snd_pcm_get_state(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 snd_pcm_get_state — like, the actual name is snd_pcm_get_state(9) and it lives in the Kernel API Manual, bestie

Okay so picture this: you're deep in kernel-land, you need to know what state the PCM runtime is in, and you also need it to be safe about it. That's the whole gig here. snd_pcm_get_state reads the PCM runtime state with the stream lock held — the way that little detail matters is everything, iykyk. ✨

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

snd_pcm_state_t snd_pcm_get_state (struct snd_pcm_substream *substream);

Yeah. One argument. One return. Clean, iconic, no notes. 💖

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

  • substream — the PCM substream. That's it, that's the whole parameter. Your main character pointer. 🫶

⭐ RETURN ⭐

It hands you back the current PCM state, typed as snd_pcm_state_t. So like, return value go brrr and it's a snd_pcm_state_t. Periodt. 🔥

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

The kernel file you're gonna wanna peek at is ./sound/core/pcm_native.c — go be nosy, bestie, it's right there. 👀

And the whole friend group:

All of them. Every single one. Not me listing the entire friend group chat 💀

Lowkey important: this thing reads the state with the stream lock — that's literally in the NAME section, so don't come for me. If you're poking at state without respecting the locking situation, that's on you, not on the manpage. 🙈

Alright babe, that's the page! 🌈 Mwah 💜

Kernel file ./sound/core · October 2026 · snd_pcm_get_state(9) — catch you in the next manpage, bestie, slay responsibly 🎀✨🦋

📦 where this page comes from