MT(1)                   COMMAND REFERENCE                   MT(1)



NAME
     mt - magnetic tape manipulating program for workstations

     Not available for 4315, 4316 or 4317 UTek workstations.

SYNOPSIS
     mt [ -f tapename ] command [ count ]
     mt [ -f tapename ] select [ -b block_size | -m mode | -d
     density | -s speed code | -v ]

DESCRIPTION
     The mt program is used to give commands to a magnetic tape
     drive.  If a tape name is not specified, the environment
     variable TAPE is used; if TAPE does not exist, mt uses the
     device /dev/ntc.  Note that tapename must refer to a raw
     (not block) tape device and should usually refer to a no-
     rewind device.

     By default mt performs the requested operation once.
     Operations may be performed multiple times by specifying
     count.

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

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

     fsf     Forward space count files.

     bsf     Back space count files.

     fsr     Forward space count records.

     bsr     Back space count records.

     rewind  Rewind the tape (Count is ignored.)

     offline, rewoffl
             Rewind the tape and place the tape unit offline
             (Count is ignored.)

     status  Print status information about the tape unit.
             (Count is ignored.)

     select  Used for setting parameters to non-default values
             for SCSI devices only. (Count is ignored.)

             -b block_size
                       A number of bytes is expected when size is



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                       specified.  A number can end in b or u,
                       specifying multiplication by 512 or 1024.

             -m mode    mode is either b, buffered, or, u,
                       unbuffered.  In buffered mode the tape
                       does not wait for output to be completed.

             -d density

                       density is either a SCSI tape density code
                       (see the manual for the SCSI device) or a
                       density in bits per inch.  If supplied
                       with a density, mt will look up and
                       determine the corresponding SCSI tape
                       density code, or report an error if it
                       does not understand the density.

             -s speed code

                       mt does not translate the speed code; see
                       the manual for the SCSI device.

             -v        Turns on verbose mode; mt will report the
                       device status before and after parameters
                       are changed.

     fss     Forward space until count sequential file marks are
             found.

     bss     Back space until count sequential file marks are
             found.

     erase   Erase from the current position to the end of the
             tape; some drivers will only allow this command at
             BOT.  (Count is ignored.)

     end     Forward space to the end of recorded data.  (Count
             is ignored.)

     tension,  retension
             Retension cartridge tapes, leaving the tape at BOT.
             (Count is ignored.)

EXAMPLES
     To rewind a tape to the beginning, type:

          mt -f /dev/tc rewind

     To set a 9-track tape drive device, /dev/mt6250, to 6250
     bpi, type:





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          mt -f /dev/mt6250 select -d 6250 -v

FILES
     /dev/ntc*
             Cartridge tape interface

DIAGNOSTICS
     command command not valid
        The command wasn't a valid command or wasn't a unique
        abbreviation.

     count must be positive
        The count parameter cannot be a negative number.

     can't open tapename
        The mt program couldn't open the named tape, the device
        doesn't exist, the tape wasn't mounted, or the tape was
        write protected against a weof or erase command.

     Other messages describe tape errors.

RETURN VALUE
     [NO_ERRS]      Command completed without error.

     [USAGE]        Incorrect command line syntax. Execution
                    terminated.

     [P_ERR]        A system error occurred. Execution
                    terminated.  See intro(2) for more
                    information on system errors.

CAVEATS
     In some cases, the user must be superuser to change SCSI
     parameters using select.

     If a system has multiple users, the tape unit may need to be
     in an offline state. There are two methods to get the tape
     unit back online:

         1)  Recycle the tape and manually remove it from the
             drive. Then remount or reinsert it.

         2)  Or, type: mt -f /dev/retension

SEE ALSO
     dd(1), ioctl(2), tc(4), and environ(7).









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%%index%%
na:192,170;
sy:362,584;
de:946,2212;3422,2242;
ex:5664,280;6208,47;
fi:6255,124;
di:6379,742;
rv:7121,444;
ca:7565,852;
se:8417,170;
%%index%%000000000166