netbsd man page for major

MAKEDEV(3)						   BSD Library Functions Manual 						MAKEDEV(3)

NAME
     makedev, major, minor -- device number conversion

SYNOPSIS
     #include <sys/types.h>

     dev_t
     makedev(int major, int minor);

     int
     major(dev_t dev);

     int
     minor(dev_t dev);

DESCRIPTION
     The makedev() macro allows a unique device number to be generated based on its major and minor number.  The major() and minor() macros can be
     used to obtain the original numbers from the device number dev.

     All block and character devices are uniquely identified by a pair of major and minor numbers.  The major number refers to a certain device
     class (e.g. disks, TTYs) while the minor number identifies an instance within the device class.

RETURN VALUES
     The major() macro returns a device major number that has a value between 0 and 255.  The minor() macro returns a device minor number whose
     value can span the complete range of an int.

SEE ALSO
     mknod(2), devname(3), MAKEDEV(8)

BSD
								   April 1, 2011							       BSD