Net::Whois::RIPE - implementation of RIPE Whois.

        use Net::Whois::RIPE;

        $whois = Net::Whois::RIPE->new($host);
        $whois = Net::Whois::RIPE->new($host,Timeout=>10);
        $whois = Net::Whois::RIPE->new($host,Timeout=>10,Port=>43);

        $whois->no_recursive;
        $whois->source('APNIC');
        $whois->type('inetnum');

        foreach $inet ($whois->query('203.203.203.203')) {
                print $inet->inetnum, "\n"; 
        }

        $whois->query('202.12.28.0');
        $whois->update($text);

        # to minimise memory requirements on large lookups...
        $iterator = $whois->query_iterator('DNS3-AP');
        while ($obj = $iterator->next) {
                ...
        }

        $whois->template('inetnum');
        $whois->verbose_template('inetnum');

        $whois->debug(1);
        $whois->max_read_size(1);

        $whois->search_all;
        $whois->fast_raw;
        $whois->find_less;
        $whois->find_more;
        $whois->find_all_more;
        $whois->no_recursive;
        $whois->no_referral;
        $whois->no_sugar;

        $whois->inverse_lookup($attribute);
        $whois->source('APNIC');
        $whois->type('person');

        # query only

        $whois->port();
        $whois->server();

Net::Whois::RIPE class implementing a RIPE whois client.

new (HOST [,OPTIONS])

This is the constructor for a new Net::Whois::RIPE object. CWHOST is the name of the remote host to which a whois connection is required. CWOPTIONS are passed in a hash like fashion, using key and value pairs. Possible options are:

        Port - The port number to connect to on the remote machine
        Timeout - Set a timeout value in seconds (defaults to 30)
        Debug - See debug methog.

The constructor returns undef on failure. If debug is on then a message is carped about the failure.

template(WHOIS_OBJECT_NAME)

Sends a template request to whois host for a template of WHOIS_OBJECT_NAME. Results are returned in a Net::Whois::RIPE::Object object. The template is retrieved via the content method on the Net::Whois::RIPE::Object object.

       $t = $whois->template('all');
       $t = $whois->template('inetnum');
       $t = $whois->template('person');
       $text = $t->content;

If WHOIS_OBJECT_NAME is undefined then the method will carp (under debug) and return undef.

verbose_template(WHOIS_OBJECT_NAME)

Like template, but sends a verbose template request to the whois host for WHOIS_OBJECT_NAME. Results are returned in a Net::Whois::RIPE::Object object. The verbose template is retrieved via the content method on the Net::Whois::RIPE::Object object.

       $vt = $whois->verbose_template('person');
       $text = $vt->content;

If WHOIS_OBJECT_NAME is undefined then the method will carp and return undef.

query(QUERY_TEXT)

Formats query flag options (see below) and sends them and QUERY_TEXT to the server. If called in a scalar context then the first object returned from the server is passed back as a single Net::Whois::RIPE::Object object. In an array context, all returned objects returned from the server are parsed into in a list and returned (potentially quite large).

       $q = $whois->query('key')  # a single Query
       @q = $whois->query('key')  # an array of Queries

If QUERY_KEY is undefined, undef is returned. Any failure will carp and return undef. If max_read_size is greater than zero then the server response will be abandoned when greater than max_read_size bytes have been read. The last object read will have warning messages set to indicate that the response was cut.

query_iterator(QUERY_TEXT)

Similar to query except that a Net::Whois::RIPE::Iterator object is returned. This object is used to iterate over the results of the query. This was created in response to huge results returned by whois queries where over 1000 objects may be returned. Query iterator returns an object at a time via the next method as opposed to query which returns an array of objects.

        $iterator = $whois->query_iterator 
                or die "unable to create iterator";
        while ($obj = $iterator->next) {
                ...
        }

update(UPDATE_TEXT)

Sends UPDATE_TEXT directly to server. Query flag options (below) are not used by update. Server response is returned via Net::Whois::RIPE::Object. Use the content method on the Query object to via server response.

 my $q = $whois->update($message)
 print $q->content

If UPDATE_TEXT is undefined, undef is returned. Any failure will carp and return undef. If no changed field can be found to determine a login and domain the method will carp and return undef. If max_read_size is greater than zero then the server response will be abandoned when greater than max_read_size bytes have been read.

debug(LEVEL)

Sets/gets debugging level on the class or an object.

        0 - no debugging
        1 - debugging on
        2 - carp on IO::Socket::INET

max_read_size([INTEGER])

Sets/reads the maximum number of bytes that Net::Whois::RIPE will read before returning. This is to limit huge responses from the server overloading scripts. a max_read_size of zero indicates no limit.

flag options

The following flags may be set by calling the method. Their meaning is identical to the ripe whois client. These flags require no arguments, they simply set the flag on.

       Method                       Equivalent whois flag

       search_all                   -a
       fast_raw                     -F
       find_less                    -L
       find_more                    -m
       find_all_more                -M
       no_recursive                 -r
       no_referral                  -R
       no_sugar                     -S

flag options taking values

The following flags may be set by calling the method with a value. There meaning is identical to the ripe whois client.

       Method                       Equivalent whois flag

       inverse_lookup(ATTRIBUTE)    -i ATTRIBUTE
       port(PORT)                   -p PORT
       source(SOURCE)               -s SOURCE
       type(TYPE)                   -T TYPE

        Paul Gampe, <pgampe@users.sourceforge.net>
        Kevin Baker, <shagol@users.sourceforge.net>
        Bruce Campbell, <bxc@users.sourceforge.net>

Update could be made clever enough to determine if it was been passed a string to update or a Net::Whois::RIPE::Object and adapt its behaviour.

        Net::Whois::RIPE::Iterator
        Net::Whois::RIPE::Object
        Net::Whois::RIPE::Object::Template

        Copyright (C) 1998 Paul Gampe and APNIC Pty. Ltd.
        Copyright (C) 2000 Kevin Baker and APNIC Pty. Ltd.
        Copyright (C) 2004-2005 Paul Gampe

        This program is free software; you can redistribute it 
        and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public 
        License as published by the Free Software Foundation; 
        either version 1, or (at your option) any later version.

        This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
        but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
        MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
        GNU General Public License for more details.

        You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public 
        License along with this program; if not, write to the 
        Free Software Foundation, Inc., 
        675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.