scsi_mode_sense(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 scsi_mode_sense — the kernel API manual, bestie edition 🎀

okay so real talk, this is scsi_mode_sense(9), a page from the Kernel API Manual, and it is genuinely about issuing a mode sense — and, icon behavior, it falls back from ten bytes to six bytes if it has to. lowkey resilient. we stan a flexible king 👑

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

int scsi_mode_sense (struct scsi_device *sdev , int dbd , int modepage ,
int subpage , unsigned char *buffer , int len , int timeout , int
retries , struct scsi_mode_data *data , struct scsi_sense_hdr *sshdr );

like, ten arguments. ten. she's high maintenance but she delivers 💅 and yes, that signature is copied exactly, do not come for me.

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

okay bestie, here's the whole lineup, every single one, no skipping:

  • sdev — the SCSI device we're querying. the main character of this operation 🫶
  • dbd — set this bad boy to prevent mode sense from returning block descriptors. it's giving "no block descriptors, please" 🙈
  • modepage — which mode page you're requesting. like ordering off a menu, but scarier.
  • subpage — the sub-page of the mode page you requested. yes there's a sub-level, it's very inception 💫
  • buffer — your request buffer. heads up: it may not be smaller than eight bytes. eight! that's the floor, no exceptions, she will not budge ⚠️
  • len — length of the request buffer. (yes, the period is in the original, we keep the period, periodt 💀)
  • timeout — command timeout, i.e. how long we're willing to sit here waiting and hoping ✨
  • retries — number of retries before failing. how many chances we give it before we accept reality 😭
  • data — returns a structure abstracting the mode header data. she returns things. a giver 💖
  • sshdr — where to put the sense data (or NULL if no sense is to be collected). must be SCSI_SENSE_BUFFERSIZE big — no cap, that's a hard requirement, do not mess with the sizing 🔥

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

Returns zero if successful, or a negative error number on failure. that's it, that's the whole description. iconic minimalism honestly. zero = slay, negative = not slay 💀

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

this list is LONG and we are NOT skipping a single one, so buckle up bestie, they're all living in the kernel file ./drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c:

like, forty-ish functions. she has a LOT of friends, and honestly? good for her 🌈

okay that's the whole page, you made it, I'm so proud 🫶 this one lives in ./drivers/scsi and it's dated October 2026, so go forth and mode sense responsibly, bestie. mwah 💋✨🎀

📦 where this page comes from