drm_writebac...nnector_init(9)

💅 drm_writeback_connector_init 💅

okay bestie so this is a page from the Kernel API Manual — it's literally drm_writeback_connector_init(9) and it's all about initializing a writeback connector and its properties ✨. Yes the title in the corner looks like drm_writebac...nnector_init(9) because apparently even manpage headers get the ellipsis treatment when the name is too long, and honestly? relatable 😭

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🌸 NAME 🌸

drm_writeback_connector_init — initialize a writeback connector and all its properties. that's the whole vibe. 🎀

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

int drm_writeback_connector_init (struct drm_device *dev , struct
drm_writeback_connector *wb_connector , const struct drm_connector_funcs
*con_funcs , const struct drm_encoder_helper_funcs *enc_helper_funcs ,
const u32 *formats , int n_formats , u32 possible_crtcs );

like, seven arguments. she's high-maintenance but she delivers 💅

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🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

so here's the group chat roll call, no one gets left out:

• dev — the DRM device. the main character of the whole situation 👑
• wb_connector — the writeback connector you're initializing. this is the one getting the glow-up ✨
• con_funcs — the connector funcs vtable. the connector's personality basically 🫶
• enc_helper_funcs — the encoder helper funcs vtable that the internal encoder is gonna use. yes, internal. we'll get to that 🧚
• formats — array of supported pixel formats for the writeback engine. all the looks it can serve 🌈
• n_formats — length of the formats array. she counts. literally 📏
• possible_crtcs — possible crtcs for the internal writeback encoder. the options are open 💜

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🔥 DESCRIPTION 🔥

okay so what does this function actually do, because the name is a mouthful and you deserve the tea ☕

This function creates the writeback-connector-specific properties if they have not been already created — key word if, she's not out here duplicating work, that's not the vibe 🙈

Then it initializes the connector as type DRM_MODE_CONNECTOR_WRITEBACK, and correctly initializes the property values. correctly. not "approximately". not "close enough". correctly. slay 💅

It will also create an internal encoder associated with the drm_writeback_connector and set it to use the enc_helper_funcs vtable for the encoder helper. so you don't have to make the encoder yourself — it comes bundled, like a free sticker with your order 🎀

⚠️ real talk: Drivers should always use this function instead of drm_connector_init to set up writeback connectors. not "usually", not "when you feel like it" — always. this is not a suggestion, bestie, this is the rule 👀

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⭐ RETURN ⭐

• 0 on success 🎉
• or a negative error code 😭 (she's telling you something went wrong, listen to her)

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🌟 SEE ALSO 🌟

go read these next, they're all in the same friend group:

• Kernel file ./drivers/gpu/drm/drm_writeback.c overview(9)
• __drm_writeback_connector_init(9)
• drm_writeback_connector_init_with_encoder(9)
• drm_writeback_connector_cleanup(9)
• drmm_writeback_connector_init(9)
• drm_writeback_queue_job(9)
• drm_writeback_signal_completion(9)

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and that's the page!! 🫶 this one lives in ./drivers/gpu/drm and it's dated October 2026 — so like, bookmark it, screenshot it, send it to the group chat, whatever works for you 💖 bye bestie!! 🦋✨