drm_helper_probe_detect(9)

💅 drm_helper_probe_detect(9) 💅

okay so this is a page from the Kernel API Manual, and bestie, we're talking about drm_helper_probe_detect — the little function whose whole entire job is probe connector status. that's it. that's the name. slay. ✨

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

int drm_helper_probe_detect (struct drm_connector *connector , struct
       drm_modeset_acquire_ctx *ctx , bool force );

literally the whole signature, no notes, copy it exactly please 🫶

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🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• connector — the connector you wanna probe. that's the one. the main character. 👑
• ctx — an acquire_ctx, or NULL to let this function handle the locking all by itself. yes, it can do that. independent queen behavior. 💅
• force — whether destructive probe operations should be performed. like, actually destructive. think before you set this one, ok? 💀

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so what does it do? it calls the detect callbacks of the connector. that's the vibe check on your connector status. ✨

and what does it give you back? it returns drm_connector_status — or, and this is the important part, if ctx is set, it might also return -EDEADLK. so like, watch out for that one. not every day is a drm_connector_status day. 😭

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the whole friend group, in order, no cap:

• Kernel file ./drivers/gpu/drm/drm_probe_helper.c output — probing helper overview(9)
• drm_kms_helper_poll_enable(9)
• drm_kms_helper_poll_reschedule(9)
• drm_helper_probe_single_connector_modes(9)
• drm_kms_helper_hotplug_event(9)
• drm_kms_helper_connector_hotplug_event(9)
• drm_kms_helper_is_poll_worker(9)
• drm_kms_helper_poll_disable(9)
• drm_kms_helper_poll_init(9)
• drm_kms_helper_poll_fini(9)
• drmm_kms_helper_poll_init(9)
• drm_connector_helper_hpd_irq_event(9)
• drm_helper_hpd_irq_event(9)
• drm_crtc_helper_mode_valid_fixed(9)
• drm_connector_helper_get_modes_fixed(9)
• drm_connector_helper_get_modes(9)
• drm_connector_helper_tv_get_modes(9)
• drm_connector_helper_detect_from_ddc(9)

that's eighteen links bestie, i counted, and yes i'm obsessed with every single one 🧚

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💖 little sign-off moment: this gem lives over in ./drivers/gpu/drm, and it's dated October 2026 — so it's giving future icon, lowkey. periodt. 🎀