Special files for the tape device
Each tape device has a set of special files providing access to
the same physical drive but providing different attributes. Table 1 shows the attributes
of the special files.
Note: The asterisk (*) in IBMtape* represents
a number assigned to a particular device, such as IBMtape0.
For tape drives with attached medium changer devices, the IBMchanger* special file provides a separate path for issuing commands to the medium changer. When this special file is opened, the application can view the medium changer as a separate device. Both the tape and changer special file can be opened at the same time.
| Special file name | Rewind on Close |
|---|---|
| /dev/IBMTape* | YES |
| /dev/IBMTape*n | NO |