WriteTapemark function (winbase.h)

Article
10/13/2021

The WriteTapemark function writes a specified number of filemarks, setmarks, short filemarks, or long filemarks to a tape device. These tapemarks divide a tape partition into smaller areas.

Syntax

DWORD WriteTapemark(
  [in] HANDLE hDevice,
  [in] DWORD  dwTapemarkType,
  [in] DWORD  dwTapemarkCount,
  [in] BOOL   bImmediate
);

Parameters

[in] hDevice

Handle to the device on which to write tapemarks. This handle is created by using the CreateFile function.

[in] dwTapemarkType

Type of tapemarks to write. This parameter can be one of the following values.

Value	Meaning
TAPE_FILEMARKS 1L	Writes the number of filemarks specified by the dwTapemarkCount parameter.
TAPE_LONG_FILEMARKS 3L	Writes the number of long filemarks specified by dwTapemarkCount.
TAPE_SETMARKS 0L	Writes the number of setmarks specified by dwTapemarkCount.
TAPE_SHORT_FILEMARKS 2L	Writes the number of short filemarks specified by dwTapemarkCount.

[in] dwTapemarkCount

Number of tapemarks to write.

[in] bImmediate

If this parameter is TRUE, the function returns immediately; if it is FALSE, the function does not return until the operation has been completed.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is NO_ERROR.

If the function fails, it can return one of the following error codes.

Error	Description
ERROR_BEGINNING_OF_MEDIA 1102L	An attempt to access data before the beginning-of-medium marker failed.
ERROR_BUS_RESET 1111L	A reset condition was detected on the bus.
ERROR_DEVICE_NOT_PARTITIONED 1107L	The partition information could not be found when a tape was being loaded.
ERROR_END_OF_MEDIA 1100L	The end-of-tape marker was reached during an operation.
ERROR_FILEMARK_DETECTED 1101L	A filemark was reached during an operation.
ERROR_INVALID_BLOCK_LENGTH 1106L	The block size is incorrect on a new tape in a multivolume partition.
ERROR_MEDIA_CHANGED 1110L	The tape that was in the drive has been replaced or removed.
ERROR_NO_DATA_DETECTED 1104L	The end-of-data marker was reached during an operation.
ERROR_NO_MEDIA_IN_DRIVE 1112L	There is no media in the drive.
ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED 50L	The tape driver does not support a requested function.
ERROR_PARTITION_FAILURE 1105L	The tape could not be partitioned.
ERROR_SETMARK_DETECTED 1103L	A setmark was reached during an operation.
ERROR_UNABLE_TO_LOCK_MEDIA 1108L	An attempt to lock the ejection mechanism failed.
ERROR_UNABLE_TO_UNLOAD_MEDIA 1109L	An attempt to unload the tape failed.
ERROR_WRITE_PROTECT 19L	The media is write protected.

Remarks

Filemarks, setmarks, short filemarks, and long filemarks are special recorded elements that denote the linear organization of the tape. None of these marks contain user data. Filemarks are the most general marks; setmarks provide a hierarchy not available with filemarks.

A short filemark contains a short erase gap that cannot be overwritten unless the write operation is performed from the beginning of the partition or from an earlier long filemark.

A long filemark contains a long erase gap that allows an application to position the tape at the beginning of the filemark and to overwrite the filemark and the erase gap.

Requirements

Requirement	Value
Minimum supported client	Windows XP [desktop apps only]
Minimum supported server	Windows Server 2003 [desktop apps only]
Target Platform	Windows
Header	winbase.h (include Windows.h)
Library	Kernel32.lib
DLL	Kernel32.dll