ioctl VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD, VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD
&manvol;

# VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD

# VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD

Execute an decoder command

    	int ioctl
    	int fd
    	int request
    	struct v4l2_decoder_cmd *argp

## Arguments

`fd`

  &fd;

`request`

  VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD, VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD

`argp`

## Description

These ioctls control an audio/video (usually MPEG-) decoder. `VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD` sends a command to the decoder, `VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD` can be used to try a command without actually executing it. To send a command applications must initialize all fields of a &v4l2-decoder-cmd; and call `VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD` or `VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD` with a pointer to this structure.

The cmd field must contain the command code. Some commands use the flags field for additional information.

A `write`() or &VIDIOC-STREAMON; call sends an implicit START command to the decoder if it has not been started yet.

A `close`() or &VIDIOC-STREAMOFF; call of a streaming file descriptor sends an implicit immediate STOP command to the decoder, and all buffered data is discarded.

These ioctls are optional, not all drivers may support them. They were introduced in Linux 3.3.

### struct v4l2_decoder_cmd

&cs-str;
__u32 | cmd |  |  | The decoder command, see .
__u32 | flags |  |  | Flags to go with the command. If no flags are defined for this command, drivers and applications must set this field to zero.
union | (anonymous) |  |  |
| struct | start |  | Structure containing additional data for the `V4L2_DEC_CMD_START` command.

__s32

speed

Playback speed and direction. The playback speed is defined as speed/1000 of the normal speed. So 1000 is normal playback. Negative numbers denote reverse playback, so -1000 does reverse playback at normal speed. Speeds -1, 0 and 1 have special meanings: speed 0 is shorthand for 1000 (normal playback). A speed of 1 steps just one frame forward, a speed of -1 steps just one frame back.

__u32

format

Format restrictions. This field is set by the driver, not the application. Possible values are `V4L2_DEC_START_FMT_NONE` if there are no format restrictions or `V4L2_DEC_START_FMT_GOP` if the decoder operates on full GOPs (Group Of Pictures). This is usually the case for reverse playback: the decoder needs full GOPs, which it can then play in reverse order. So to implement reverse playback the application must feed the decoder the last GOP in the video file, then the GOP before that, etc. etc.

| struct | stop |  | Structure containing additional data for the `V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP` command.
|  | __u64 | pts | Stop playback at this pts or immediately if the playback is already past that timestamp. Leave to 0 if you want to stop after the last frame was decoded.
| struct | raw |  |
|  | __u32 | data[16] | Reserved for future extensions. Drivers and applications must set the array to zero.

### Decoder Commands

&cs-def;

`V4L2_DEC_CMD_START`

0

Start the decoder. When the decoder is already running or paused, this command will just change the playback speed. That means that calling `V4L2_DEC_CMD_START` when the decoder was paused will not resume the decoder. You have to explicitly call `V4L2_DEC_CMD_RESUME` for that. This command has one flag: `V4L2_DEC_CMD_START_MUTE_AUDIO`. If set, then audio will be muted when playing back at a non-standard speed.

`V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP`

1

Stop the decoder. When the decoder is already stopped, this command does nothing. This command has two flags: if `V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP_TO_BLACK` is set, then the decoder will set the picture to black after it stopped decoding. Otherwise the last image will repeat. mem2mem decoders will stop producing new frames altogether. They will send a `V4L2_EVENT_EOS` event when the last frame has been decoded and all frames are ready to be dequeued and will set the `V4L2_BUF_FLAG_LAST` buffer flag on the last buffer of the capture queue to indicate there will be no new buffers produced to dequeue. This buffer may be empty, indicated by the driver setting the bytesused field to 0. Once the `V4L2_BUF_FLAG_LAST` flag was set, the VIDIOC_DQBUF ioctl will not block anymore, but return an &EPIPE;. If `V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP_IMMEDIATELY` is set, then the decoder stops immediately (ignoring the pts value), otherwise it will keep decoding until timestamp >= pts or until the last of the pending data from its internal buffers was decoded.

`V4L2_DEC_CMD_PAUSE` | 2 | Pause the decoder. When the decoder has not been started yet, the driver will return an &EPERM;. When the decoder is already paused, this command does nothing. This command has one flag: if `V4L2_DEC_CMD_PAUSE_TO_BLACK` is set, then set the decoder output to black when paused.
`V4L2_DEC_CMD_RESUME` | 3 | Resume decoding after a PAUSE command. When the decoder has not been started yet, the driver will return an &EPERM;. When the decoder is already running, this command does nothing. No flags are defined for this command.

&return-value;

EINVAL

  The cmd field is invalid.

EPERM

  The application sent a PAUSE or RESUME command when the decoder was not running.