ioctl VIDIOC_REQBUFS
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## Name

VIDIOC_REQBUFS — Initiate Memory Mapping or User Pointer I/O

## Synopsis

`int ioctl(` | int fd,
| int request,
| struct v4l2_requestbuffers *argp`)`;

## Arguments

`fd`

  File descriptor returned by `open()`.

`request`

  VIDIOC_REQBUFS

`argp`

## Description

This ioctl is used to initiate memory mapped, user pointer or DMABUF based I/O. Memory mapped buffers are located in device memory and must be allocated with this ioctl before they can be mapped into the application's address space. User buffers are allocated by applications themselves, and this ioctl is merely used to switch the driver into user pointer I/O mode and to setup some internal structures. Similarly, DMABUF buffers are allocated by applications through a device driver, and this ioctl only configures the driver into DMABUF I/O mode without performing any direct allocation.

To allocate device buffers applications initialize all fields of the v4l2_requestbuffers structure. They set the `type` field to the respective stream or buffer type, the `count` field to the desired number of buffers, `memory` must be set to the requested I/O method and the `reserved` array must be zeroed. When the ioctl is called with a pointer to this structure the driver will attempt to allocate the requested number of buffers and it stores the actual number allocated in the `count` field. It can be smaller than the number requested, even zero, when the driver runs out of free memory. A larger number is also possible when the driver requires more buffers to function correctly. For example video output requires at least two buffers, one displayed and one filled by the application.

When the I/O method is not supported the ioctl returns an EINVAL error code.

Applications can call `VIDIOC_REQBUFS` again to change the number of buffers, however this cannot succeed when any buffers are still mapped. A `count` value of zero frees all buffers, after aborting or finishing any DMA in progress, an implicit `VIDIOC_STREAMOFF`.

Table A.94. struct v4l2_requestbuffers

__u32 | `count` | The number of buffers requested or granted.
__u32 | `type` | Type of the stream or buffers, this is the same as the struct v4l2_format `type` field. See Table 3.3, “enum v4l2_buf_type” for valid values.
__u32 | `memory` | Applications set this field to `V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP`, `V4L2_MEMORY_DMABUF` or `V4L2_MEMORY_USERPTR`. See Table 3.5, “enum v4l2_memory”.
__u32 | `reserved`[2] | A place holder for future extensions. This array should be zeroed by applications.

## Return Value

On success 0 is returned, on error -1 and the `errno` variable is set appropriately. The generic error codes are described at the Generic Error Codes chapter.

EINVAL

  The buffer type (`type` field) or the requested I/O method (`memory`) is not supported.

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