#include <linux/pci.h>
 #include <linux/compat.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
+#include <linux/ctype.h>
 #include <sound/core.h>
 #include "hda_codec.h"
 #include "hda_local.h"
 
 static void clear_hwdep_elements(struct hda_codec *codec)
 {
+       char **head;
+       int i;
+
        /* clear init verbs */
        snd_array_free(&codec->init_verbs);
+       /* clear hints */
+       head = codec->hints.list;
+       for (i = 0; i < codec->hints.used; i++, head++)
+               kfree(*head);
+       snd_array_free(&codec->hints);
 }
 
 static void hwdep_free(struct snd_hwdep *hwdep)
 #endif
 
        snd_array_init(&codec->init_verbs, sizeof(struct hda_verb), 32);
+       snd_array_init(&codec->hints, sizeof(char *), 32);
 
        return 0;
 }
        return count;
 }
 
+static ssize_t hints_store(struct device *dev,
+                          struct device_attribute *attr,
+                          const char *buf, size_t count)
+{
+       struct snd_hwdep *hwdep = dev_get_drvdata(dev);
+       struct hda_codec *codec = hwdep->private_data;
+       char *p;
+       char **hint;
+
+       if (!*buf || isspace(*buf) || *buf == '#' || *buf == '\n')
+               return count;
+       p = kstrndup_noeol(buf, 1024);
+       if (!p)
+               return -ENOMEM;
+       hint = snd_array_new(&codec->hints);
+       if (!hint) {
+               kfree(p);
+               return -ENOMEM;
+       }
+       *hint = p;
+       return count;
+}
+
 #define CODEC_ATTR_RW(type) \
        __ATTR(type, 0644, type##_show, type##_store)
 #define CODEC_ATTR_RO(type) \
        CODEC_ATTR_RW(name),
        CODEC_ATTR_RW(modelname),
        CODEC_ATTR_WO(init_verbs),
+       CODEC_ATTR_WO(hints),
        CODEC_ATTR_WO(reconfig),
        CODEC_ATTR_WO(clear),
 };