Format
- mknod pathname [b c] major minor
- mknod pathname p
Description
mknod creates
a FIFO special file or a character special file with the given path
name. It is located in the directory /usr/sbin.
Operands
- b
- Indicates block special files. b is
accepted for compatibility with other UNIX implementations.
Restriction: Block
special files are not supported on z/OS®.
- c
- Indicates character special files (for example, terminals and
other devices). c can only be used by a
superuser.
- major minor
- major gives the major device type; minor,
the minor device type. You can specify device types in decimal, hexadecimal,
or octal.
mknod differentiates between
octal and decimal as follows:
- Any number that starts with 0 but not 0x is octal.
- Any number that starts with 0x is hexadecimal.
- Any number that does not start with 0x or 0 is decimal.
- p
- Creates a FIFO special file (that is, a named
pipe).
Localization
mknod uses
the following localization environment variables:
- LANG
- LC_ALL
- LC_CTYPE
- LC_MESSAGES
- NLSPATH
See Localization for more
information.
Exit values
- 0
- Successful completion
- 1
- Failure due to any of the following:
- Inability to create the desired file
- Incorrect major or minor number
- 2
- Failure due to any of the following:
- Too few command-line arguments
- A missing major or minor device
number
Portability
UNIX systems. Within
POSIX, mknod has been superseded by mkfifo for
pipes. The POSIX family of standards has not yet designed an alternative
to mknod for special files.
Related information
mkfifo