tape390_display - Display messages on tape devices and load tapes

6.10 LPAR mode z/VM guest

Use the tape390_display command to show messages on the display unit of a physical tape device, optionally in conjunction with loading a tape.

tape390_display syntax

Read syntax diagramSkip visual syntax diagramtape390_display -l -q -t standard-tloadunloadnoop-b<message1><message1><message2>-treload<message1><message2><node>
where:
-l or --load
instructs the tape unit to load the next indexed tape from the automatic tape loader (if installed). Ignored if no loader is installed or if the loader is not in system mode. The loader system mode allows the operating system to handle tape loads.
-t or --type
The possible values have the following meanings:
standard
displays the message or messages until the physical tape device processes the next tape movement command.
load
displays the message or messages until a tape is loaded; if a tape is already loaded, the message is ignored.
unload
displays the message or messages while a tape is loaded; if no tape is loaded, the message is ignored.
reload
displays the first message while a tape is loaded and the second message when the tape is removed. If no tape is loaded, the first message is ignored and the second message is displayed immediately. The second message is displayed until the next tape is loaded.
noop
is intended for test purposes only. It accesses the tape device but does not display the message or messages.
-b or --blink
causes <message1> to be displayed repeatedly for 2 seconds with a half-second pause in between.
<message1>
is the first or only message to be displayed. The message can be up to 8 byte.
<message2>
is a second message to be displayed alternately with the first, at 2-second intervals. The message can be up to 8 byte.
<node>
is a device node of the target tape device
-q or --quiet
suppresses all error messages.
-h or --help
displays help text. To view the man page, enter man tape390_display.
-v or --version
displays information about the version.
Note:
  1. Symbols that can be displayed include:
    Alphabetic characters:
    A through Z (uppercase only) and spaces. Lowercase letters are converted to uppercase.
    Numeric characters:
    0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
    Special characters:
    @ $ # , . / ' ( ) * & + - = % : _ < > ? ;

    The following are included in the 3490 hardware reference but might not display on all devices: | ¢

  2. If only one message is defined, it remains displayed until the tape device driver next starts to move or the message is updated.
  3. If the messages contain spaces or shell-sensitive characters, they must be enclosed in quotation marks.

Examples

The following examples assume that you are using standard devices nodes and not device nodes that are created by udev:

  • Alternately display BACKUP and COMPLETE at 2-second intervals until device /dev/ntibm0 processes the next tape movement command: 
    tape390_display BACKUP COMPLETE /dev/ntibm0
  • Display the message REM TAPE while a tape is in the physical tape device followed by the messageNEW TAPE until a new tape is loaded: 
    tape390_display --type reload "REM TAPE" "NEW TAPE" /dev/ntibm0
  • Attempts to unload the tape and load a new tape automatically, the messages are the same as in the previous example: 
    tape390_display -l -t reload "REM TAPE" "NEW TAPE" /dev/ntibm0