How to resolve DNS in Python?

Question

I have a DNS script which allow users to resolve DNS names by typing website names on a Windows command prompt.

I have looked through several guides on the DNS resolve but my script can't still seem to resolve the names (www.google.com) or (google.com) to IP address.

The script outputs an error of

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\python\main_menu.py", line 37, in ?
    execfile('C:\python\showdns.py')
  File "C:\python\showdns.py", line 3, in ?
    x = input ("\nPlease enter a domain name that you wish to translate: ")
  File "<string>", line 0, in ?
NameError: name 'google' is not defined

The code:

import socket

x = input ("\nPlease enter a domain name that you wish to translate: ")

print ("\n\nThe IP Address of the Domain Name is: "+socket.gethostbyname_ex(x))

x = raw_input("\nSelect enter to proceed back to Main Menu\n")
if x == '1': 
execfile('C:\python\main_menu.py')

Please give advice on the codes. Thanks!

Answer 1

input() is the wrong function to use here. It actually evaluates the string that the user entered.

Also gethostbyname_ex returns more than just a string. So your print statement would also have failed.

In your case this code should work:

import socket

x = raw_input ("\nPlease enter a domain name that you wish to translate: ")  

data = socket.gethostbyname_ex(x)
print ("\n\nThe IP Address of the Domain Name is: "+repr(data))  

x = raw_input("\nSelect enter to proceed back to Main Menu\n")  
if x == '1':   
    execfile('C:\python\main_menu.py')  

Answer 2

#!/user/bin/env python
"""
Resolve the DNS/IP address of a given domain
data returned is in the format:
(name, aliaslist, addresslist)
@filename resolveDNS.py
@version 1.01 (python ver 2.7.3)
@author LoanWolffe
"""
import socket

def getIP(d):
    """
    This method returns the first IP address string
    that responds as the given domain name
    """
    try:
        data = socket.gethostbyname(d)
        ip = repr(data)
        return ip
    except Exception:
        # fail gracefully!
        return False
#
def getIPx(d):
    """
    This method returns an array containing
    one or more IP address strings that respond
    as the given domain name
    """
    try:
        data = socket.gethostbyname_ex(d)
        ipx = repr(data[2])
        return ipx
    except Exception:
        # fail gracefully!
        return False
#
def getHost(ip):
    """
    This method returns the 'True Host' name for a
    given IP address
    """
    try:
        data = socket.gethostbyaddr(ip)
        host = repr(data[0])
        return host
    except Exception:
        # fail gracefully
        return False
#
def getAlias(d):
    """
    This method returns an array containing
    a list of aliases for the given domain
    """
    try:
        data = socket.gethostbyname_ex(d)
        alias = repr(data[1])
        #print repr(data)
        return alias
    except Exception:
        # fail gracefully
        return False
#

# test it

x = raw_input("Domain name or IP address? > ")


a = getIP(x)
b = getIPx(x)
c = getHost(x)
d = getAlias(x)

print " IP ", a
print " IPx ", b
print " Host ", c
print " Alias ", d