind)(1),
    bf(bobcat)(7), 
    bf(gethostbyaddr)(3)
    bf(gethostbyname)(3),  
    bf(hostent)(3bobcat),
    bf(inetaddress)(3bobcat),
    bf(inet_ntop)(3)
  
manpagebugs()
    None Reported.

includefile(include/trailer)
