SDL_PixelFormat(3type)
💅 SDL_PixelFormat 💅
okay so bestie, welcome to the SDL_PixelFormat page — she lives in the SDL3 DATATYPES section of the manual, and she's kind of a big deal. this is a long one so it's split across multiple parts, and this right here is part one. buckle up, we're starting with the name and the whole giant synopsis, no cap. ✨
🌸 NAME 🌸
SDL_PixelFormat — it's giving... pixel format. literally the pixel format, that's the whole vibe. 💖
✨ SYNOPSIS ✨
first things first, you gotta pull in the header, bestie:
#include <SDL3/SDL_pixels.h>and then here's the entire typedef enum SDL_PixelFormat in all her glory — every single value, every single comment, exactly as written, periodt. i'm not skipping a single one, we're keeping all of them 🫶:
typedef enum SDL_PixelFormat
{
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_UNKNOWN = 0,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_INDEX1LSB = 0x11100100u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_INDEX1, SDL_BITMAPORDER_4321, 0, 1, 0), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_INDEX1MSB = 0x11200100u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_INDEX1, SDL_BITMAPORDER_1234, 0, 1, 0), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_INDEX2LSB = 0x1c100200u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_INDEX2, SDL_BITMAPORDER_4321, 0, 2, 0), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_INDEX2MSB = 0x1c200200u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_INDEX2, SDL_BITMAPORDER_1234, 0, 2, 0), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_INDEX4LSB = 0x12100400u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_INDEX4, SDL_BITMAPORDER_4321, 0, 4, 0), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_INDEX4MSB = 0x12200400u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_INDEX4, SDL_BITMAPORDER_1234, 0, 4, 0), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_INDEX8 = 0x13000801u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_INDEX8, 0, 0, 8, 1), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGB332 = 0x14110801u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED8, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XRGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_332, 8, 1), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB4444 = 0x15120c02u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XRGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_4444, 12, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR4444 = 0x15520c02u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XBGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_4444, 12, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB1555 = 0x15130f02u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XRGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_1555, 15, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR1555 = 0x15530f02u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XBGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_1555, 15, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB4444 = 0x15321002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ARGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_4444, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA4444 = 0x15421002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_RGBA, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_4444, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR4444 = 0x15721002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ABGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_4444, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA4444 = 0x15821002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_BGRA, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_4444, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB1555 = 0x15331002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ARGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_1555, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA5551 = 0x15441002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_RGBA, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_5551, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR1555 = 0x15731002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ABGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_1555, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA5551 = 0x15841002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_BGRA, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_5551, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGB565 = 0x15151002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XRGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_565, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGR565 = 0x15551002u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED16, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XBGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_565, 16, 2), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGB24 = 0x17101803u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU8, SDL_ARRAYORDER_RGB, 0, 24, 3), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGR24 = 0x17401803u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU8, SDL_ARRAYORDER_BGR, 0, 24, 3), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB8888 = 0x16161804u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XRGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 24, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBX8888 = 0x16261804u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_RGBX, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 24, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR8888 = 0x16561804u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XBGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 24, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRX8888 = 0x16661804u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_BGRX, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 24, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB8888 = 0x16362004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ARGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA8888 = 0x16462004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_RGBA, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR8888 = 0x16762004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ABGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA8888 = 0x16862004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_BGRA, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_8888, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB2101010 = 0x16172004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XRGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_2101010, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR2101010 = 0x16572004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_XBGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_2101010, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB2101010 = 0x16372004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ARGB, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_2101010, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR2101010 = 0x16772004u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_PACKED32, SDL_PACKEDORDER_ABGR, SDL_PACKEDLAYOUT_2101010, 32, 4), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGB48 = 0x18103006u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_RGB, 0, 48, 6), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGR48 = 0x18403006u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_BGR, 0, 48, 6), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA64 = 0x18204008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_RGBA, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB64 = 0x18304008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_ARGB, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA64 = 0x18504008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_BGRA, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR64 = 0x18604008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYU16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_ABGR, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGB48_FLOAT = 0x1a103006u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_RGB, 0, 48, 6), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGR48_FLOAT = 0x1a403006u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_BGR, 0, 48, 6), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA64_FLOAT = 0x1a204008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_RGBA, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB64_FLOAT = 0x1a304008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_ARGB, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA64_FLOAT = 0x1a504008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_BGRA, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR64_FLOAT = 0x1a604008u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF16, SDL_ARRAYORDER_ABGR, 0, 64, 8), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGB96_FLOAT = 0x1b10600cu,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF32, SDL_ARRAYORDER_RGB, 0, 96, 12), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGR96_FLOAT = 0x1b40600cu,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF32, SDL_ARRAYORDER_BGR, 0, 96, 12), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA128_FLOAT = 0x1b208010u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF32, SDL_ARRAYORDER_RGBA, 0, 128, 16), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB128_FLOAT = 0x1b308010u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF32, SDL_ARRAYORDER_ARGB, 0, 128, 16), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA128_FLOAT = 0x1b508010u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF32, SDL_ARRAYORDER_BGRA, 0, 128, 16), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR128_FLOAT = 0x1b608010u,
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT(SDL_PIXELTYPE_ARRAYF32, SDL_ARRAYORDER_ABGR, 0, 128, 16), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_YV12 = 0x32315659u, /**< Planar mode: Y + V + U (3 planes) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('Y', 'V', '1', '2'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_IYUV = 0x56555949u, /**< Planar mode: Y + U + V (3 planes) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('I', 'Y', 'U', 'V'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_YUY2 = 0x32595559u, /**< Packed mode: Y0+U0+Y1+V0 (1 plane) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('Y', 'U', 'Y', '2'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_UYVY = 0x59565955u, /**< Packed mode: U0+Y0+V0+Y1 (1 plane) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('U', 'Y', 'V', 'Y'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_YVYU = 0x55595659u, /**< Packed mode: Y0+V0+Y1+U0 (1 plane) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('Y', 'V', 'Y', 'U'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_NV12 = 0x3231564eu, /**< Planar mode: Y + U/V interleaved (2 planes) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('N', 'V', '1', '2'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_NV21 = 0x3132564eu, /**< Planar mode: Y + V/U interleaved (2 planes) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('N', 'V', '2', '1'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_P010 = 0x30313050u, /**< Planar mode: Y + U/V interleaved (2 planes) */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('P', '0', '1', '0'), */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_EXTERNAL_OES = 0x2053454fu, /**< Android video texture format */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('O', 'E', 'S', ' ') */
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_MJPG = 0x47504a4du, /**< Motion JPEG */
/* SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC('M', 'J', 'P', 'G') */
/* Aliases for RGBA byte arrays of color data, for the current platform */
#if SDL_BYTEORDER == SDL_BIG_ENDIAN
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBX32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBX8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRX32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRX8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR8888
#else
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRA32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ARGB8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_ABGR32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBA8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBX32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRX8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_BGRX32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XRGB8888,
SDL_PIXELFORMAT_XBGR32 = SDL_PIXELFORMAT_RGBX8888
#endif
} SDL_PixelFormat;ngl bestie that's a lot of enum values and i did not skip a single one 💀 every constant, every hex value, every comment explaining how it maps toSDL_DEFINE_PIXELFORMAT/SDL_DEFINE_PIXELFOURCC, and the wholeSDL_BYTEORDER == SDL_BIG_ENDIANalias situation is all up there, untouched. keep reading for the next part, we're not done yet 💖
💖 DESCRIPTION 💖
Okay so bestie, SDL's pixel formats have a naming convention, and once you clock the pattern you literally cannot unsee it. Let me break it down for you 🫶
- Names with a list of components and a single bit count, like
RGB24andABGR32— these define a platform-independent encoding into bytes in the order specified. So for example, inRGB24data, each pixel is encoded in 3 bytes (red, green, blue) in that order, and inABGR32data, each pixel is encoded in 4 bytes (alpha, blue, green, red) in that order. Use these names when the thing you care about is the order of the bytes in memory or on disk. Byte order girlies, this one's for you ✨ - Names with a bit count per component, like
ARGB8888andXRGB1555— these are "packed" into an appropriately-sized integer in the platform's native endianness. For example,ARGB8888is a sequence of 32-bit integers; in each integer, the most significant bits are alpha, and the least significant bits are blue. On a little-endian CPU such as x86, the least significant bits of each integer are arranged first in memory, but on a big-endian CPU such as s390x, the most significant bits are arranged first. Use these names when the thing you care about is the meaning of each bit position within a native-endianness integer. Bit-position brainrot, but make it useful 💅 - In indexed formats such as
INDEX4LSB, each pixel is represented by encoding an index into the palette into the indicated number of bits, with multiple pixels packed into each byte if appropriate. In LSB formats, the first (leftmost) pixel is stored in the least-significant bits of the byte; in MSB formats, it's stored in the most-significant bits. AndINDEX8does not need LSB/MSB variants, because each pixel exactly fills one byte. Iconic, no notes, it simply doesn't need the drama 🌸
The 32-bit byte-array encodings such as RGBA32 are aliases for the appropriate 8888 encoding for the current platform. For example, RGBA32 is an alias for ABGR8888 on little-endian CPUs like x86, or an alias for RGBA8888 on big-endian CPUs. It's giving "same vibe, different platform" 🦋
🌈 AVAILABILITY 🌈
This enum is available since SDL 3.2.0. No cap 🎀
And that's a wrap, bestie!! This lil page came to you from Simple Directmedia Layer, version SDL 3.4.18, dated SDL_PixelFormat(3type). Go format some pixels, you absolute main character 👑💖✨
📦 where this page comes from
- fedora 43: SDL3-devel 3.4.18-1.fc43 · Zlib AND MIT AND Apache-2.0 AND (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
- fedora 43: SDL3-devel 3.4.18-1.fc43 · Zlib AND MIT AND Apache-2.0 AND (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
- fedora 44: SDL3-devel 3.4.18-1.fc44 · Zlib AND MIT AND Apache-2.0 AND (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
- fedora 44: SDL3-devel 3.4.18-1.fc44 · Zlib AND MIT AND Apache-2.0 AND (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
- 💖 girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash on : a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms