4.4BSD/usr/share/man/cat8/mknod.0

MKNOD(8)                  BSD System Manager's Manual                 MKNOD(8)

NNAAMMEE
     mmkknnoodd - build special file

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
     mmkknnoodd _n_a_m_e [cc | bb] _m_a_j_o_r _m_i_n_o_r

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
     The mmkknnoodd command creates device special files.  Normally the shell
     script _/_d_e_v_/_M_A_K_E_D_E_V is used to create special files for commonly known
     devices; it executes mmkknnoodd with the appropriate arguments and can make
     all the files required for the device.

     To make nodes manually, the four required arguments are:

     _n_a_m_e    Device name, for example ``sd'' for a SCSI disk on an HP300 or a
             ``pty'' for pseudo-devices.

     bb | cc   Type of device. If the device is a block type device such as a
             tape or disk drive which needs both cooked and raw special files,
             the type is bb. All other devices are character type devices, such
             as terminal and psuedo devices, and are type cc.

     _m_a_j_o_r   The major device number is an integer number which tells the ker-
             nel which device driver entry point to use.  To learn what major
             device number to use for a particular device, check the file
             _/_d_e_v_/_M_A_K_E_D_E_V to see if the device is known, or check the system
             dependent device configuration file:

                   ``_/_u_s_r_/_s_r_c_/_s_y_s_/_c_o_n_f_/_d_e_v_i_c_e_._a_r_c_h_i_t_e_c_t_u_r_e''

             (for example _d_e_v_i_c_e_._h_p_3_0_0).

     _m_i_n_o_r   The minor device number tells the kernel which subunit the node
             corresponds to on the device; for example, a subunit may be a
             filesystem partition or a tty line.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
     mknod(2),  makedev(8)

HHIISSTTOORRYY
     A mmkknnoodd command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.

4th Berkeley Distribution        June 5, 1993                                1