snd_ctl_request_layer(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 snd_ctl_request_layer(9) — the kernel API manual page, bestie edition

okay so this is snd_ctl_request_layer(9) from the Kernel API Manual, and honestly? it's a short one but she's important. it's literally the "hey can I use the layer please" call. no cap.

✨ NAME ✨

snd_ctl_request_layer — request to use the layer 🫶

like... that's it. that's the whole name section. she's concise and she knows it.

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int snd_ctl_request_layer (const char *module_name );

one function, one argument, returns an int. clean. minimal. main character energy fr fr ✨

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

  • module_name — the name of the kernel module. and listen, bestie, this is the important bit: if you pass NULL, that means build-in (yes, that's spelled exactly like that in the original, don't come for me 💀). so NULL == build-in. write that down. put it on a sticky note. iykyk.

🔥 RETURN 🔥

  • returns zero if it worked — slay, you got the layer 💖
  • returns an error code when the module cannot be loaded — not slay, but at least you know 😭
so like, always check your return value, okay? zero means success, anything else means the module didn't load. don't ignore her.

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

genuinely the friend group of control functions. the whole squad. the way that this list is literally 20-something entries long and every single one of them ate 👑

like okay go off, entire control API. we love a comprehensive cross-reference section 🌈

and that's the whole page, bestie — short, sweet, and she tells you exactly what you need to know and nothing she doesn't 💜

this iconic little number lives in ./sound/core and the version on the tin is dated October 2026, which honestly feels like it's from the future but whatever, it ate. bye bestie, go request that layer 🧚‍♀️✨

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