putdev adds a new device to the device table, modifies an existing device description or removes a device entry from the table. The first synopsis is used to add a device. The second synopsis is used to modify existing entries by adding or changing attributes. If a specified attribute is not defined, this option adds that attribute to the device definition. If a specified attribute is already defined, it modifies the attribute definition. The third synopsis is used to delete either an entire device entry or, if the attribute argument is used, to delete an attribute assignment for a device.

The following options are supported:

-a

Add a device to the device table using the specified attributes. The device must be referenced by its alias.

-d

Remove a device from the device table, when executed without the attributes argument. Used with the attribute argument, it deletes the given attribute specification for device from the table.

-m

Modify a device entry in the device table. If an entry already exists, it adds any specified attributes that are not defined. It also modifies any attributes which already have a value with the value specified by this command.

The following operands are supported:

alias

Designates the alias of the device to be added.

attribute

Designates a device attribute to be added, modified, or deleted. Can be any of the device attributes described under DEVICE ATTRIBUTES except alias. This prevents an accidental modification or deletion of a device's alias from the table.

device

Designates the pathname or alias of the device whose attribute is to be added, modified, or removed.

value

Designates the value to be assigned to a device's attribute.

The following list shows the standard device attributes, used by applications such as ufsdump(1M) and ufsrestore(1M), which can be defined for a device. You are not limited to this list, you can define any attribute you like.

alias

The unique name by which a device is known. No two devices in the database may share the same alias name. The name is limited in length to 14 characters and should contain only alphanumeric characters and the following special characters if they are escaped with a backslash: underscore ( _ ), dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and period (.).

bdevice

The pathname to the block special device node associated with the device, if any. The associated major/minor combination should be unique within the database and should match that associated with the cdevice field, if any. (It is the administrator's responsibility to ensure that these major/minor numbers are unique in the database.)

capacity

The capacity of the device or of the typical volume, if removable.

cdevice

The pathname to the character special device node associated with the device, if any. The associated major/minor combination should be unique within the database and should match that associated with the bdevice field, if any. (It is the administrator's responsibility to ensure that these major/minor numbers are unique in the database.)

cyl

Used by the command specified in the mkfscmd attribute.

desc

A description of any instance of a volume associated with this device (such as floppy diskette).

dpartlist

The list of disk partitions associated with this device. Used only if type=disk. The list should contain device aliases, each of which must have type=dpart.

dparttype

The type of disk partition represented by this device. Used only if type=dpart. It should be either fs (for file system) or dp (for data partition).

erasecmd

The command string that, when executed, erases the device.

fmtcmd

The command string that, when executed, formats the device.

fsname

The file system name on the file system administered on this partition, as supplied to the /usr/sbin/labelit command. This attribute is specified only if type=dpart and dparttype=fs.

gap

Used by the command specified in the mkfscmd attribute.

mkfscmd

The command string that, when executed, places a file system on a previously formatted device.

mountpt

The default mount point to use for the device. Used only if the device is mountable. For disk partitions where type=dpart and dparttype=fs, this attribute should specify the location where the partition is normally mounted.

nblocks

The number of blocks in the file system administered on this partition. Used only if type=dpart and dparttype=fs.

ninodes

The number of inodes in the file system administered on this partition. Used only if type=dpart and dparttype=fs.

norewind

The name of the character special device node that allows access to the serial device without rewinding when the device is closed.

pathname

Defines the pathname to an i-node describing the device (used for non-block or character device pathnames, such as directories).

type

A token that represents inherent qualities of the device. Standard types include: 9-track, ctape, disk, directory, diskette, dpart, and qtape.

volname

The volume name on the file system administered on this partition, as supplied to the /usr/sbin/labelit command. Used only if type=dpart and dparttype=fs.

volume

A text string used to describe any instance of a volume associated with this device. This attribute should not be defined for devices which are not removable.

The following exit values are returned:

0

Successful completion.

1

Command syntax was incorrect, an invalid option was used, or an internal error occurred.

2

The device table could not be opened for reading, or a new device table could not be created.

3

If executed with the -a option, indicates that an entry in the device table with the alias alias already exits. If executed with the -m or -d options, indicates that no entry exists for device device.

4

Indicates that -d was requested and one or more of the specified attributes were not defined for the device.

/etc/device.tab

See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

devattr(1M), putdgrp(1M), ufsdump(1M), ufsrestore(1M), attributes(5)

System Administration Guide: Basic Administration