tb_path_alloc(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 tb_path_alloc(9) — like, the kernel API manual, but make it make sense 🦋

okay bestie, welcome to the tb_path_alloc(9) page from the Kernel API Manual ✨ this is the one that hands you a whole thunderbolt path between two ports, and honestly the way it does it is kind of iconic. no cap.

🌸 NAME 🌸

tb_path_alloc — allocate a thunderbolt path between two ports 💖

like, it literally makes you a path. between two ports. that's the whole vibe check.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

struct tb_path * tb_path_alloc (struct tb *tb , struct tb_port *src ,
int src_hopid , struct tb_port *dst , int dst_hopid , int link_nr ,
const char *name );

seven arguments, one function, zero regrets. copy it exactly, bestie, we don't freestyle signatures here 🙈

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

  • tb — the domain pointer. it's giving "main character energy" — everything else lives inside it 👑
  • src — source port of the path. where the journey starts 🚀
  • src_hopid — the HopID used for the first ingress port in the path 🌀
  • dst — destination port of the path. where we're headed, periodt 🎯
  • dst_hopid — the HopID used for the last egress port in the path 🌈
  • link_nr — the preferred link if there are dual links on the path ✌️ (dual links = two lanes, we love options)
  • name — name of the path. give it a cute one, it deserves it 🏷️

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

so here's the tea, bestie: this creates a path between two ports, starting with the given src_hopid 🫶

then it reserves HopIDs for each port. and no, they can't always be the same as src_hopid — lowkey they can absolutely be different, depending on how many HopIDs each port already has reserved 😭 like, the ports are booked and busy. it works around that.

and if there are dual links on the path, it prioritizes using link_nr — but highkey it takes into account that the lanes may be bonded 🔥 so it's not just blindly picking your fave link, it's being smart about it.

⭐ RETURN ⭐

returns a pointer to struct tb_path ✨

and if things go sideways? NULL in case of failure 💀 not a crash, not a vibe, just NULL. check for it, bestie. always check for it. 🙏

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

ngl, if you're allocating paths you should fr fr also know how to free them. tb_path_free(9) is right there in SEE ALSO for a reason 🫶

and that's the page, bestie 💅 source and version: it's from ./drivers/thunderbolt, and the date on it is October 2026 — so yeah, it's a little from the future, but it ate and left no crumbs 🎀✨💖

📦 where this page comes from