snd_power_ref(9)

💅 snd_power_ref(9) 💅

okay so bestie, we're in the Kernel API Manual today and the star of the show is snd_power_ref(9) — yes, the whole page is literally named after it, main character energy fr fr ✨

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🎀 NAME 🎀

snd_power_ref — take the reference count for power control 🫶

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

void snd_power_ref (struct snd_card *card );

no cap, that's the whole signature. short king 👑

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🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• card — the sound card object 🎵 like, the actual card you're holding onto. that's it, that's the argument.

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so here's the vibe: the power_ref reference on the card exists so you can manage blocking the snd_power_sync_ref operation. this function increments that reference — boom, done, one line of prose and it's iconic 💅

and listen, because this part matters: you have to call its counterpart snd_power_unref appropriately later. like, actually. don't just take the ref and ghost it 😭 that's not the move. call the unref. be responsible. periodt.

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• Kernel file ./include/sound/core.h 📁
• snd_power_unref(9)
• snd_power_sync_ref(9)
• snd_card_unref(9)
• snd_BUG(9)
• snd_BUG_ON(9)

go read those too, iykyk 🌈

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and that's the whole page, bestie 🍓 this little gem lives in ./include/sound and it's dated October 2026 — mwah, stan the kernel docs, see u next time 💖🧚