The Ftape Installation and Usage Guide - zftape devices
I chose the following names(1) for the devices provided by ftape-3.04d (and later versions) (example for drive selection method A, see Drive selection):
device name | bits of minor device number `lsb-msb '
| compr. support | file marks | rewind on close | can read v2.x | raw access ioctls |
/dev/qft0 | 0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0 | no | yes | yes | yes | no |
/dev/nqft0 | 0|0|1|0|0|0|0|0 | no | yes | no | yes | no |
/dev/rawft0 | 0|0|0|0|0|1|0|0 | no | no | yes | no | yes |
/dev/nrawft0 | 0|0|1|0|0|1|0|0 | no | no | no | no | yes |
The headers of the different columns have the following meaning:
`bits of minor device number '
|
The minor device number in bitwise representation. The lsb(2) comes first. See zftape devices overview. |
`compression support '
|
Whether you can use compression with this devices. BIG FAT NOTE: ftape-4.03 no longer supports compression. See Compression. However, decompression of compressed archives produced with ftape-3.04d is still possible in order not to break existing backup software where a user-level decompression filter would not suffice to guarantee compatibility. |
`file marks '
|
Whether this device supports file marks (see File marks, see MTFSF, see MTBSF, see MTFSFM, see MTBSFM, see MTWEOF). |
`rewind on close '
|
Whether the tape is rewound when this device is closed. Note the
` |
`can read v2.x '
|
Whether you can read tapes produces by the pre-3.04 sftape driver or by the old ftape-2.x driver. See Compatibility with ftape-2.x. |
`raw access ioctls '
|
Whether this device supports raw access ioctls (see MTIOCRDFTSEG and MTIOCWRFTSEG). |
Please refer to the respective subsections for more remarks about the different devices (see /dev/qft, see /dev/rft, see /dev/rawft).
There is a script
[/usr/src/ftape-4.03/]scripts/MAKEDEV.ftape
that can produce these devices for you. See Installing ftape. You
find it under `[/usr/src/ftape-4.03/]scripts/
'. The
devices which I called `/dev/qft*
' and `/dev/nqft*
' were also
used by the original ftape driver. In the latest versions of the
original ftape-2.x driver they were called `/dev/rft*
' and
`/dev/nrft*
', older versions of ftape called them
`/dev/ftape
' and `/dev/nftape
'. See Installing ftape.
(1) The `q
' stands for QIC, and the `n
' is a shortcut for Non-rewinding (see Rewinding and non-rewinding devices)
(2) least significant bit
![]() |
Use these buttons to jump to the top menu |