MT(1)                                                       MT(1)



     NAME
          mt - magnetic tape manipulating program

     SYNOPSIS
          mt [ -t /dev/tapename ] command [ count ]

     DESCRIPTION
          mt is used to give commands to the magnetic tape drives.  By
          default, mt performs the requested operation with the
          Quarter Inch Cartridge tape drive. Normally the operations
          are performed once.  Operations may be performed multiple
          times by specifying count.

          To use the Half Inch tape drive the -t /dev/tapename is used
          to specify which tape device to use.

          The default tape device uses the no-rewind device.  No
          filemark is written to the no-rewind device on close.

          The available commands are listed below.  Only as many
          characters as are required to uniquely identify a command
          need be specified.

               eof  Write count end-of-file marks at the current
                    position on the tape.

               fsf  Forward space count files.

               fsr  Forward space count records. This operation will
                    have little real effect with the Quarter Inch
                    Cartridge tape drive.

               bsf  Backspace count files. This operation will have no
                    effect with the Quarter Inch Cartridge tape drive.

               bsr  Backspace count records. This operation will have
                    no effect with the Quarter Inch Cartridge tape
                    drive.

               rewind
                    Rewind the tape (Count is ignored.)

               status
                    Print status information about the tape unit.  A
                    tape cartridge need not be physically loaded to
                    obtain status.  (Count is ignored.)

               blksize
                    Print the default block size to be used by tar.  A
                    tape cartridge need not be physically loaded to
                    obtain default block size.




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     MT(1)                                                       MT(1)



               retension
                    Retension the Quarter Inch Cartridge installed in
                    the drive.  This does not effect the Half Inch
                    tape drive.  (Count is ignored.)

               help Print command usage information about the command.
                    (Count is ignored.)

          mt returns a 0 exit status when the operations were
          successful, a 1 if a command was unrecognized, and a 2 if a
          operation failed.  mt without any arguments defaults to
          help.

     FILES
          /dev/tape Raw magnetic Quarter Inch Cartridge Tape drive
          /dev/nrtape    No rewind Quarter Inch Cartridge Tape drive

     SEE ALSO
          mtio(7)

     ORIGIN
          4th Berkeley Software Distribution

































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