This function closes the hosts database file (TCPIP$ETC:IPNODES.DAT), previously opened with a gethostbyaddr(), gethostent(), or gethostbyname() function call. If the most recent sethostent() function call is executed with a nonzero stay_open parameter, the endhostent() function does not close the hosts database file. You cannot close the hosts database file until you make a call to exit(). A second call to sethostent() is issued with a stay_open parameter equal to 0 (zero). This ensures that a subsequent endhostent() call succeeds. Related Functions See also gethostbyaddr(), gethostent(), and gethostbyname().