| .. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this |
| .. document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, |
| .. Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software |
| .. Foundation, with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts |
| .. and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included at |
| .. Documentation/media/uapi/fdl-appendix.rst. |
| .. |
| .. TODO: replace it to GFDL-1.1-or-later WITH no-invariant-sections |
| |
| .. _mmap: |
| |
| ****************************** |
| Streaming I/O (Memory Mapping) |
| ****************************** |
| |
| Input and output devices support this I/O method when the |
| ``V4L2_CAP_STREAMING`` flag in the ``capabilities`` field of struct |
| :c:type:`v4l2_capability` returned by the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_QUERYCAP` ioctl is set. There are two |
| streaming methods, to determine if the memory mapping flavor is |
| supported applications must call the :ref:`VIDIOC_REQBUFS` ioctl |
| with the memory type set to ``V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP``. |
| |
| Streaming is an I/O method where only pointers to buffers are exchanged |
| between application and driver, the data itself is not copied. Memory |
| mapping is primarily intended to map buffers in device memory into the |
| application's address space. Device memory can be for example the video |
| memory on a graphics card with a video capture add-on. However, being |
| the most efficient I/O method available for a long time, many other |
| drivers support streaming as well, allocating buffers in DMA-able main |
| memory. |
| |
| A driver can support many sets of buffers. Each set is identified by a |
| unique buffer type value. The sets are independent and each set can hold |
| a different type of data. To access different sets at the same time |
| different file descriptors must be used. [#f1]_ |
| |
| To allocate device buffers applications call the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_REQBUFS` ioctl with the desired number |
| of buffers and buffer type, for example ``V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_CAPTURE``. |
| This ioctl can also be used to change the number of buffers or to free |
| the allocated memory, provided none of the buffers are still mapped. |
| |
| Before applications can access the buffers they must map them into their |
| address space with the :ref:`mmap() <func-mmap>` function. The |
| location of the buffers in device memory can be determined with the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_QUERYBUF` ioctl. In the single-planar |
| API case, the ``m.offset`` and ``length`` returned in a struct |
| :c:type:`v4l2_buffer` are passed as sixth and second |
| parameter to the :ref:`mmap() <func-mmap>` function. When using the |
| multi-planar API, struct :c:type:`v4l2_buffer` contains an |
| array of struct :c:type:`v4l2_plane` structures, each |
| containing its own ``m.offset`` and ``length``. When using the |
| multi-planar API, every plane of every buffer has to be mapped |
| separately, so the number of calls to :ref:`mmap() <func-mmap>` should |
| be equal to number of buffers times number of planes in each buffer. The |
| offset and length values must not be modified. Remember, the buffers are |
| allocated in physical memory, as opposed to virtual memory, which can be |
| swapped out to disk. Applications should free the buffers as soon as |
| possible with the :ref:`munmap() <func-munmap>` function. |
| |
| Example: Mapping buffers in the single-planar API |
| ================================================= |
| |
| .. code-block:: c |
| |
| struct v4l2_requestbuffers reqbuf; |
| struct { |
| void *start; |
| size_t length; |
| } *buffers; |
| unsigned int i; |
| |
| memset(&reqbuf, 0, sizeof(reqbuf)); |
| reqbuf.type = V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_CAPTURE; |
| reqbuf.memory = V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP; |
| reqbuf.count = 20; |
| |
| if (-1 == ioctl (fd, VIDIOC_REQBUFS, &reqbuf)) { |
| if (errno == EINVAL) |
| printf("Video capturing or mmap-streaming is not supported\\n"); |
| else |
| perror("VIDIOC_REQBUFS"); |
| |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| |
| /* We want at least five buffers. */ |
| |
| if (reqbuf.count < 5) { |
| /* You may need to free the buffers here. */ |
| printf("Not enough buffer memory\\n"); |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| |
| buffers = calloc(reqbuf.count, sizeof(*buffers)); |
| assert(buffers != NULL); |
| |
| for (i = 0; i < reqbuf.count; i++) { |
| struct v4l2_buffer buffer; |
| |
| memset(&buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer)); |
| buffer.type = reqbuf.type; |
| buffer.memory = V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP; |
| buffer.index = i; |
| |
| if (-1 == ioctl (fd, VIDIOC_QUERYBUF, &buffer)) { |
| perror("VIDIOC_QUERYBUF"); |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| |
| buffers[i].length = buffer.length; /* remember for munmap() */ |
| |
| buffers[i].start = mmap(NULL, buffer.length, |
| PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, /* recommended */ |
| MAP_SHARED, /* recommended */ |
| fd, buffer.m.offset); |
| |
| if (MAP_FAILED == buffers[i].start) { |
| /* If you do not exit here you should unmap() and free() |
| the buffers mapped so far. */ |
| perror("mmap"); |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| } |
| |
| /* Cleanup. */ |
| |
| for (i = 0; i < reqbuf.count; i++) |
| munmap(buffers[i].start, buffers[i].length); |
| |
| |
| Example: Mapping buffers in the multi-planar API |
| ================================================ |
| |
| .. code-block:: c |
| |
| struct v4l2_requestbuffers reqbuf; |
| /* Our current format uses 3 planes per buffer */ |
| #define FMT_NUM_PLANES = 3 |
| |
| struct { |
| void *start[FMT_NUM_PLANES]; |
| size_t length[FMT_NUM_PLANES]; |
| } *buffers; |
| unsigned int i, j; |
| |
| memset(&reqbuf, 0, sizeof(reqbuf)); |
| reqbuf.type = V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_CAPTURE_MPLANE; |
| reqbuf.memory = V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP; |
| reqbuf.count = 20; |
| |
| if (ioctl(fd, VIDIOC_REQBUFS, &reqbuf) < 0) { |
| if (errno == EINVAL) |
| printf("Video capturing or mmap-streaming is not supported\\n"); |
| else |
| perror("VIDIOC_REQBUFS"); |
| |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| |
| /* We want at least five buffers. */ |
| |
| if (reqbuf.count < 5) { |
| /* You may need to free the buffers here. */ |
| printf("Not enough buffer memory\\n"); |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| |
| buffers = calloc(reqbuf.count, sizeof(*buffers)); |
| assert(buffers != NULL); |
| |
| for (i = 0; i < reqbuf.count; i++) { |
| struct v4l2_buffer buffer; |
| struct v4l2_plane planes[FMT_NUM_PLANES]; |
| |
| memset(&buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer)); |
| buffer.type = reqbuf.type; |
| buffer.memory = V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP; |
| buffer.index = i; |
| /* length in struct v4l2_buffer in multi-planar API stores the size |
| * of planes array. */ |
| buffer.length = FMT_NUM_PLANES; |
| buffer.m.planes = planes; |
| |
| if (ioctl(fd, VIDIOC_QUERYBUF, &buffer) < 0) { |
| perror("VIDIOC_QUERYBUF"); |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| |
| /* Every plane has to be mapped separately */ |
| for (j = 0; j < FMT_NUM_PLANES; j++) { |
| buffers[i].length[j] = buffer.m.planes[j].length; /* remember for munmap() */ |
| |
| buffers[i].start[j] = mmap(NULL, buffer.m.planes[j].length, |
| PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, /* recommended */ |
| MAP_SHARED, /* recommended */ |
| fd, buffer.m.planes[j].m.offset); |
| |
| if (MAP_FAILED == buffers[i].start[j]) { |
| /* If you do not exit here you should unmap() and free() |
| the buffers and planes mapped so far. */ |
| perror("mmap"); |
| exit(EXIT_FAILURE); |
| } |
| } |
| } |
| |
| /* Cleanup. */ |
| |
| for (i = 0; i < reqbuf.count; i++) |
| for (j = 0; j < FMT_NUM_PLANES; j++) |
| munmap(buffers[i].start[j], buffers[i].length[j]); |
| |
| Conceptually streaming drivers maintain two buffer queues, an incoming |
| and an outgoing queue. They separate the synchronous capture or output |
| operation locked to a video clock from the application which is subject |
| to random disk or network delays and preemption by other processes, |
| thereby reducing the probability of data loss. The queues are organized |
| as FIFOs, buffers will be output in the order enqueued in the incoming |
| FIFO, and were captured in the order dequeued from the outgoing FIFO. |
| |
| The driver may require a minimum number of buffers enqueued at all times |
| to function, apart of this no limit exists on the number of buffers |
| applications can enqueue in advance, or dequeue and process. They can |
| also enqueue in a different order than buffers have been dequeued, and |
| the driver can *fill* enqueued *empty* buffers in any order. [#f2]_ The |
| index number of a buffer (struct :c:type:`v4l2_buffer` |
| ``index``) plays no role here, it only identifies the buffer. |
| |
| Initially all mapped buffers are in dequeued state, inaccessible by the |
| driver. For capturing applications it is customary to first enqueue all |
| mapped buffers, then to start capturing and enter the read loop. Here |
| the application waits until a filled buffer can be dequeued, and |
| re-enqueues the buffer when the data is no longer needed. Output |
| applications fill and enqueue buffers, when enough buffers are stacked |
| up the output is started with :ref:`VIDIOC_STREAMON <VIDIOC_STREAMON>`. |
| In the write loop, when the application runs out of free buffers, it |
| must wait until an empty buffer can be dequeued and reused. |
| |
| To enqueue and dequeue a buffer applications use the |
| :ref:`VIVIOC_QBUF <VIDIOC_QBUF>` and :ref:`VIDIOC_DQBUF <VIDIOC_QBUF>` |
| ioctl. The status of a buffer being mapped, enqueued, full or empty can |
| be determined at any time using the :ref:`VIDIOC_QUERYBUF` ioctl. Two |
| methods exist to suspend execution of the application until one or more |
| buffers can be dequeued. By default :ref:`VIDIOC_DQBUF <VIDIOC_QBUF>` |
| blocks when no buffer is in the outgoing queue. When the ``O_NONBLOCK`` |
| flag was given to the :ref:`open() <func-open>` function, |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_DQBUF <VIDIOC_QBUF>` returns immediately with an ``EAGAIN`` |
| error code when no buffer is available. The :ref:`select() <func-select>` |
| or :ref:`poll() <func-poll>` functions are always available. |
| |
| To start and stop capturing or output applications call the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_STREAMON <VIDIOC_STREAMON>` and :ref:`VIDIOC_STREAMOFF |
| <VIDIOC_STREAMON>` ioctl. |
| |
| .. note:::ref:`VIDIOC_STREAMOFF <VIDIOC_STREAMON>` |
| removes all buffers from both queues as a side effect. Since there is |
| no notion of doing anything "now" on a multitasking system, if an |
| application needs to synchronize with another event it should examine |
| the struct ::c:type:`v4l2_buffer` ``timestamp`` of captured |
| or outputted buffers. |
| |
| Drivers implementing memory mapping I/O must support the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_REQBUFS <VIDIOC_REQBUFS>`, :ref:`VIDIOC_QUERYBUF |
| <VIDIOC_QUERYBUF>`, :ref:`VIDIOC_QBUF <VIDIOC_QBUF>`, :ref:`VIDIOC_DQBUF |
| <VIDIOC_QBUF>`, :ref:`VIDIOC_STREAMON <VIDIOC_STREAMON>` |
| and :ref:`VIDIOC_STREAMOFF <VIDIOC_STREAMON>` ioctls, the :ref:`mmap() |
| <func-mmap>`, :ref:`munmap() <func-munmap>`, :ref:`select() |
| <func-select>` and :ref:`poll() <func-poll>` function. [#f3]_ |
| |
| [capture example] |
| |
| .. [#f1] |
| One could use one file descriptor and set the buffer type field |
| accordingly when calling :ref:`VIDIOC_QBUF` etc., |
| but it makes the :ref:`select() <func-select>` function ambiguous. We also |
| like the clean approach of one file descriptor per logical stream. |
| Video overlay for example is also a logical stream, although the CPU |
| is not needed for continuous operation. |
| |
| .. [#f2] |
| Random enqueue order permits applications processing images out of |
| order (such as video codecs) to return buffers earlier, reducing the |
| probability of data loss. Random fill order allows drivers to reuse |
| buffers on a LIFO-basis, taking advantage of caches holding |
| scatter-gather lists and the like. |
| |
| .. [#f3] |
| At the driver level :ref:`select() <func-select>` and :ref:`poll() <func-poll>` are |
| the same, and :ref:`select() <func-select>` is too important to be optional. |
| The rest should be evident. |