Ошибка inappropriate ioctl for device

Inappropriate ioctl for device error might show up because of passing a regular file to the open() function while it expects a terminal, opening a file with insufficient permissions, etc. However, in a lot of situations, the error statement targeted here might not be clear enough to convey the root cause.
But you shouldn’t worry anymore because this article is here to save you with enough details about the given error. So, let the next minutes spent while reading this post make your day by eliminating the stated error.

What Is Leading You To the Inappropriate ioctl for Device Error?

Passing an unexpected file format to the open() function, randomly checking the “$!” variable, or reading or writing to files with insufficient permissions leads to the inappropriate ioctl for device python error. Check for the given problems in your script one by one to identify the problem on your side.

– You Are Providing a Wrong File Format

Opening a regular text file or a different file format except for the tty in Perl can result in the stated error or its variations like inappropriate ioctl for device gpg depending upon the program you are using. It is because Perl checks the file format against tty while opening a file. If the result doesn’t match the tty format, Perl will issue an error.

Perl carries out the file format-checking process by executing the TCGETS ioctl command against the file being opened. If it finds out that the file is a regular text file and not a tty, the ioctl will fail leaving you with an ENOTTY inappropriate ioctl for device c error.

– You Are Checking $! Randomly

The “$!” variable will be set automatically when a system call fails. Now, if you try to check the given variable without watching your program fail, you’ll see the inappropriate ioctl for device error. It is because you’ll be trying to access a variable that hasn’t been set.

In case you want to know more, the stated variable returns the current value of the errno variable or the system error statement depending on the way in which it is used. If no system error has occurred recently, the said variable will be empty.

For example, your program is working fine. Yet, you add the code that checks the “$!” variable at some point in your script. Now, you’ll get the above error when you run the script with “$!” variable because no error has been traced recently.

– Your File Doesn’t Have the Required Permissions

If you try to open and read/write to a file that doesn’t have read/write permission, the same error will appear on your computer. Although the error statement doesn’t make any such complaint, the permission issue can lead to the ENOTTY, errno=25.

Think about yourself in a situation where you are trying to open and write to a file. The file has been shared with you by your employer. The owner forgot to set the writing permission for the file. In such a scenario, you’ll get the mentioned error.

– GPG Is Confused About the Input Source

You might receive the same error when GPG is confused about the source of your input. It isn’t clear about the location from where it should accept the input. Consequently, you see the stated error appearing on your screen indicating the GPG confusion.

For example, you are using the GNU Privacy Guard (GPG) tool. Although the GPG is installed successfully on your PC and is working fine, you are presented with the mentioned error upon sending an input to the same. Here, the problem can be the unclarity of the GPG tool regarding the source of the input being passed to the same.

What Are the Different Ways To Fix the Inappriporate iotcl Error?

The different ways to resolve the said error include passing an appropriate file to the open() function or providing the required permissions to the files you want to read/write. Moreover, you can avoid checking “$!” variable without its need or system call failure to fix the error.

– Choose tty Over Other Formats

You should pass the file in the required format to the open() function in Perl, a tty file in this case to resolve the said error. It would be like fulfilling the file format expectations of ioctl and passing the desired argument to fix the error.

But if you are unable to locate the problematic open() function call, running the script under strace/truss will make the identification easier for you. You’ll see a similar inappropriate ioctl for device bash error message following ENOTTY. Next, you’ll have to figure out the file number and the open() function returning the same file number. Later, you’ll need to replace the problematic file with the file expected by ioctl.

– Check $! Only When Your System Call Fails

Avoiding to check the “$!” variable randomly without facing a failed system call can help you keep a distance from the given error. So, if your script contains code used for accessing the “$!” variable, you should remove the said code to eliminate the error.

Even if you don’t remember using the $! variable, going through your script to ensure that the given variable doesn’t occur in the same without a genuine reason will lead you to removal of the inappropriate ioctl for device scp error.

– Set the File Permissions Before Opening the File

You must set the necessary file permission before opening your required file to see the given error fly away. It means that if you want to read a file, it would be best to ensure that the file you are trying to read has read permission.

Similarly, you should set the write permission for the required file if you want someone to edit or update the same. Setting the permissions will kick away the given error.

After this, if you want to have a clear statement for the same error occurring due to the permissions problem in the future, you’ll have to append a relevant error message to the open() function. It will ensure that you don’t get confused and see your customized message in the future for the same problem.

Here is the code snippet which will help you set an appropriate message that’ll convey the problem well.

– Make It Clear To the GPG Tool

You should make the GPG tool clear about the source of the input to allow it to read the input without any confusion. This will make the given error fly away from your system. All you’ll have to do is to configure the tool to look for input from tty.

The tty in this solution refers to the terminal connected to standard input. If you are unaware about the procedure to configure the tool to make it look at tty, apply the below command for the same purpose.

Conclusion

As per the above discussion, the inappropriate iotcl error occurs due opening a file with an unexpected file format or a reading/writing restriction or using the “$!” variable in your script without its need. Plus, the GPG’s confusion regarding the input source can put you in trouble but, you can resolve the error easily by implementing the techniques explained above. For a quick overview of this post, you can read the below listicle.

• You should pass the terminal to the open() function in Perl to eliminate the error from your screen.
• You must use the “$!” variable only when you come across system call failure.
• Always ensure that your file has the necessary permission before trying to read or write to it.
• You can execute the export GPG_TTY=$(tty) command to inform GPG about the input source and get rid of the error.

Now, you only need to look at your script, compare the causes to the same, choose a relevant solution, apply it, and proceed with your daily work routine.

gpg: signing failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device

Since this is a fatal error and also quite difficult to debug, maybe the fix could be put somewhere (in the provided command line?):

source

This discussion thread is on the «inappropirate ioctl error», doesn’t seem to be specific about Kdewallet in Chromium. In FreeBSD plasma environment there is an error while setting up gpg2 keys in chromium, which says Inappropriate ioctl error. May I try this fix export GPG_TTY=$(tty), and am I to type this in the terminal or in a config file?

I also tried these commands following the link from Wemu’s post and this is what the terminal said:

$ echo "test" | gpg --clearsign
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA512

test
gpg: signing failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
gpg: [stdin]: clear-sign failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device

$ gpg --version
gpg (GnuPG) 2.3.3
libgcrypt 1.9.4

Thank you.

I solved this problem. Maybe this post will help others.

I’ve come across this problem a couple of times. I literally searched for hours for the answer and ended up using several suggestions.

Both scenarios I solved are documented below as ‘Scenario A’ and ‘Scenario B’:

======================
Scenario A

Plugged in a new Arduino Uno R3 board, successfully compiled the standard «Blink» sketch. When I tried to upload it to the board, I got this message:

Sketch uses 1,066 bytes (3%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32,256 bytes. Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2,039 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2,048 bytes. avrdude: ser_open(): can’t open device «COM1»: No such file or directory ioctl(«TIOCMGET»): Inappropriate ioctl for device Problem uploading to board. See http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Troubleshooting#upload for suggestions.

The Port Options in the IDE (Tools—> Port) only showed /dev/cu.incoming-bluetooth-port

Here’s what worked:

1. Downloaded and Installed the CH340 driver
2. Removed the FTDI drivers from my mac. Apple recently installed a new utility that prevents removal of what it considers to be critical components.

The process that enforces this rule is called csrutil.

You’ll have to disable this process to remove the FTDI driver. Then you’ll need to re-enable it when you are done. This required a restart in recovery mode. Here’s how to do that:

a.)  power off the mac then hold 'command'+R during the restart until the image of the apple appears.
b.)  when the screen refreshes, click on 'Utilities' menu then 'Terminal.
c.)  type csrutil disable
d.)  Hit enter
e.)  Restart  [Note:  You may be able to execute the next two commands in the terminal before restarting.  I just didn't test it that way.  If the system will allow you to, then by all means run all three commands one after the other THEN restart and you should be on your way.]

1. remove the FTDI drivers by opening the terminal program again and entering the following command:

      sudo rm -R /System/Library/Extensions/AppleUSBFTDI.kext
   

Type in your password when prompted.

1. Restore the apple csrutil by following steps a and b above. Task c will be the same EXCEPT you’ll type this instead:

   csrutil enable
   

   Then follow steps d and e.

When you restart the arduino IDE, you should see a more comprehensive list of ports besides just the bluetooth port.

======================
Scenario B

This board was an import and clearly not an original Arduino/Genuino. Attempts to load sketches resulted in this lovely error:

    Using Port                    : /dev/cu.usbmodem1421
    Using Programmer              : arduino
    Overriding Baud Rate          : 115200

avrdude: ser_open(): can’t open device «/dev/cu.usbmodem1421»: No such file or directory
ioctl(«TIOCMGET»): Inappropriate ioctl for device

There was only one Port listed in the IDE, dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-Port.

It had been a while since Scenario A had occurred and since then I’d installed a few OS updates. Checked the drivers and low and behold, the darned FTDI drivers had RETURNED!!

I repeated the steps in scenario A above but the problem remained.

Then I installed an updated board configuration from arduino and it worked! Testing on the first board I’d used under scenario A were successful as well. Here’s what I did:

1. In the IDE go to Tools-> Boards -> Boards Manager
2. I installed ‘Arduino SAM Boards (32-bits ARM Cortex-M3) by Arduino version 1.6.8
3. Unplugged and replugged the USB cable into my arduino.
4. In the IDE go to Tools -> Port. The /dev/cu.usbmodem1421 was listed as a port option. Selected that.
5. Uploaded my sketch.
6. Bask in glory of SUCCESS!

I hope this was helpful to you. I spent two days on Scenario A and 3 hours on Scenario B.

Why does the error show up?

Vagrant’s default SSH shell command is bash -l, which prompts Vagrant’s internal SSH communicator. This becomes a login shell as the l flag is used.

For a non-interactive login shell like this one, bash will source /etc/profile, followed by the first existing file out of ~/.bash_profile, ~/.bash_login, and ~/.profile. Vagrant runs most of its commands as root so it will source /etc/profile, then /root/.profile.

The /root/.profile contains the mesg n command on Ubuntu. This command ensures that no other user can write to your terminal device. However, when running commands on Vagrant, there is no terminal device, so the mesg n command is not compatible. This will lead to the error.