Re: [PATCH] allow --host-timeout to be specified in days

[Fyodor <fyodor () insecure org>]

On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 01:36:08PM +0200, Sven Klemm wrote:
> currently the documentation about --host-timeout is ambigous. Some
> places state 'd' is valid while other places do not mention it:
>
> nmap localhost --host-timeout 7d
> --host-timeout is specified in milliseconds unless you qualify it by
> appending 's', 'm', 'h', or 'd'.  The value must be greater than 1500
> milliseconds
> QUITTING!

Thanks Sven.  But unless someone actually needs timeout values in
days, I think a better patch is to fix the documentation.  Nmap
currently does not allow you to specify timeouts in days, and I've
never had a desire to do so.  If you want a 3 day host timeout for
some reason, you can always specify --host-timeout 72h.  There is also
a risk that people will see us adding a special option for
multiple-day timeouts and assume that Nmap must be hideously slow.
What's next, adding 'w' for weeks and 'y' for years?

I just changed the nmap.cc error message you referenced.  If you've
seen any other cases where Nmap suggests that 'd' is valid, please do
fix them.

If someone really wants to add 'd', 'w', or 'y' support, that is fine
with me as long as a comment is added to the code that it is to remain
an undocumented feature.

Cheers,
-F

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