modload(2)                                                modload(2)


       NAME
             modload - load a loadable kernel module on demand

       SYNOPSIS
             #include <sys/mod.h>
             int modload(const char *pathname);

       DESCRIPTION
             modload allows processes with privilege P_LOADMOD to demand-
             load a loadable module into a running system.

             pathname gives the pathname of the module to be loaded,
             specified either as a module name or as an absolute pathname.
             If pathname specifies a module name, modload searches for the
             module's object file on disk in the list of directories set by
             modpath(2) (including the default directory /etc/conf/mod.d).
             If pathname specifies an absolute pathname, only pathname is
             used to locate the module's object file.

             Tasks performed during the load operation include:
                   open the module's object file on disk
                   allocate kernel memory to hold the module
                   read the module's object file into memory
                   load any modules upon which the module depends that are
                   not already loaded
                   relocate the module's symbols
                   resolve any external references to kernel symbols made
                   by the module
                   execute the module's wrapper routine to perform any
                   setup the module requires to initialize itself
                   logically link the module to the running kernel by
                   creating the module's switch table entries
                   set a flag that prevents the module from being unloaded
                   by the kernel auto-unload mechanism

          Return Values
             On success, modload returns the integer module id of the
             loaded module.  On failure, modload returns -1 and sets errno
             to identify the error.

          Errors
             In the following conditions, modload fails and sets errno to:

             EACCES          Search permission was denied by a pathname
                             component.



                           Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 1

      modload(2)                                                modload(2)


            ENOENT          The file pathname does not exist.

            EINVAL          The file pathname is not preconfigured for
                            dynamic loading or has invalid dependencies on
                            other modules (such as a circular dependency).

            EPERM           The caller does not possess P_LOADMOD
                            privileges.

            ERELOC          Error occurred processing the module's object
                            file, or the module references symbols not
                            defined in the running kernel, or the module
                            references symbols in another loadable module,
                            but it did not define its dependence on this
                            module in its Master file.

            EBADVER         The version number specified in the module's
                            wrapper routine does not match the version
                            number for the running kernel.

            ENAMETOOLONG    pathname is more than MAXPATHLEN characters
                            long.

            ENOSYS          Unable to perform the requested operation
                            because the loadable modules functions are not
                            configured into the system.

      REFERENCES
            idbuild(1M), idmodload(1M), idmodreg(1M), idtune(1M),
            modadmin(1M), modpath(2), modstat(2), moduload(2)


















                          Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 2