@@ -19,11 +8,25 @@
Advanced, easy to use, asynchronous-capable DNS client
library and utilities.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-adns is a resolver library for C (and C++) programs. In contrast with
-the existing interfaces, gethostbyname et al and libresolv, it has the
-following features:
+adns is a resolver library for C (and C++) programs, and a collection
+of useful DNS resolver utilities.
+
+
+
C library
+
+In contrast with the standard interfaces, gethostbyname et al and
+libresolv, it has the following features:
@@ -53,9 +56,9 @@ the various causes of failure properly.
environment variables.
Flexibility. For example, the application can tell adns to:
-ignore environment variables (for setuid programs), disable sanity
-checks eg to return arbitrary data, override or ignore resolv.conf in
-favour of supplied configuration, etc.
+ignore environment variables (for setuid programs), disable hostname
+syntax sanity checks to return arbitrary data, override or ignore
+resolv.conf in favour of supplied configuration, etc.
Believed to be correct ! For example, will correctly back off to
TCP in case of long replies or queries, or to other nameservers if
@@ -63,6 +66,8 @@ several are available. It has sensible handling of bad responses etc.
+
DNS utility programs
+
adns also comes with a number of utility programs for use from the
command line and in scripts:
@@ -77,19 +82,17 @@ unduly delaying the output. For example, you can usefully pipe the
output of netstat -n, tcpdump -ln, and the like, into it.
adnshost is a general-purpose DNS lookup utility
-which can be used easily in shell scripts to do simple lookups. In a
-more advanced mode it can be used as a general-purpose DNS helper
-program for scripting languages which can invoke and communicate with
-subprocesses.
+which can be used easily in from the command line and from shell
+scripts to do simple lookups. In a more advanced mode it can be used
+as a general-purpose DNS helper program for scripting languages which
+can invoke and communicate with subprocesses. See the
+adnshost
+usage message for a summary of its capabilities.
Forthcoming:
-A native Perl interface is in the works, thanks to Tony Finch.
-
-
-
I hope that future versions may also have the following features:
@@ -104,23 +107,17 @@ through a single query socket.
Possibly some very limited caching behaviour.
-
+
There was, at one point, a draft native Perl interface from Tony Finch.
-(Technical note: adns requires a real nameserver like
-BIND
-or
-Dents running on
-the same system or a nearby one, which must be willing to provide
-`recursive service'. I.e., adns is a `stub resolver'. All properly
-configured UN*X and GNU systems will already have such nameserver(s);
-they are usually listed in /etc/resolv.conf.)
+
Documentation
I'm afraid there is no manual yet. However, competent C programmers
should be able to use the library based on the
commented
-adns.h header file.
+adns.h header file, and the usage messages for the programs should
+be sufficient.
Feedback
@@ -139,7 +136,7 @@ list, send it to adns-maint@chiark.greenend.org.uk.
I have set up mailinglists adns-announce and
adns-discuss. The announcements list is moderated and
-will contain only announcements of important bugs, new versions, &c.
+will contain only announcements of important bugs, new versions, etc.
The bug reports address mentioned above is also a mailing list; feel
free to subscribe to it.
@@ -158,28 +155,62 @@ Available for download from
chiark.greenend.org.uk
are:
adns.h
- API header file with comments (currently there is no manual, sorry).
+ API header file with comments, and
+ usage
+ message for adnshost (currently there is no manual, sorry).
All versions released so far are also available via
anonymous
- FTP.
-
A mirror of my CVS repository is available via rsync from
+ FTP and HTTP.
+
+
+You can also access the project CVS repositories:
+
+
A mirror of the source code repository is available via rsync from
rsync.chiark.greenend.org.uk::ftp/users/ian/cvs-pub/adns
(use FTP first to find your way around), or via
cvsweb.
+
This web page is maintained in
+ Savannah,
+ where you can browse the
+ webpage CVS.
adns is also available from the
GNU Project FTP servers and their
mirrors.
+
Technical note
+
+adns requires a real nameserver like
+BIND
+or
+Dents running on
+the same system or a nearby one, which must be willing to provide
+`recursive service'. I.e., adns is a `stub resolver'. All properly
+configured UN*X and GNU systems will already have such nameserver(s);
+they are usually listed in /etc/resolv.conf.
+
+
-adns is Copyright 1997-2000 Ian Jackson, Copyright 1999
-Tony Finch, and Copyright (C) 1991 Massachusetts Institute of
-Technology.
+adns is Copyright 1997-2000,2003,2006 Ian Jackson,
+Copyright 1999-2000,2003,2006 Tony Finch, and Copyright (C) 1991
+Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
-This web page is Copyright (C)1996-2000 Ian Jackson. See the
+This web page is Copyright (C)1996-2005 Ian Jackson. See the
Copyright/acknowledgements.