                                      NAME

   askmara - do simple dns queries

                                  DESCRIPTION

   askmara queries the user-specified dns server for records, and outputs the
   reply in a csv2-compatible format (csv2 is the format of zone files that
   maradns uses).

                                     USAGE

   askmara [-n] [ -v | -t timeout] query [ server ]

                                    OPTIONS

   -t
           If this is present, the following argument is the askmara timeout,
           in seconds. Note that askmara can not both have a user-defined
           timeout and verbose output.

   -v
           If this is set, askmara will verbosely output the complete reply
           that the server sent. Note that this verbose output is not
           csv2-compatible.

   -n
           If this is set, askmara, when sending out a query, will not
           request DNS recursion; in other words, askmara will request that
           the remote DNS server not contact other DNS server to answer the
           query in question.

   query
           dns record to be queried. The query has two sections: The type of
           record we desire, and the hostname we want this record for.

           The type of query can have two forms: A one-letter mnemonic, or a
           numeric rtype followed by a colon. This is immediately
           concatenated by the full name of the host name we wish to look up.

           For example, to ask for the IP of 'example.com.', we can use the
           one-letter mnemonic, in the form 'Aexample.com.', or we can use
           the numeric RR followed by a colon, giving the query
           '1:example.com.' (since A has the record type of one). Note that
           the query name needs the trailing dot at the end.

           Askmara supports a handful one-letter mnemonics, as follows:

           A signifies a request for an A (ipv4 address) RR

           N signifies a NS RR

           C signifies that we are asking for a CNAME RR

           S signifies that we want a SOA RR

           P signifies that we want a PTR RR

           @ signifies that we mant a MX RR

           T signifies that we want a TXT RR

           Z signifies that we want to ask for all RRs.

   server
           IP address of the dns server to be queried. If no server is given,
           askmara will query 127.0.0.1.

                                    EXAMPLES

   Asking the server with the ip 127.0.0.1 for the IP address of example.com:

 askmara Aexample.com.

   Asking the server with the ip 198.41.0.4 for the IP address of
   example.com:

 askmara Aexample.com. 198.41.0.4

   Asking the server with the ip address 127.0.0.1 for the IP address of
   example.com, using the rr_number:query format:

 askmara 1:example.com.

   Asking the server with the ip address 127.0.0.1 for a SRV record. In
   particular, we ask for the "http over tcp" service for example.net. Since
   askmara doesn't have a mnemonic for SRV record types, we use the numeric
   code (33 for SRV):

 askmara 33:_http._tcp.example.net.

   Asking the server with the ip address 127.0.0.1 for the AAAA (ipv6 ip)
   record for example.net:

 askmara 28:example.net.

   Note that the output will be a raw DNS packet in both the SRV and AAAA
   examples.

                                      BUGS

   When askmara is asked for an SOA record, the output of askmara closely
   resembles the format of a csv2 file, but can not be parsed as a csv2 file
   without modification.

   askmara outputs multi-chunk ("character-string") TXT records incorrectly
   (it only outputs the first chunk).

                                    SEE ALSO

   maradns(8)
   http://www.maradns.org

                                LEGAL DISCLAIMER

   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORS ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR
   IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
   OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN
   NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
   INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
   (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR
   SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
   CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
   LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
   OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
   SUCH DAMAGE.

                                     AUTHOR

   MaraDNS is written by Sam Trenholme. Jaakko Niemi used 5 minutes to roll
   this manpage together, which Sam has subsequently revised.
