--- name: "mt-star" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "star" version: "1.5a67-1" release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/mt-star" --- # mt-star(1) magnetic tape control ## NAME smt - magnetic tape control ## SYNOPSIS **smt** \[ **-f** *tapename* \] *command* \[ *count* \] ## DESCRIPTION The **smt** program sends commands to a local or a remote magnetic tape drive. The *count* operand specifies the number of times the requested command is to be performed. If *count* is omitted, the value of *count* defaults to one. ## OPTIONS - **-help** Prints a summary of the options for **smt**(1) and exits. - **-version** Prints the **smt** version number string and exists. - **-debug** print additional debug messages. - **-f** *tapename* - **-t** *tapename* Set the raw tape device to use, otherwise **smt** uses a system specific default for the rtape device. If **smt** is installed suid root or if it has been called by root, *tapename* may be in remote syntax: user@host:filename as in [**rcp**(1)](/rcp/1.md) even if invoked by non root users. See SUID NOTES for more information. To make a file local although it includes a colon (:), the filename must start with: *'/'*, *'./'* or *'../'* Note that if **smt** talks to an old **rmt** remote tape server that does not support symbolic open modes, it does not open a remote tape with the **O\_CREAT** open flag because this would be extremely dangerous. If the **rmt** server on the other side is the **rmt** server that comes with **star** or the GNU **rmt** server, **smt** may use the symbolic mode for the open flags. Only the symbolic open modes allow to send all possible open modes in a portable way to remote tape servers. It is recommended to use the **rmt** server that comes with **star**. It is the only **rmt** server that gives platform independent compatibility with BSD, Sun and GNU **rmt** clients and it includes security features that may be set up in /etc/default/rmt. See ENVIRONMENT section for information on how to use **[ssh(1)](/ssh/1.md)** to create a remote tape server connection. - **-wready** Wait for the tape drive to become ready before executing the command. ## COMMANDS The following commands are supported: - **eof** - **weof** Write *count* EOF (FILE) marks at the current position on the tape. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **fsf** Forward skip over *count* FILE marks. The tape is positioned on the first block of the file. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **bsf** Backward skip *count* FILE marks. The tape is positioned on side of the FILE mark that is closer to the beginning of the tape. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **asf** Absolute FILE mark positioning to file number *count*. This is equivalent to a rewind followed by a **fsf** *count.* A RMT version 1 server is needed to run this command on a remote tape drive. - **fsr** Forward skip *count* tape records. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **bsr** Backward skip *count* tape records. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **rewind** Rewind the tape. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **offline** - **rewoffl** Rewind the tape. If the specified tape drive allows to take the drive off-line or to unload the tape, a off-line or unload operation is performed in addition. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **status** Retrieve and print status information for the tape drive. A RMT version 1 server is needed to get correct status information on a remote tape drive. - **nop** No operation. If you only like to wait for the tape drive to become ready, call **smt -wready nop**. This command may be run remotely with any BSD compliant old rmt server. - **retension** Retension the tape. This only makes sende with cartridge tape drives. A RMT version 1 server is needed to run this command on a remote tape drive. - **erase** Erase the entire tape. This may take a long time (up to several hours) depending on the tape drive and the medium. A RMT version 1 server is needed to run this command on a remote tape drive. - **eom** Position the tape to the end of the recorded media. This allows to append data to previously written tapes. A RMT version 1 server is needed to run this command on a remote tape drive. - **nbsf** Backward skip *count* FILE marks. The tape is positioned on side of the FILE mark that is closer to the end of the tape. This is before the first block of the file. The **nbsf** command is equivalent to *count+1* **bsf's** followed by one **fsf**. A RMT version 1 server is needed to run this command on a remote tape drive. - **load** If the specified tape drive allows to take the drive on-line or to load the tape, a on-line or load operation is performed. in addition. For remote tape drives, this command only works if the remote tape server supports symbolic open modes as the command needs the *O\_NDELAY* flag to succeed. A RMT version 1 server is needed to run this command on a remote tape drive. ## EXAMPLES ## ENVIRONMENT - **RSH** If the **RSH** environment is present, the remote connection will not be created via [**rcmd**(3)](/rcmd/3.md) but by calling the program pointed to by **RSH**. Use e.g. **RSH=**/usr/bin/ssh to create a secure shell connection. Note that this forces **smt** to create a pipe to the **[rsh(1)](/rsh/1.md)** program and disallows **smt** to directly access the network socket to the remote server. This makes it impossible to set up performance parameters and slows down the connection compared to a **root** initiated **[rcmd(3)](/rcmd/3.md)** connection. - **RMT** If the **RMT** environment is present, the remote tape server will not be the program **/etc/rmt** but the program pointed to by **RMT**. Note that the remote tape server program name will be ignored if you log in using an account that has been created with a remote tape server program as login shell. - **TAPE** In case no **-f** option pas been specified, the default tape name is taken from the **TAPE** environment. ## FILES ## SEE ALSO [**spax**(1)](/spax/1.md), [**suntar**(1)](/suntar/1.md), [**scpio**(1)](/scpio/1.md), [**tar**(1)](/tar/1.md), [**cpio**(1)](/cpio/1.md), [**pax**(1)](/pax/1.md), [**rcp**(1)](/rcp/1.md), [**mt**(1)](/mt/1.md), **rmt**(1), [**match**(1)](/match/1.md), [**dd**(1)](/dd/1.md), [**sdd**(1)](/sdd/1.md), [**rsh**(1)](/rsh/1.md), [**ssh**(1)](/ssh/1.md), [**star**(1)](/star/1.md), **star**(4/5), [**rcmd**(3)](/rcmd/3.md), ## DIAGNOSTICS ## NOTES If the remote tape server is running Linux and the remote tape server on such a system is not the rmt server that comes with [**star**(1)](/star/1.md), then completely unexpected results (including unexpectedly erased tapes) may occur. This is because Linux ignores the numbering values for the magnetic tape op codes and only the rmt server from [**star**(1)](/star/1.md) maps to standard values. The standard rmt server on Linux for this reason may not be called BSD compliant. ## BUGS ## AUTHOR ``` Joerg Schilling Seestr. 110 D-13353 Berlin Germany ``` Mail bugs and suggestions to: **schilling@fokus.fraunhofer.de** or **js@cs.tu-berlin.de** or **joerg@schily.isdn.cs.tu-berlin.de**