I typed “hostname� and “hostname -s� into the Terminal on this G5 and got the expected responses. When I’m at work tomorrow I’ll try doing the same on the G4 server that doesn’t tell BOINC its name.
OK, I tried it. The hostname command works, but there is a slight anomaly: with or without the -s switch the “.local� suffix is suppressed. I have no idea whether or not that’s significant—here’s hoping it may be a small clue to the Unix-savvy.
i tried the same thing. i entered "hostname" and "hostname -s" into "Terminal". i got the name of my computer without ".local". einstein@home used to show my compter's name as name".local".
i tried the same thing. i entered "hostname" and "hostname -s" into "Terminal". i got the name of my computer without ".local". einstein@home used to show my compter's name as name".local".
Interesting; it may be a consistent symptom. I just tried it on my G4 workstation (OS 10.3.9) and on an Intel-powered iMac (OS 10.4.8), whose names BOINC does recognize, and without -s the hostname command returns the version with “.local� appended, as it did on my home G5.
DESCRIPTION
The gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() and gethostbyaddr() functions each return a pointer to an object with the following structure describing an internet host referenced by name or by address, respectively. This structure contains either the information obtained from the name server, named(8), or broken-out fields from a line in /etc/hosts. If the local name server is not running these routines do a lookup in [/u]/etc/hosts[/u].
struct hostent {
char *h_name; /* official name of host */
char **h_aliases; /* alias list */
int h_addrtype; /* host address type */
int h_length; /* length of address */
char **h_addr_list; /* list of addresses from name server */
};
#define h_addr h_addr_list[0] /* address, for backward compatibility */
The members of this structure are:
h_name Official name of the host.
h_aliases A NULL-terminated array of alternate names for the host.
h_addrtype The type of address being returned; usually AF_INET.
h_length The length, in bytes, of the address.
h_addr_list A NULL-terminated array of network addresses for the host. Host addresses are returned in network byte order.
h_addr The first address in h_addr_list; this is for backward compatibility.
When using the nameserver, gethostbyname() and gethostbyname2() will search for the named host in the current domain and its parents unless the name ends in a dot. If the name contains no dot, and if the environment variable “HOSTALIASES� contains the name of an alias file, the alias file will first be searched for an alias matching the input name. See hostname(7) for the domain search procedure and the alias file format.
The gethostbyname2() function is an evolution of gethostbyname() which is intended to allow lookups in address families other than AF_INET, for example AF_INET6. Both of these address families are supported in the Mac OS X implemention.
The sethostent() function may be used to request the use of a connected TCP socket for queries. If the stayopen flag is non-zero, this sets the option to send all queries to the name server using TCP and to retain the connection after each call to gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() or gethostbyaddr(). Otherwise, queries are performed using UDP datagrams.
The endhostent() function closes the TCP connection.
The herror() function writes a message to the diagnostic output consisting of the string parameter s, the constant string ": ", and a message corresponding to the value of h_errno.
The hstrerror() function returns a string which is the message text corresponding to the value of the err parameter.
FILES
/etc/hosts
/etc/host.conf
/etc/resolv.conf
DIAGNOSTICS
Error return status from gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() and gethostbyaddr() is indicated by return of a NULL pointer. The external integer h_errno may then be checked to see whether this is a temporary failure or an invalid or unknown host. The routine herror() can be used to print an error message describing the failure. If its argument string is non-NULL, it is printed, followed by a colon and a space. The error message is printed with a trailing newline.
The variable h_errno can have the following values:
HOST_NOT_FOUND No such host is known.
TRY_AGAIN This is usually a temporary error and means that the local server did not receive a response from an authoritative server. A retry at some later time may succeed.
NO_RECOVERY Some unexpected server failure was encountered. This is a non-recoverable error.
NO_DATA The requested name is valid but does not have an IP address; this is not a temporary error. This means that the name is known to the name server but there is no address associated with this name. Another type of request to the name server using this domain name will result in an answer; for example, a mail-forwarder may be registered for this domain.
SEE ALSO
getaddrinfo(3), resolver(3), hosts(5), hostname(7), named(8)
CAVEAT
The gethostent() function is defined, and sethostent() and endhostent() are redefined, when libc is built to use only the routines to lookup in /etc/hosts and not the name server.
The gethostent() function reads the next line of /etc/hosts, opening the file if necessary.
The sethostent() function opens and/or rewinds the file /etc/hosts. If the stayopen argument is non-zero, the file will not be closed after each call to gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() or gethostbyaddr().
The endhostent() function closes the file.
HISTORY
The herror() function appeared in 4.3BSD. The endhostent(), gethostbyaddr(), gethostbyname(), gethostent(), and sethostent() functions appeared in 4.2BSD. The gethostbyname2() function first appeared in BIND version 4.9.4.
BUGS
These functions use static data storage; if the data is needed for future use, it should be copied before any subsequent calls overwrite it. Only the Internet address format is currently understood.
OK, now i have really messed-up. i erased the HD and reinstalled the OS. i reinstalled BOINCManager also and reattached to einstein@home. i got two listings for this computer so i merged the two listings. also, it did not fix the "gethostbyname failed" problem. the "private" folder is completely empty.
I wonder if this is really a message from the BOINC core client when contacting Einstein or if it is an error when the GUI (or cmdline) tries to contact the core client.
Your box has received results and should be crunching.
Does your /etc/hosts (assuming that such a thing exists on a Mac) contain a line for the local loopback address?
127.0.0.1 localhost
and a line for the host itself (example) :
192.168.2.100 mycomputer1
How is your computer called in the list of your computers on http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/hosts_user.php, does it match your local LAN name of your box? (we cannnot see that, the information is just visible to the owner)
Does the IP address that it shows when you click the "show IP address" link on your host page match your hosts IP address in your local LAN?
Does your /etc/hosts (assuming that such a thing exists on a Mac) contain a line for the local loopback address?
How is your computer called in the list of your computers. does it match your local LAN name of your box? (we cannnot see that, the information is just visible to the owner)
Does the IP address that it shows when you click the "show IP address" link on your host page match your hosts IP address in your local LAN?
OK, the "etc" folder should be in the "private" folder. it used to be, but reinstalling the OS did not put anything into the "private" folder.
my computer is called "localhost" on the "Your computers" page, but that is not its name, and the "Computer summary" page gives an "IP address" and an "External IP address". this "External IP address" is the same as the one that my service provider gave to me. it is a dynamic ip address.
i have called apple support. i have taken my computer into an apple store. neither place was any help. i posted a question on apple's support discussions and got this answer. the folders are there, but they are invisible, and BOINCManager still putsout gethostbyname failed
Hold on... what is your
)
Hold on... what is your error?
gethostname()
or
gethostbyname
??
BOINCManager gies me the
)
BOINCManager gies me the error message "gethostbyname failed" everytime it tries to contact einstein@home.
RE: I typed “hostname�
)
OK, I tried it. The hostname command works, but there is a slight anomaly: with or without the -s switch the “.local� suffix is suppressed. I have no idea whether or not that’s significant—here’s hoping it may be a small clue to the Unix-savvy.
i tried the same thing. i
)
i tried the same thing. i entered "hostname" and "hostname -s" into "Terminal". i got the name of my computer without ".local". einstein@home used to show my compter's name as name".local".
RE: i tried the same thing.
)
Interesting; it may be a consistent symptom. I just tried it on my G4 workstation (OS 10.3.9) and on an Intel-powered iMac (OS 10.4.8), whose names BOINC does recognize, and without -s the hostname command returns the version with “.local� appended, as it did on my home G5.
RE: Hold on... what is your
)
Good point … here’s the (much longer) man file for gethostbyname.
GETHOSTBYNAME(3) BSD Library Functions Manual GETHOSTBYNAME(3)
NAME
gethostbyname, gethostbyname2, gethostbyaddr, gethostent, sethostent, endhostent, herror, hstrerror - get network host entry
LIBRARY
Standard C Library (libc, -lc)
SYNOPSIS
#include
extern int h_errno;
struct hostent *
gethostbyname(const char *name);
struct hostent *
gethostbyname2(const char *name, int af);
struct hostent *
gethostbyaddr(const char *addr, int len, int type);
struct hostent *
gethostent(void);
void
sethostent(int stayopen);
void
endhostent(void);
void
herror(const char *string);
const char *
hstrerror(int err);
DESCRIPTION
The gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() and gethostbyaddr() functions each return a pointer to an object with the following structure describing an internet host referenced by name or by address, respectively. This structure contains either the information obtained from the name server, named(8), or broken-out fields from a line in /etc/hosts. If the local name server is not running these routines do a lookup in [/u]/etc/hosts[/u].
struct hostent {
char *h_name; /* official name of host */
char **h_aliases; /* alias list */
int h_addrtype; /* host address type */
int h_length; /* length of address */
char **h_addr_list; /* list of addresses from name server */
};
#define h_addr h_addr_list[0] /* address, for backward compatibility */
The members of this structure are:
h_name Official name of the host.
h_aliases A NULL-terminated array of alternate names for the host.
h_addrtype The type of address being returned; usually AF_INET.
h_length The length, in bytes, of the address.
h_addr_list A NULL-terminated array of network addresses for the host. Host addresses are returned in network byte order.
h_addr The first address in h_addr_list; this is for backward compatibility.
When using the nameserver, gethostbyname() and gethostbyname2() will search for the named host in the current domain and its parents unless the name ends in a dot. If the name contains no dot, and if the environment variable “HOSTALIASES� contains the name of an alias file, the alias file will first be searched for an alias matching the input name. See hostname(7) for the domain search procedure and the alias file format.
The gethostbyname2() function is an evolution of gethostbyname() which is intended to allow lookups in address families other than AF_INET, for example AF_INET6. Both of these address families are supported in the Mac OS X implemention.
The sethostent() function may be used to request the use of a connected TCP socket for queries. If the stayopen flag is non-zero, this sets the option to send all queries to the name server using TCP and to retain the connection after each call to gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() or gethostbyaddr(). Otherwise, queries are performed using UDP datagrams.
The endhostent() function closes the TCP connection.
The herror() function writes a message to the diagnostic output consisting of the string parameter s, the constant string ": ", and a message corresponding to the value of h_errno.
The hstrerror() function returns a string which is the message text corresponding to the value of the err parameter.
FILES
/etc/hosts
/etc/host.conf
/etc/resolv.conf
DIAGNOSTICS
Error return status from gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() and gethostbyaddr() is indicated by return of a NULL pointer. The external integer h_errno may then be checked to see whether this is a temporary failure or an invalid or unknown host. The routine herror() can be used to print an error message describing the failure. If its argument string is non-NULL, it is printed, followed by a colon and a space. The error message is printed with a trailing newline.
The variable h_errno can have the following values:
HOST_NOT_FOUND No such host is known.
TRY_AGAIN This is usually a temporary error and means that the local server did not receive a response from an authoritative server. A retry at some later time may succeed.
NO_RECOVERY Some unexpected server failure was encountered. This is a non-recoverable error.
NO_DATA The requested name is valid but does not have an IP address; this is not a temporary error. This means that the name is known to the name server but there is no address associated with this name. Another type of request to the name server using this domain name will result in an answer; for example, a mail-forwarder may be registered for this domain.
SEE ALSO
getaddrinfo(3), resolver(3), hosts(5), hostname(7), named(8)
CAVEAT
The gethostent() function is defined, and sethostent() and endhostent() are redefined, when libc is built to use only the routines to lookup in /etc/hosts and not the name server.
The gethostent() function reads the next line of /etc/hosts, opening the file if necessary.
The sethostent() function opens and/or rewinds the file /etc/hosts. If the stayopen argument is non-zero, the file will not be closed after each call to gethostbyname(), gethostbyname2() or gethostbyaddr().
The endhostent() function closes the file.
HISTORY
The herror() function appeared in 4.3BSD. The endhostent(), gethostbyaddr(), gethostbyname(), gethostent(), and sethostent() functions appeared in 4.2BSD. The gethostbyname2() function first appeared in BIND version 4.9.4.
BUGS
These functions use static data storage; if the data is needed for future use, it should be copied before any subsequent calls overwrite it. Only the Internet address format is currently understood.
BSD May 25, 1995 BSD
OK, now i have really
)
OK, now i have really messed-up. i erased the HD and reinstalled the OS. i reinstalled BOINCManager also and reattached to einstein@home. i got two listings for this computer so i merged the two listings. also, it did not fix the "gethostbyname failed" problem. the "private" folder is completely empty.
I wonder if this is really a
)
I wonder if this is really a message from the BOINC core client when contacting Einstein or if it is an error when the GUI (or cmdline) tries to contact the core client.
Your box has received results and should be crunching.
Does your /etc/hosts (assuming that such a thing exists on a Mac) contain a line for the local loopback address?
127.0.0.1 localhostand a line for the host itself (example) :192.168.2.100 mycomputer1How is your computer called in the list of your computers on http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/hosts_user.php, does it match your local LAN name of your box? (we cannnot see that, the information is just visible to the owner)Does the IP address that it shows when you click the "show IP address" link on your host page match your hosts IP address in your local LAN?
RE: Does your /etc/hosts
)
OK, the "etc" folder should be in the "private" folder. it used to be, but reinstalling the OS did not put anything into the "private" folder.
my computer is called "localhost" on the "Your computers" page, but that is not its name, and the "Computer summary" page gives an "IP address" and an "External IP address". this "External IP address" is the same as the one that my service provider gave to me. it is a dynamic ip address.
i have called apple support.
)
i have called apple support. i have taken my computer into an apple store. neither place was any help. i posted a question on apple's support discussions and got this answer. the folders are there, but they are invisible, and BOINCManager still putsout gethostbyname failed