'\" t
.\"     Title: dev_alloc_name
.\"    Author: [FIXME: author] [see http://docbook.sf.net/el/author]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.78.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: January 2017
.\"    Manual: Network device support
.\"    Source: Kernel Hackers Manual 4.8.15
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "DEV_ALLOC_NAME" "9" "January 2017" "Kernel Hackers Manual 4\&.8\&." "Network device support"
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.SH "NAME"
dev_alloc_name \- allocate a name for a device
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.HP \w'int\ dev_alloc_name('u
.BI "int dev_alloc_name(struct\ net_device\ *\ " "dev" ", const\ char\ *\ " "name" ");"
.SH "ARGUMENTS"
.PP
\fIdev\fR
.RS 4
device
.RE
.PP
\fIname\fR
.RS 4
name format string
.RE
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
Passed a format string \- eg
\(lqlt\fBd\fR\(rq
it will try and find a suitable id\&. It scans list of devices to build up a free map, then chooses the first empty slot\&. The caller must hold the dev_base or rtnl lock while allocating the name and adding the device in order to avoid duplicates\&. Limited to bits_per_byte * page size devices (ie 32K on most platforms)\&. Returns the number of the unit assigned or a negative errno code\&.
.SH "COPYRIGHT"
.br