Subject: Re: misc/17774: no manpage documents major/minor device numbers
To: Jeremy C. Reed <reed@reedmedia.net>
From: David Maxwell <david@vex.net>
List: netbsd-bugs
Date: 07/31/2002 00:48:34
On Tue, Jul 30, 2002 at 09:34:36PM -0700, Jeremy C. Reed wrote:
> On Tue, 30 Jul 2002 david@netbsd.org wrote:
>
> > >Synopsis: no manpage documents major/minor device numbers
>
> > There is no webpage which documents the device number assignments.
>
> (I guess you meant "manpage" not "webpage" here.)
Yes, sorry about the crossover. Both would be useful, but I was thinking
manpage.
> I could probably start making a manual page covering major/minodr device
> numbers that apply cross-platform (same for all ports).
>
> Any suggestions on what information it should cover?
>
> (I can just base it on /usr/src/sys/arch/*/*/conf.c.)
Exactly what I was thinking.
> Any examples?
Something like:
/dev Major number Minor numbers
st 5 2 low bits are control bits
00 - rewind on close, file mark on write.
01 - no rewind on close, file mark on write.
10 - rewind on close, file mark on write, unload.
11 - control device, usable without media.
etc...
> Do any other operating systems provide a manual page like you want?
SCO Xenix had such documentation, but I don't have a system running
anymore to get a copy of it. This desire was raised by m@bpal.com
(Martin Loeffler), so he can comment further on how such a manpage is
useful.
David