tty_send_xchar(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 tty_send_xchar — it's from the Kernel API Manual, bestie

okay so picture this: you're deep in the kernel, you're in the tty subsystem, and you need to send one little character with main-character levels of urgency. That's this function. It's giving "executive privilege for a single byte." Let's get into it 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

tty_send_xchar — send priority character 💌

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

int tty_send_xchar (struct tty_struct *tty , u8 ch );

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

  • tty — the tty you're sending to. yes, the whole struct. no, you can't just wing it 💅
  • ch — the xchar to send. one (1) single character, and it's on a mission

🔥 DESCRIPTION 🔥

Send a high priority character to the tty even if stopped. read that again. even if stopped. this char does not wait in line, it does not take a number, it walks straight past the velvet rope 👑

Locking: none for xchar method, write ordering for write method. no this is not me being vague, that's literally the locking story. memorize it, it's on the quiz 🧠✨

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

okay bestie, grab a snack, because this list is long. These all live in the kernel file ./drivers/tty/tty_io.c:

sixty-four entries. SIXTY-FOUR. she ate and left absolutely no crumbs 🍓

anyway that's the whole page, no cap, every single crumb of detail preserved 💜

this has been brought to you by the Kernel API Manual, living in ./drivers/tty, dated October 2026 — mwah, love u, go send ur priority character responsibly 😭🫶

📦 where this page comes from