% -l <ip-lookup>   Returns first level less specific inetnum, 
%                  inet6num or route objects, excluding exact matches.
% -L <ip-lookup>   Returns all level less specific inetnum, 
%                  inet6num or route objects, including exact matches.
% -m <ip-lookup>   Returns first level more specific inetnum, 
%                  inet6num or route objects, excluding exact matches.
% -M <ip-lookup>   Returns all level more specific inetnum, 
%                  inet6num or route objects, excluding exact matches.
% -x <ip-lookup>   Requests that only an exact match on a prefix be
%                  performed.  If no exact match is found no objects are
%                  returned.
% -c <ip-lookup>   Requests first level less specific inetnum or inet6num
%                  objects with the "mnt-irt:" attribute.
% -b <ip-lookup>   Requests first level less specific inetnum or inet6num
%                  objects with the "mnt-irt:" attribute. Only object keys
%                  and "abuse-mailbox:" attributes are visible.
% -d <ip-lookup>   Enables use of the -m, -M, -l and -L flags for lookups on
%                  reverse delegation domains.
% 
% -i <attribute-name> <inverse-key> Perform an inverse query.
% 
% -F               Produce output using short hand notation for attribute
%                  names.
% -K               Requests that only the primary keys of an object to be
%                  returned.  The exceptions are set objects, where the
%                  members attributes will also be returned. This flag does
%                  not apply to person and role objects.
% -k (optional normal query) Requests a persistent connection. After
%                  returning the result the connection will not be closed by
%                  the server and a client may issue multiple queries on the
%                  same connection. 
%                  Note, that server implements 'stop-and-wait' protocol,
%                  when no next query can be sent before receiving a reply
%                  for the previous one.  Use RIPE whois3 client to be able
%                  to send queries in batch mode. 
%                  Except the first -k query, -k without an argument closes
%                  the persistent connection.  
% -g (mirroring request) Request a NRTM stream from the server. 
%                  See [REF], section 4. "Mirroring the RIPE Database" for
%                  more information".
% -G               Disables the grouping of objects by relevance.
% -B               Disables the filtering of "notify:", "changed:" and "e-mail:"
%                  attributes.
% 
% -R               Switches off use referral mechanism for domain lookups,
%                  so that the database returns an object in the RIPE
%                  database with the exact match with the lookup argument,
%                  rather than doing a referral lookup.
% -r               Switches off recursion for contact information after 
%                  retrieving the objects that match the lookup key.
% -T (comma separated list of object types, no white space is allowed)
%                  Restricts the types of objects to lookup in the query.
% -a               Specifies that the server should perform lookups in all
%                  available sources.  See also -q sources" query.
% -s (comma separated list of sources, no white space is allowed) Specifies
%                  which sources and in which order are to be looked up when
%                  performing a query.
% 
% -q sources       Returns the current set of sources along with the
%                  information required for mirroring. See [REF], section
%                  2.9 "Other server features" for more information.
% -q version       Displays the current version of the server.
% -t <object-type> Requests a template for the specified object type.
% -V<client-tag>   Sends information about the client to the server.
% -v <object-type> Requests a verbose template for the specified object
%                  type.
% 
% [REF] RIPE Database Reference Manual.
%       http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation
