__video_register_device(9)

__video_register_device(9)

okay so bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual ✨ — this is the page for __video_register_device(9), and it's all about registering video4linux devices. it's giving kernel-core energy, so stay with me 💅

🌸 NAME 🌸

__video_register_device — register video4linux devices. that's the whole vibe, but keep reading 🫶

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

int __video_register_device (struct video_device *vdev , enum
       vfl_devnode_type type , int nr , int warn_if_nr_in_use , struct module
       *owner );

yes, that's the signature, no cap ✨

💖 ARGUMENTS 💖

• vdev — the struct video_device to register. that's your main character struct 👑
• type — type of device to register, as defined by enum vfl_devnode_type. keep that enum exact, bestie 🦋
• nr — which device node number is desired: (0 == /dev/video0, 1 == /dev/video1, ..., -1 == first free). so -1 means “gimme the first free one” ✨
• warn_if_nr_in_use — warn if the desired device node number was already in use and another number was chosen instead. basically a lil heads-up if your fave number got taken 😭
• owner — module that owns the video device node. lowkey important for ownership vibes 💅

🌈 DESCRIPTION 🌈

The registration code assigns minor numbers and device node numbers based on the requested type and registers the new device node with the kernel. okay so it's doing the behind-the-scenes matchmaking between your device and the kernel 💖

This function assumes that struct video_device was zeroed when it was allocated and does not contain any stale date. (yes, it says date — we are keeping it exactly as written, no cap 💀)

An error is returned if no free minor or device node number could be found, or if the registration of the device node failed. so if the number hunt fails or the node registration flops, you get an error 😭

Returns 0 on success. slay ✅

NOTE: This function is meant to be used only inside the V4L2 core. Drivers should use video_register_device or video_register_device_no_warn. so like, this is core-only business, bestie — drivers, use the other entry points 🚪✨

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

Kernel file ./include/media/v4l2-dev.h — and the whole bestie list is:

• enum vfl_devnode_type(9)
• enum vfl_devnode_direction(9)
• enum v4l2_video_device_flags(9)
• struct v4l2_prio_state(9)
• v4l2_prio_init(9)
• v4l2_prio_change(9)
• v4l2_prio_open(9)
• v4l2_prio_close(9)
• v4l2_prio_max(9)
• v4l2_prio_check(9)
• struct v4l2_file_operations(9)
• struct video_device(9)
• media_entity_to_video_device(9)
• to_video_device(9)
• video_register_device(9)
• video_register_device_no_warn(9)
• video_unregister_device(9)
• video_device_alloc(9)
• video_device_release(9)
• video_device_release_empty(9)
• v4l2_disable_ioctl(9)
• video_get_drvdata(9)
• video_set_drvdata(9)
• video_devdata(9)
• video_drvdata(9)
• video_device_node_name(9)
• video_is_registered(9)
• v4l2_debugfs_root(9)
• video_device_pipeline_start(9)
• __video_device_pipeline_start(9)
• video_device_pipeline_stop(9)
• __video_device_pipeline_stop(9)
• video_device_pipeline_alloc_start(9)
• video_device_pipeline(9)

💖 source/version: ./include/media · date: October 2026 · page: __video_register_device(9) — mwah, bye bestie! 💅✨