pt_test_sw_bit_acquire(9)

💅 pt_test_sw_bit_acquire(9) — a Kernel API Manual moment ✨

okay so bestie, we're in the Kernel API Manual today and the star of the show is pt_test_sw_bit_acquire. it's giving "tiny function, big responsibilities," and honestly? obsessed. 🎀

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🌸 NAME 🌸

pt_test_sw_bit_acquire — literally just reads a software bit in an item. that's it. that's the whole vibe. 🦋

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

bool pt_test_sw_bit_acquire (struct pt_state *pts , unsigned int bitnr
);

no cap, that's the exact signature, don't come for me about the spacing 💅

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🫶 ARGUMENTS 🫶

• pts — the entry you're reading from. your main character input, fr fr.
• bitnr — which bit you wanna read. pick your fighter. ⭐

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so here's the tea: software bits are ignored by HW (hardware said "not my problem, not my department" 😭) and they can be used for any purpose by the software. any purpose!! the freedom!! 🌈

this function does a test bit and acquire operation. that's the whole thing. test it, acquire it, slay. 👑

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

the kernel file, iykyk:

• ./drivers/iommu/generic_pt/pt_common.h

and the whole friend group — every single one of them, no gatekeeping:

• pt_attr_from_entry(9)
• pt_can_have_leaf(9)
• pt_can_have_table(9)
• pt_clear_entries(9)
• pt_entry_make_write_dirty(9)
• pt_entry_make_write_clean(9)
• pt_entry_is_write_dirty(9)
• pt_dirty_supported(9)
• pt_entry_num_contig_lg2(9)
• pt_entry_oa(9)
• pt_entry_oa_lg2sz(9)
• pt_entry_oa_exact(9)
• pt_full_va_prefix(9)
• pt_has_system_page_size(9)
• pt_install_leaf_entry(9)
• pt_install_table(9)
• pt_item_oa(9)
• pt_load_entry_raw(9)
• pt_max_oa_lg2(9)
• pt_num_items_lg2(9)
• pt_pgsz_lg2_to_level(9)
• pt_possible_sizes(9)
• pt_table_item_lg2sz(9)
• pt_table_oa_lg2sz(9)
• pt_table_pa(9)
• pt_table_ptr(9)
• pt_max_sw_bit(9)
• pt_set_sw_bit_release(9)
• pt_load_entry(9)

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ngl bestie, if you're reading a sw bit you should probably also know about pt_set_sw_bit_release(9) and pt_max_sw_bit(9) — they're right there in the list, go say hi 🧚

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and that's the page!! 💜 source/version gremlin check: this lil beauty lives under ./drivers/iommu/generic_pt and it's dated October 2026 — put that in your calendar, mwah 🍓💅