The -v option will get just the version number instead of the complete host table and put the output in the file outfile or by default, hosts.ver.
gettable operates by opening a TCP connection to the port indicated in the service specification for ``nicname''. A request is then made for ``ALL'' names and the resultant information is placed in the output file.
gettable is best used in conjunction with the htable(1Mtcp) program which converts the NIC standard file format to that used by the network library lookup routines.
RFC 952