code: purgatorio

ref: 2459e34d77e2e21ef829c0dfaafd99433899494f
dir: /man/2/virgil/

View raw version
.TH VIRGIL 2
.SH NAME
virgil \- pose question to name resolver
.SH SYNOPSIS
.EX
include "security.m";
virgil := load Virgil Virgil->PATH;

virgil:	fn(args: list of string): string;
.EE
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B Virgil
provides a client side interface for interactions with the
name resolution service
.IR virgild (8).
.PP
.I Args
is a command line of the form:
.IP
.BR virgil " [" -v
.IR address ]
.RI [ name ]
.PP
.I Name
is the host name to be resolved to a network address.
Normally the request is broadcast to any and all
.I virgild
servers on the network, which
.B virgil
expects to find on UDP/IP port 2202.
The
.B -v
option instead directs the request to the given numeric IP
.IR address .
.PP
.B Virgil
waits up to 5 seconds for a reply, retransmitting the request once a second.
It accepts and returns the first answer it receives.
.SH SOURCE
.B /appl/lib/virgil.b
.SH SEE ALSO
.IR dial (2),
.IR cs (8),
.IR register (8),
.IR virgild (8)
.SH DIAGNOSTICS
.B Virgil
returns
.L nil
for invalid arguments and if the name was not resolved.
.SH BUGS
The
.I virgild
port is hard coded.