NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       mknod - Creates a special file

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

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

       /usr/sbin/mknod filename p

FLAGS    [Toc]    [Back]

       Indicates that the special file corresponds  to  a  blockoriented
  device (disk or tape) Indicates that the special
       file corresponds to a  character-oriented  device  Creates
       named pipes (FIFOs)

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       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).

       A user who is root can create a character or block special
       file.

EXAMPLES    [Toc]    [Back]

       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.
              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    [Toc]    [Back]

       Specifies  the  command  path  Specifies the system device
       numbers specification file



                                                         mknod(8)