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# nns(n) 1.1 tcllib "Name service facility"

## Name

nns - Name service facility, Commandline Client Application

## Synopsis

- nns bind ?-host host? ?-port port? name data
- nns search ?-host host? ?-port port? ?-continuous? ?pattern?
- nns ident ?-host host? ?-port port?
- nns who

## Description

Please read Name service facility, introduction first.

The application described by this document, nns, is a simple command line client for the nano name service facility provided by the Tcllib packages nameserv, and nameserv::server. Beyond that the application's sources also serve as an example of how to use the client package nameserv. All abilities of a client are covered, from configuration to registration of names to searching.

This name service facility has nothing to do with the Internet's Domain Name System, otherwise known as DNS. If the reader is looking for a package dealing with that please see either of the packages dns and resolv, both found in Tcllib too.

### USE CASES

nns was written with the following two main use cases in mind.

1. Registration of a name/data pair in the name service.

2. Searching the name service for entries matching a glob pattern.

Beyond the above we also want to be able to identify the client, and get information about the name service.

### COMMAND LINE

nns bind ?-host host? ?-port port? name data

  This form registers the name/data pair in the specified name service. In this form the command will not exit to keep the registration alive. The user has to kill it explicitly, either by sending a signal, or through the job-control facilities of the shell in use. It will especially survive the loss of the connection to the name service and reestablish the name/data pair when the connection is restored.

  The options to specify the name service will be explained later, in section OPTIONS.

nns search ?-host host? ?-port port? ?-continuous? ?pattern?

  This form searches the specified name service for entries matching the glob-pattern and prints them to stdout, with each entry on its own line. If no pattern is specified it defaults to *, matching everything.

  The options to specify the name service will be explained later, in section OPTIONS.

  If the option -continuous is specified the client will not exit after performing the search, but start to continuously monitor the service for changes to the set of matching entries, appropriately updating the display as changes arrive. In that form it will especially also survive the loss of the connection to the name service and reestablish the search when the connection is restored.

nns ident ?-host host? ?-port port?

  This form asks the specified name service for the version and features of the name service protocol it supports and prints the results to stdout.

  The options to specify the name service will be explained later, in section OPTIONS.

nns who

  This form prints name, version, and protocol version of the application to stdout.

### OPTIONS

This section describes all the options available to the user of the application

-host name|ipaddress

  If this option is not specified it defaults to localhost. It specifies the name or ip-address of the host the name service to talk to is running on.

-port number

  If this option is not specified it defaults to 38573. It specifies the TCP port the name service to talk to is listening on for requests.

## Bugs, Ideas, Feedback

This document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems. Please report such in the category nameserv of the Tcllib Trackers. Please also report any ideas for enhancements you may have for either package and/or documentation.

When proposing code changes, please provide unified diffs, i.e the output of diff -u.

Note further that attachments are strongly preferred over inlined patches. Attachments can be made by going to the Edit form of the ticket immediately after its creation, and then using the left-most button in the secondary navigation bar.

## See Also

nameserv(n), nameserv::common(n)

## Keywords

application, client, name service

## Category

Networking

## Copyright

Copyright © 2007-2008 Andreas Kupries <andreas_kupries@users.sourceforge.net>