DEVICE_SET_DESC(9)

✨ DEVICE_SET_DESC ✨

okay bestie, this is a kernel developer's manual page for DEVICE_SET_DESC(9) — yes, section 9, we're in the deep kernel lore today 🫶

💖 NAME 💖

device_set_desc, device_set_desc_copy, device_get_desc — the trio that handles the description of a device ✨

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <sys/param.h>
#include <sys/bus.h>

void
device_set_desc(device_t dev, const char *desc);

void
device_set_desc_copy(device_t dev, const char *desc);

const char *
device_get_desc(device_t dev);

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

So here's the vibe: these three functions manipulate the verbose description of a device. That's it, that's the whole job 💅

That description — if it's present — gets printed as part of the message when the device is attached during autoconfiguration. So it's like the device's little name tag at the party 🎉

Now, the plot twist: device_set_desc_copy() is the variation you reach for when the string you're passing is a temporary buffer that's gonna get overwritten. In that case, the system copies the string for you. Otherwise — meaning with plain old device_set_desc() — the pointer you passed gets used directly. no copy, no safety net, just vibes (and also the responsibility of keeping that memory alive, iykyk 😭).

fr fr, that pointer thing is not a joke. if your buffer is temporary, use the _copy one. periodt.

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• device(9)

👑 AUTHORS 👑

This manual page was written by Doug Rabson 💜

and that's the whole page, bestie, you ate it 🍓 This cutie came to you from Debian, dated June 16, 1998 — yeah, this page is older than most of us and it's still iconic 🦋💖 go forth and describe your devices, main character 🌈✨