NAME

mknod − create special and fifo files

SYNOPSIS

/etc/mknod name c │ b major minor
/etc/mknod name p
/etc/mknod name n nodename

DESCRIPTION

Mknod makes a directory entry and corresponding inode for a special file.  Name is the path name of the special file to be created. 

In the first SYNOPSIS line shown, the second argument should be b if the special file is block-type (disks, tape), or c if it is character-type (other devices).  Major and minor are numbers specifying the major device type (e.g. device driver number) and the minor device number (typically, but not exclusively, the unit, drive, HP-IB bus address and/or line number).  The assignment of major and minor device numbers is specific to each HP-UX system.  Major and minor may be specified in any of hexadecimal, octal, or decimal, using the C language conventions (Decimal numbers must not have a leading zero, octal must have a leading zero, and hexadecimal must have a leading zero followed by ’x’.) 

Mknod can also be used to create fifo’s (a.k.a named pipes) (second case in SYNOPSIS above). 

A real ID of 0 (super-user) is required on the first and third synopsis shown above.  All users may use mknod in the form shown in the second synopsis. 

The newly created file has a mode of 0666, as modified by the current setting of the user’s umask. 

NETWORKING FEATURES

RFA

Mknod can also be used to create a network special file (third case in SYNOPSIS above).  A network special file addresses another node on a local area network.  Nodename is the name by which the node is known on the network. 

SEE ALSO

lsdev(1M), mknod(2), mknod(4). 

Hewlett-Packard Company  —  May 11, 2021