# Answers structure in DNS measurement response

**URL:** <https://forum.ripe.net/t/answers-structure-in-dns-measurement-response/1097>\
**Category:** RIPE Atlas\
**Tags:** dns\
**Created:** [16 August 2024 13:50 UTC](https://forum.ripe.net/t/answers-structure-in-dns-measurement-response/1097 "2024-08-16T13:50:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jdlk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@jdlk](https://forum.ripe.net/u/jdlk)\
**Post date:** [16 August 2024 13:50 UTC](https://forum.ripe.net/t/answers-structure-in-dns-measurement-response/1097/1 "2024-08-16T13:50:32Z")

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Hello,

I have a question regarding DNS measurements and the current JSON results schema (\>5000). If I wanted to extract the DNS responses how would I be able to do that programatically through the API currently? I ask, because recently my measurements are missing the “answers” structure where previously they were present.

Take for example this measurement #76744668 which is has the following results on the API:

[https://atlas.ripe.net/api/v2/measurements/76744668/results](https://atlas.ripe.net/api/v2/measurements/76744668/results)

and the following on the RIPE ATLAS website:

> **[RIPE Atlas - RIPE Network Coordination Centre](https://atlas.ripe.net/measurements/76744668/results)**
>
> RIPE Atlas is the RIPE NCC's main Internet data measurement system.

I can see the A record replies on the ATLAS website for the measurement. For example I  
see google.ca: 172.217.168.35 but not on the JSON output through the API.

In earlier measurements I have done, these were available in result/answers structure  
but these are missing in my example measurement above. However the ATLAS website for that measurement has retained this information since it exposes the 172. response.

The current documentation for DNS measurement results fw5000+ still refers to the answers structure but this is missing from the JSON output I see.

I feel like I am missing something obvious here and I appreciate if any one can point to the right direction. Thank you and I am a big fan of the project.

Regards,  
J

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**Author:** ![robertk](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/forum.ripe.net/robertk/32/413_2.png) [@robertk](https://forum.ripe.net/u/robertk)\
**Post date:** [20 August 2024 11:16 UTC](https://forum.ripe.net/t/answers-structure-in-dns-measurement-response/1097/2 "2024-08-20T11:16:24Z")

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Hi, the results contain the abuf field, which is the “answer payload buffer from the server, UU encoded (string)”. This field has the details. It can be decoded in a number of ways, for an example see [RIPE Atlas docs | Contributed code and tools | Docs](https://atlas.ripe.net/docs/tools-and-code/contributed.html#3-1-manual-decoding-dns-result-details)