Index for Section 8

Alphabetical listing for M

Bottom of page

mknod(8)
NAME
  mknod - Creates a special file

SYNOPSIS
  /usr/sbin/mknod special_file [ b major_device# minor_device# |  c
  major_device# minor_device#]

  /usr/sbin/mknod filename p

DESCRIPTION
  The mknod command makes a directory entry.  The first argument is the name
  of the special device file.  Select a name that is descriptive of the
  device.

  The mknod command has two forms.  In the first form, the second argument is
  the b or c flag.  The last two arguments are numbers specifying the
  major_device, which helps the operating system find the device driver code,
  and the minor_device, the unit drive, or line number, which may be either
  decimal or octal.

  The assignment of major device numbers is specific to each system.  You can
  determine the device numbers by examining the conf.c system source file.
  If you change the contents of the conf.c file to add a device driver, you
  must rebuild the kernel.

  In the second form of mknod, you use the p flag to create named pipes
  (FIFOs).

  Only the superuser can create a character or device special file.

FLAGS
  b	    Indicates that the special file corresponds to a block-oriented
	    device (disk or tape)

  c	    Indicates that the special file corresponds to a character-
	    oriented device

  p	    Creates named pipes (FIFOs)

EXAMPLES
   1.  To create the special file for a new drive, /dev/disk/dsk20, with a
       major device number of 1 and a minor device number of 2, enter:
	    mknod /dev/disk/dsk20 b  1	2
       This command creates the special file, /dev/disk/dsk20, which is a
       block special file with major device number 1 and minor device number
       2.

   2.  To create a pipe named fifo, enter:
	    mknod fifo p
       This command creates the pipe fifo, which is not necessarily in the
       current directory.




FILES
  /usr/sbin/mknod
	    Specifies the command path

  conf.c    Specifies the system device numbers specification file

Index for Section 8

Alphabetical listing for M

Top of page