[erlang-questions] How is hostname decided

[Anders Nygren]

When using short names, how is the hostname decided.
The reason I am asking is that I have a system based on R12B2
running on RedHat Enterprise 4

[npas@REDACTED lib]$ /opt/npas/bin/erl -sname test
Erlang (BEAM) emulator version 5.6.2 [source] [64-bit] [smp:2]
[async-threads:0] [hipe] [kernel-poll:false]

Eshell V5.6.2  (abort with ^G)
(test@REDACTED)1> inet:gethostname().
{ok,"npas"}

Why is the nodename localhost, when inet:gethostname() returns npas?

Looking through the sources I found what looks like the place where hostname is
determined.
inet_config:set_hostname() ->
    case inet_udp:open(0,[]) of
	{ok,U} ->
	    Res = inet:gethostname(U),
	    inet_udp:close(U),
	    set_hostname(Res);
	_ ->
	    set_hostname({ok, []})
    end.

But that also gives "npas"

/Anders