--- name: "ftformat" section: "8" platform: "linux" package: "ftape-util" version: "3.04d-7" release: "Debian 2.0 (Hamm)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/ftformat/8" --- # ftformat(8) format floppy tape cartridges using the floppy tape kernel driver ftape ## NAME ftformat - format floppy tape cartridges using the floppy tape kernel driver ftape ## SYNOPSIS ftformat \[-dh?vV\] \[-f FILE\] \[-L LABEL\] \[-M SIZE\]\ \[-m MODE\] \[--mode=MODE\]\ \[-p PARMS\] \[--format-parameters=PARMS\] \ \[--debug\] \[--help\] \[--usage\] \[--verbose\]\ \[--version\] \[--file=FILE\]\ \[--label=LABEL\] \[--dma-memory=SIZE\]\ \[--omit-erase\] \[--discard-header\]\ \[--no-reference-bursts\] \[--verify-only\] ## DESCRIPTION **ftformat** formats floppy tape cartridges. It interfaces with the **Linux** kernel driver **ftape.** This means that you need install a recent version of the **ftape** driver as well to be able to format floppy tape cartridges with **ftformat.** ## OPTIONS - **-d, --debug** Turn on debugging mode. Unused yet. - **-h, -?, --help, --usage** Print basic help and usage information. TODO: internationalize it. - **-v, --verbose** Increase the verbosity of the program. Multiple instances of **-v** will increase the verbosity level further. - **-V, --Version** Print the version of **ftformat** - **-f FILE, --file=FILE** Use *FILE* as the tape device. *FILE* has to one of the raw **ftape** character devices, i.e. one of */dev/rawft0,* */dev/rawft1,* */dev/rawft2* or */dev/rawft3.* The default is to use */dev/rawft0.* You probably will not need this option at all. - **-L LABEL, --label=LABEL** *LABEL* specifies the label to store in the header segment of the floppy tape cartridge. *LABEL* must not be longer than 44 characters. - **-M SIZE, --dma-memory=SIZE** *SIZE* spcifies the amount of DMA memory of the kernel driver **ftape** which **ftformat** will map into its address space while formatting the floppy tape cartridge. *SIZE* gives the size of this memory block in *kilobytes* and must be a multiple of *32.* You probably never will need this option. - **--omit-erase** Don't try to erase the old format of the cartridge using the and *physical reverse* commands of the *QIC-117* command set. This option affects already formatted cartridges only. The use of this option is depreciated, but some tape drives don't implement these commands properly. If you have one of those tape drives than you might want to use this option. - **--discard-header** Don't try to read the old header segment. Using this option will discard statistics and time stamps contained in the header segment. This option affects already formatted cartridges only. The use of this option is depreciated when reformatting already formatted cartridges but should be specified if you know that the header segments are damaged anyway and can't be read anymore. - **--no-reference-bursts** Don't write the reference bursts, only format and verify. Only useful with already formatted cartridges. Use of this option is **strongly depreciated.** - **--verify-only** Only update the bad sector map, don't reformat. Only possible with already formatted cartridges. The use of this option is **strongly depreciated.** - **-m MODE, --mode=MODE** *MODE* has to be one out of *{auto, force, probe}.* *auto* is the default. *force* will bypass almost all consistency checks, assuming **THAT YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING,** *probe* performs the auto-detection only and prints a line that is suitable to be used as command line argument with the *force* mode. - **-p PARMS, --format-parameters=PARMS** This option allows to overwrite the auto-detected values, or help when the format of the inserted cartridge cannot be auto-detected (e.g. 205ft QIC-80 cartridges versus 425ft QIC-80 cartridges). With *--mode=force* **ALL** of the parameters below must be specified. **WITHOUT**\ .I "--mode=force" the parameters given in *PARMS* are used as supplements to the auto-detected values. In this case some of the values can be omitted. *PARMS* is a comma separated list of one or more of the following parameters: *qic-standard=QIC\_STD,* *format-code=FORMAT\_CODE,* *floppy-head-max=MAX\_FLOPPY\_HEAD,* *floppy-track-max=MAX\_FLOPPY\_TRACK,* *segments-per-track=SEGMENTS\_PER\_TRACK,* *tracks-per-tape=TRACKS\_PER\_TAPE,* *gap3=GAP3.* Please refer to the next section **FORMART PARAMETERS** for further explanations. ## FORMAT PARAMETERS You need to set all of these parameters when using the *--mode=force* switch. Otherwise you probably want to specify *--qic-standard=QIC\_STD* only. There are some short-cuts for various fixed length formats. Note that each shortcut is a place holder for a full set of "low level" options, i.e. use them like \--format-parameters qic80-307ft | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | abbreviation | length | format | capacity | | qic40-205ft | 205ft | QIC-40 | 40MB | | qic40-307ft | 307ft | QIC-40 | 60MB | | qic40-1100ft | 1100ft | QIC-40 | 210MB | | qic80-205ft | 205ft | QIC-80 | 80MB | | qic80-307ft | 307ft | QIC-80 | 120MB | | qic80-425ft | 425ft | QIC-80 | 170MB | | qic80-1100ft | 1100ft | QIC-80 | 400MB | Please refer to the development standards QIC-40, QIC-80, QIC-3010 and QIC-3020 to be found at **http://www.qic.org** for the correct settings of *QIC\_STD,* *FORMAT\_CODE,* *MAX\_FLOPPY\_HEAD,* *MAX\_FLOPPY\_TRACK,* *SEGMENTS\_PER\_TRACK,* *TRACKS\_PER\_TAPE* and *GAP3.* Normally, you only want to use one of the short cuts, or give the desired tape format, i.e. the *QIC\_STD,* or override the number of segments per track (use the latter with extreme prejudice). - **qic-standard=QIC\_STD** *QIC\_STD* has to be one out of *QIC-40,* *QIC-80* *QIC-80/WIDE,* *TR-1,* *QIC-3010,* *QIC-3010/WIDE,* *QIC-3020,* *QIC-3020/WIDE,* *TR-3.* You may as well give a number in hexadecimal or decimal representation specifying what would be the result of a *REPORT\_TAPE\_STATUS* QIC-117 tape drive command. *TR-3* cartridges conform to the *QIC-3020/WIDE* standard. *TR-3/Extra* cartridges are extra length *TR-3* cartridges and thus also conform to *QIC-3020/WIDE.* *TR-1* cartridges conform to *QIC-80/WIDE.* - **format-code=FORMAT\_CODE** A decimal number to be stored in the appropriate field in the header segments. - **floppy-head-max=MAX\_FLOPPY\_HEAD** A decimal number to be stored in the appropriate field in the header segments. - **floppy-track-max=MAX\_FLOPPY\_TRACK** A decimal number to be stored in the appropriate field in the header segments. - **segments-per-track=SEGMENTS\_PER\_TRACK** The number of tape segments per tape track. - **tracks-per-tape=TRACKS\_PER\_TAPE** The number of tape tracks per cartridge. - **gap3=GAP3** *GAP3* is the size of the erased gap between the sector of a floppy tape segment. This has to be *233* for *QIC-40* and *QIC-80* cartridges and *248* for *QIC-3010* or *QIC-3020* cartridges. ## EXAMPLES Auto-detect the format parameters of a Travan-3 cartridge: ftformat --mode=probe --format-parameters qic-standard=TR-3 Format a 425ft QIC-80 cartridge (ONLY possible with certain tape drives): ftformat --mode=auto --format-parameters qic80-425ft Format an unformatted Travan-3 cartridge: ftformat --mode=auto --format-parameters qic-standard=TR-3 Reformat a Travan-3 cartridge with damaged format: ftformat --mode=auto --format-parameters qic-standard=TR-3 \\ --omit-erase --discard-header ## ENVIRONMENT Unused. ## SEE ALSO [insmod(1)](/insmod/1.md), [rmmod(1)](/rmmod/1.md), [depmod(1)](/depmod/1.md), [lsmod(1)](/lsmod/1.md), [modprobe(1)](/modprobe/1.md). ## BUGS There are most probably bugs in this program. If you find one, notify the maintainer of **ftape.**