ftape(1) INTERACTIVE UNIX System ftape(1)
NAME
ftape - interface to floppy tape drives
SYNOPSIS
ftape -SFViIot [ -f number ] [ -d description ] device
DESCRIPTION
ftape is the user interface to floppy tape drives. It uses
ECC (Error Correction Codes) that go beyond the usual CRC
checksums (which are implemented in the device driver) to
allow the recovery of data that would otherwise be lost
through tape errors. ftape can be used only with the floppy
tape driver, ft(7). device must be the floppy tape driver
device file, /dev/ftape. ftape is typically used with one
of the archiving programs cpio(1) or tar(1).
The ftape program supports multiple filesets on a single
cartridge, following the QIC-40 standard for the Volume
Table (VTBL), and also supports multiple volume operations.
When the program detects the end of the tape, it prompts for
another cartridge. When reading multiple cartridge sets, it
checks to make sure the volumes are inserted in the proper
order.
The command line options are:
-i Read data from the tape and write it to stdout.
-I Same as -i, except that the program will not exit if
uncorrectable errors occur.
-o Read data from stdin and write to it to the tape.
-t Read just the tape header and VTBL block, producing a
table of contents of the tape volume.
-f Reads from or writes to fileset number. There can be
as many as 64 filesets on an Irwin tape, and up to 116
on a QIC-40 tape. If no -f flag is given, the first
fileset on the tape is assumed. When writing fileset
number N, filesets 1 through N-1 must have been previ-
ously written, and any filesets numbered >N are des-
troyed.
-d Description is up to 44 characters of descriptive text.
This text is stored in the VTBL header, and will be
displayed by the -t flag, but has no effect on the
data. The text should be quoted if it contains any
special characters or blanks.
-S Specifies that a write servo operation is to be per-
formed on the tape. The tape must be a new, unformat-
ted tape or have been erased with a bulk tape eraser.
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ftape(1) INTERACTIVE UNIX System ftape(1)
-F Specifies that a physical format operation is to be
performed on the tape. When formatting a tape, there
should be no other activity on the system.
-V Specifies that the tape is to be searched for bad
blocks and a tape header placed at the beginning of the
tape indicating the bad blocks on the tape.
EXAMPLES
To archive all files in the file system tree above the
current directory into fileset 1 on the tape:
find . -print | cpio -o | ftape -o -d 'Monday backup'
/dev/ftape
To restore all the files previously archived in fileset 1:
ftape -i /dev/ftape | cpio -i
SEE ALSO
ft(7).
DIAGNOSTICS
All diagnostic output, as well as the output from the -t
flag, is directed to stderr. stdout is reserved for the
data stream. Prompts for new tapes and responses to prompts
are written and read from /dev/tty.
WARNINGS
A tape should only be servo written after being thoroughly
erased with a bulk tape eraser or erratic behavior may
result.
ADDED VALUE
This entry, supplied by INTERACTIVE Systems Corporation, is
an extension of UNIX System V.
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