NAME

       tk_scsiformat - low level format an scsi disk device with a nice user interface

SYNOPSIS

       tk_scsiformat [device]

DESCRIPTION

       Low  level formats the SCSI device identified by the scsi disk or generic scsi device node
       device.  You must be root to perform this operation. When you do  not  specify  a  device,
       tk_scsiformat gives you a list to select a disk device from.

       tk_scsiformat is a Tcl/Tk user interface to scsiformat(8).

       You  should read that manual page for the general operation of scsiformat.  All common X11
       and Tcl/Tk options apply.

       By the nature of graphical user interfaces, there should not be much to explain here.  All
       entry fields refer directly to scsiformat(8) options.

       In addition to those, you are able to save your selections to be used as defaults for this
       device next  time  in  a  file  /usr/lib/scsi/scsiformat.defs.*   by  pressing  the  <Save
       Defaults>  button.  This  is  intended  and very handy for formatting of removable medias.
       Note, however, that tk_scsiformat is not as clever as scsiformat(8) (or even tries to  be)
       to find if multiple ways to refer to the same scsi device (disk device, generic device).

       Furthermore,  you  can  select  (or  enter  freely) a command to automatically make a file
       system on the newly formatted disk.

       While formatting a nice completion bar is  drawn.  Alas,  I  could  not  really  implement
       querying progress from a target device yet.

       The  /usr/lib/scsi/tworands  binary  is used to calculate two random integers which is not
       supported by plain Tcl/Tk.

BUGS

       When not specifying a device to format, tk_scsiformat will prepare a list of disk  devices
       to  choose  from.  Alas,  if  a  blocking  format  operation  is  running  on one of them,
       tk_scsiformat will block in a non interruptible disk wait sleep.

       Old status files in /tmp will confuse tk_scsiformat.  However, they are removed  after  48
       hours.

       Restrictions  of  the  SCSI_IOCTL_SEND_COMMAND  ioctl(2) call for the sd(4) device make it
       impossible to issue a FORMAT_UNIT command with more than 4096  bytes  of  arguments.  This
       could  be avoided by using the proper generic scsi device /dev/sg* instead, at least where
       the kernel is compiled to support it. Most of the time this is not needed though and  thus
       I'm myself to lazy to do it.

FILES

       /usr/lib/scsi/tworands
       /usr/lib/scsi/scsiformat.defs.*
       /tmp/scsiformat.xx:xx:xx:xx:xxxxxxxx
       /dev/sd*
       /dev/sg*

SEE ALSO

       scsiformat(8), scsiinfo(8), scsi-config(8), fdisk(8), sd(4).

AUTHOR

       Michael Weller <eowmob@exp-math.uni-essen.de>