The ph user interface has two modes: "command-line mode" and
"interactive mode".  As its name implies, "command-line mode" permits
the user to process ph queries from the operating system prompt or
so-called "command-line".  Command-line mode can only be used to view
public information in the Nameserver database.  In order to change a
Nameserver entry or view privileged information about one's own entry,
interactive mode is required.

The syntax for a command-line mode query is:

  ph [-s server] [-p port] [-t type] [-f field1,field2,...]
  [-mMrRbBTlLF] query

Note that many options and switches are available in command-line mode.
All such options are explained in full in the help file called "manpage"
(the Unix online manual page for ph).

EXAMPLES
To do a simple Nameserver lookup in command-line mode, get to the
operating system prompt and type the command "ph" followed by a query
expression.  The entries matching your query will be printed to the
screen.  If the matching entries exceed one screen's worth of
information, they will be filtered through the default pager (usually
"more") and displayed one screen at a time.  To advance to the next
screen, press the space bar.  Once all of the matching entries are
displayed, you will be returned to the system prompt.  The following
example shows a simple lookup on the name "paul pomes" using ph's default
settings:

  ux1 3> ph paul pomes
  ----------------------------------------
             name: pomes paul
            phone: (217) 333-6262
          address: 1429 dcl, MC 256
                 : 1304 w springfield
                 : urbana, il 61801
       department: computing services office
            title: sr res programmer
         email to: [email protected] ([email protected])
  ----------------------------------------
  ux1 4>

Of course, command-line mode queries can take advantage of the various
options and switches mentioned above.  In the example below, the "-s
server" option is used to query the Nameserver at Northwestern
University, the "-f field1, field2..." option is used to specify which
fields to display, and the "-r" option is used to tell ph not to
reformat (combine) the "email" and "alias" fields into a single field
with an alias-based address:

  ux1 37> ph -s ns.nwu.edu -f name,alias,email -r john norstad
   ----------------------------------------
     name: norstad, john l
    alias: j-norstad
    email: [email protected]
  ----------------------------------------

SEE ALSO: ph, query, manpage, interactive_mode