xref: /linux/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/vidioc-reqbufs.rst (revision 059b1c5b15579b09c3787c3a3f843574233ab976)
1.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GFDL-1.1-no-invariants-or-later
2
3.. _VIDIOC_REQBUFS:
4
5********************
6ioctl VIDIOC_REQBUFS
7********************
8
9Name
10====
11
12VIDIOC_REQBUFS - Initiate Memory Mapping, User Pointer I/O or DMA buffer I/O
13
14
15Synopsis
16========
17
18.. c:function:: int ioctl( int fd, VIDIOC_REQBUFS, struct v4l2_requestbuffers *argp )
19    :name: VIDIOC_REQBUFS
20
21
22Arguments
23=========
24
25``fd``
26    File descriptor returned by :ref:`open() <func-open>`.
27
28``argp``
29    Pointer to struct :c:type:`v4l2_requestbuffers`.
30
31Description
32===========
33
34This ioctl is used to initiate :ref:`memory mapped <mmap>`,
35:ref:`user pointer <userp>` or :ref:`DMABUF <dmabuf>` based I/O.
36Memory mapped buffers are located in device memory and must be allocated
37with this ioctl before they can be mapped into the application's address
38space. User buffers are allocated by applications themselves, and this
39ioctl is merely used to switch the driver into user pointer I/O mode and
40to setup some internal structures. Similarly, DMABUF buffers are
41allocated by applications through a device driver, and this ioctl only
42configures the driver into DMABUF I/O mode without performing any direct
43allocation.
44
45To allocate device buffers applications initialize all fields of the
46struct :c:type:`v4l2_requestbuffers` structure. They set the ``type``
47field to the respective stream or buffer type, the ``count`` field to
48the desired number of buffers, ``memory`` must be set to the requested
49I/O method and the ``reserved`` array must be zeroed. When the ioctl is
50called with a pointer to this structure the driver will attempt to
51allocate the requested number of buffers and it stores the actual number
52allocated in the ``count`` field. It can be smaller than the number
53requested, even zero, when the driver runs out of free memory. A larger
54number is also possible when the driver requires more buffers to
55function correctly. For example video output requires at least two
56buffers, one displayed and one filled by the application.
57
58When the I/O method is not supported the ioctl returns an ``EINVAL`` error
59code.
60
61Applications can call :ref:`VIDIOC_REQBUFS` again to change the number of
62buffers. Note that if any buffers are still mapped or exported via DMABUF,
63then :ref:`VIDIOC_REQBUFS` can only succeed if the
64``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_ORPHANED_BUFS`` capability is set. Otherwise
65:ref:`VIDIOC_REQBUFS` will return the ``EBUSY`` error code.
66If ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_ORPHANED_BUFS`` is set, then these buffers are
67orphaned and will be freed when they are unmapped or when the exported DMABUF
68fds are closed. A ``count`` value of zero frees or orphans all buffers, after
69aborting or finishing any DMA in progress, an implicit
70:ref:`VIDIOC_STREAMOFF <VIDIOC_STREAMON>`.
71
72
73.. c:type:: v4l2_requestbuffers
74
75.. tabularcolumns:: |p{4.4cm}|p{4.4cm}|p{8.7cm}|
76
77.. flat-table:: struct v4l2_requestbuffers
78    :header-rows:  0
79    :stub-columns: 0
80    :widths:       1 1 2
81
82    * - __u32
83      - ``count``
84      - The number of buffers requested or granted.
85    * - __u32
86      - ``type``
87      - Type of the stream or buffers, this is the same as the struct
88	:c:type:`v4l2_format` ``type`` field. See
89	:c:type:`v4l2_buf_type` for valid values.
90    * - __u32
91      - ``memory``
92      - Applications set this field to ``V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP``,
93	``V4L2_MEMORY_DMABUF`` or ``V4L2_MEMORY_USERPTR``. See
94	:c:type:`v4l2_memory`.
95    * - __u32
96      - ``capabilities``
97      - Set by the driver. If 0, then the driver doesn't support
98        capabilities. In that case all you know is that the driver is
99	guaranteed to support ``V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP`` and *might* support
100	other :c:type:`v4l2_memory` types. It will not support any other
101	capabilities.
102
103	If you want to query the capabilities with a minimum of side-effects,
104	then this can be called with ``count`` set to 0, ``memory`` set to
105	``V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP`` and ``type`` set to the buffer type. This will
106	free any previously allocated buffers, so this is typically something
107	that will be done at the start of the application.
108    * - union {
109      - (anonymous)
110    * - __u32
111      - ``flags``
112      - Specifies additional buffer management attributes.
113	See :ref:`memory-flags`.
114    * - __u32
115      - ``reserved``\ [1]
116      - Kept for backwards compatibility. Use ``flags`` instead.
117    * - }
118      -
119
120.. tabularcolumns:: |p{6.1cm}|p{2.2cm}|p{8.7cm}|
121
122.. _v4l2-buf-capabilities:
123.. _V4L2-BUF-CAP-SUPPORTS-MMAP:
124.. _V4L2-BUF-CAP-SUPPORTS-USERPTR:
125.. _V4L2-BUF-CAP-SUPPORTS-DMABUF:
126.. _V4L2-BUF-CAP-SUPPORTS-REQUESTS:
127.. _V4L2-BUF-CAP-SUPPORTS-ORPHANED-BUFS:
128.. _V4L2-BUF-CAP-SUPPORTS-M2M-HOLD-CAPTURE-BUF:
129.. _V4L2-BUF-CAP-SUPPORTS-MMAP-CACHE-HINTS:
130
131.. cssclass:: longtable
132
133.. flat-table:: V4L2 Buffer Capabilities Flags
134    :header-rows:  0
135    :stub-columns: 0
136    :widths:       3 1 4
137
138    * - ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_MMAP``
139      - 0x00000001
140      - This buffer type supports the ``V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP`` streaming mode.
141    * - ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_USERPTR``
142      - 0x00000002
143      - This buffer type supports the ``V4L2_MEMORY_USERPTR`` streaming mode.
144    * - ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_DMABUF``
145      - 0x00000004
146      - This buffer type supports the ``V4L2_MEMORY_DMABUF`` streaming mode.
147    * - ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_REQUESTS``
148      - 0x00000008
149      - This buffer type supports :ref:`requests <media-request-api>`.
150    * - ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_ORPHANED_BUFS``
151      - 0x00000010
152      - The kernel allows calling :ref:`VIDIOC_REQBUFS` while buffers are still
153        mapped or exported via DMABUF. These orphaned buffers will be freed
154        when they are unmapped or when the exported DMABUF fds are closed.
155    * - ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_M2M_HOLD_CAPTURE_BUF``
156      - 0x00000020
157      - Only valid for stateless decoders. If set, then userspace can set the
158        ``V4L2_BUF_FLAG_M2M_HOLD_CAPTURE_BUF`` flag to hold off on returning the
159	capture buffer until the OUTPUT timestamp changes.
160    * - ``V4L2_BUF_CAP_SUPPORTS_MMAP_CACHE_HINTS``
161      - 0x00000040
162      - This capability is set by the driver to indicate that the queue supports
163        cache and memory management hints. However, it's only valid when the
164        queue is used for :ref:`memory mapping <mmap>` streaming I/O. See
165        :ref:`V4L2_FLAG_MEMORY_NON_CONSISTENT <V4L2-FLAG-MEMORY-NON-CONSISTENT>`,
166        :ref:`V4L2_BUF_FLAG_NO_CACHE_INVALIDATE <V4L2-BUF-FLAG-NO-CACHE-INVALIDATE>` and
167        :ref:`V4L2_BUF_FLAG_NO_CACHE_CLEAN <V4L2-BUF-FLAG-NO-CACHE-CLEAN>`.
168
169
170Return Value
171============
172
173On success 0 is returned, on error -1 and the ``errno`` variable is set
174appropriately. The generic error codes are described at the
175:ref:`Generic Error Codes <gen-errors>` chapter.
176
177EINVAL
178    The buffer type (``type`` field) or the requested I/O method
179    (``memory``) is not supported.
180