intel_pt_next_tsc(9)

✨ intel_pt_next_tsc(9) ✨

okay so bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual — this one's a little function from the perf intel-pt decoder and honestly it's giving "small but crucial" energy 💅

🌸 NAME 🌸

intel_pt_next_tsc — find and return next TSC. that's it, that's the whole gig 🎀

⭐ SYNOPSIS ⭐

bool intel_pt_next_tsc (unsigned char *buf , size_t len , uint64_t *tsc
, size_t *rem );

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• buf — the buffer, bestie. that's where we're snooping 👀
• len — size of buffer. gotta know how much room we have before we go wandering
• tsc — the TSC value returned. we're writing the answer here 🫶
• rem — returns remaining size when TSC is found. leftover bytes, iykyk

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

so what it actually does: find a TSC packet in buf and return the TSC value. simple, iconic, does what it says 🌈

now for the ✨lore✨ — this function assumes that buf starts at a PSB and that PSB+ will contain TSC, and so it stops if a PSBEND packet is found. no cap, it just trusts you on that. it's built on that assumption fr fr 🙈

heads up: if your buf doesn't start at a PSB the way it expects, that's on you — the function is not checking your vibe first 💀

🔥 RETURN 🔥

• true if TSC is found 💖
• false otherwise 😭

like a light switch but for TSC packets, periodt.

🧚 SEE ALSO 🧚

Kernel file ./tools/perf/util/intel-pt-decoder/intel-pt-decoder.c

and the whole friend group, because nobody exists in isolation:

• intel_pt_next_psb(9)
• intel_pt_step_psb(9)
• intel_pt_last_psb(9)
• intel_pt_tsc_cmp(9)
• adj_for_padding(9)
• intel_pt_find_overlap_tsc(9)
• intel_pt_find_overlap(9)
• struct fast_forward_data(9)
• intel_pt_ff_cb(9)
• intel_pt_fast_forward(9)

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and that's the whole page, bestie 🫶 this little beauty lives in the Kernel file <purple>./tools/perf/util/intel-pt-decoder/intel-pt-decoder.c</purple>, dated October 2026, and its name is — say it with me — intel_pt_next_tsc(9). slay 💅✨👑