C API Changes for Release 0.9.0

See also:
- Main C API Page

The C API has been extensively revised reflecting experience gained from work on a Qt C++ GUI interface.

New header files:

File Name Contents
ddcutil_macros.h   Macros to specify the ddcutil version at compile time
ddcutil_status_codes.h   Status codes defined by ddcutil


Multithreading

There is rudiementary support for multi-threaded use of the API.

Considerations:

  • It is safe to perform simultaneous operations on separate displays (using distinct display handles) on separate threads.
  • Multiple simultaneous DDC operations on the same display will have unpredictable results.
  • Do not open multiple handles for the same display.
    The ddcutil API prevents opening multiple handles for devices with the same DDCA_IO_Path, which blocks the most common case. However, it is conceivable that the same monitor might be connected in multiple ways (e.g. with both a DDC and USB connection), with multiple cards, or even from separate computers. In this case it is the application's or even user's responsibility to ensure that conflict does not occur.
  • The following settings are now thread specific:
    • whether setvcp verification is enabled (ddca_enable_verify(), ddca_is_verify_enabled())
    • output redirection (ddca_set_fout(), etc.)
    • output level (ddca_set_output_level(), ddca_get_output_level())

Presently, multi-threaded operation is best managed in the application. The C++ Qt based GUI currently under development does the following:
- Calls ddca_get_display_info_list() to enumerate the displays
- Opens the display (i.e. creates a DDCA_Display_Handle)
- Maintains a queue of requests
- Calls the ddcutil API for each request, and updates the GUI accordingly

Library Build Information

No changes.

Unchanged Comments
ddca_ddcutil_version()
ddca_ddcutil_version_string()
ddca_build_options()


Status Code Functions

No changes.

Unchanged Comments
ddca_rc_name()
ddca_rc_desc()


Detailed Error Reports

In some cases, detailed error information is appopriate, particularly when there are multiple causes, each of which should be reported. The following functions get and release detailed error reports for the most recent API call.

Currently implemented only for ddca_set_profile_related_values(), reports each case of invalid data in the input and the line at which it occurred.

New Comments
ddca_get_error_detail()   Get detailed error information for most recent API call
ddca_free_error_detai()   Free detailed error information


Global Settings

Unchanged Comments
ddca_max_max_tries()
ddca_get_max_tries()
ddca_set_max_tries()
Changed Comments
ddca_enable_verify()   now thread-specific setting, returns prior value
ddca_is_verify_enabled()   now thread-specific setting


Output Redirection and Capture

Output redirection is now thread-specific.

Changed Functions Comments
ddca_set_fout()   now thread-specific
ddca_set_fout_to_default()   now thread-specific
ddca_set_ferr()   now thread-specific
ddca_set_ferr_to_default()   now thread-specific


Added convenience functions to capture output normally directed to the terminal. Output capture is thread specific.

New Comments
ddca_start_capture()   Begin capturing output
ddca_end_capture()   Terminates capture, returns the captured value


For examples of output redirection, see sample program demo_redirection.c.

Message Control

Output level settings are now thread-specific.

Changed Comments
ddca_get_output_level()   now thread-specific
ddca_set_output_level()   now thread-specific, returns old level


Unchanged Comments
ddca_output_level_name()


Statistics and Diagnostics

Statistics and diagnostics control are global, not thread-specific.

Unchanged Comments
ddca_reset_stats()
ddca_show_stats()
ddca_is_report_ddc_errors_enabled()


Changed Comments
ddca_enable_report_ddc_errors()   returns old level


New Comments
ddca_enable_error_info()   control display of internal exception reports


Feature Lists

Struct DDCA_Feature_List specifies a set of VCP feature codes using a 256 bit array.

Functions and constants for operating on feature lists:

New Comments
ddca_feature_list_add()  add a VCP feature code to the list
ddca_feature_list_and()  returns intersection of 2 lists
ddca_feature_list_and_not()  returns the features in one list that are not in a second
ddca_feature_list_clear()  clear all entries in the feature list
ddca_feature_list_contains()  check if a VCP feature code is in the list
ddca_feature_list_count()  number of features in list
ddca_feature_list_id_name()  get symbolic name of feature list id
ddca_feature_list_or()  returns union of 2 feature lists
ddca_feature_list_string()  returns a string representation of a feature list
ddca_get_feature_list_by_dref()  returns a feature list identifying the features in named feature set (e.g. COLOR)
DDCA_EMPTY_FEATURE_LIST  an empty feature list


For an example of using feature lists, see sample program demo_feature_list.c.

MCCS Version Identification

To date, the API has had two different ways to specify the Monitor Control Command Set (MCCS) version:
- DDCA_MCCS_Version_Spec, a pair of 8 bit unsigned integers.
- DDCA_MCCS_Version_Id, an enum of valid MCCS versions.

Going forward, the API will use DDCA_MCCS_Version_Spec. Existing functions using DDCA_MCCS_Version_Id are retained, but are marked as deprecated and will be removed in a future release. Once the deprecated functions are removed, there will likely be some simplification of the remaining function names.

Symbolic constants DDCA_VSPEC_V10 etc. have been added for DDCA_MCCS_Version_Spec values.

Deprecated Comments
DDCA_MCCS_Version_Id  MCCS version enum
ddca_mccs_version_id_name()
ddca_mccs_version_id_desc()
ddca_get_mccs_version_id()  Get MCCS version id for display handle


Unchanged Comments
ddca_get_mccs_version()  takes DDCA_Display_Handle argument


Background:

Each way to specify the MCCS version has its advantages. DDCA_MCCS_Version_Spec was chosen because it is the form already used in the MCCS spec.

DDCA_MCCS_Version_Spec
- Feature code xDF (get MCCS version) returns a number pair
- The capabilities string specifies the MCCS version as a number pair

DDCA_MCCS_Version_Id
- There are only a handful of valid version numbers
- Simplifies version specification
- Simplifies version comparisons, which are complicated by the fact
that both Version 3.0 and Version 2.2 are independent successors to Version 2.1.

Detect Displays

  • ddca_display_info_list2() replaces ddca_display_info_list(), allows for including displays that don't support DDC, signature returns a status code, conforming to standard API pattern
  • ddca_report_displays() replaces ddca_report_active_displays, added parm to allow for reporting invalid displays
  • Struct DDCA_Display_Info now has a field for the MCCS version.
Deprecated Comments
ddca_get_display_info_list()  Use ddca_get_display_info_list2()
ddca_report_active_displays()  Use ddca_report_displays()


Unchanged Comments
ddca_report_display_info()
ddca_report_display_info_list()
ddca_free_display_info_list()


New Comments
ddca_get_display_info_list2()   Can include displays that don't support DDC
ddca_report_display_by_dref()   Report display information using code in ddcutil detect
ddca_report_displays()   Optionally include displays that don't support DDC


Display Identifiers

No changes.

Unchanged Functions Comments
ddca_create_dispno_display_identifier()
ddca_create_busno_display_identifier()
ddca_create_adlno_display_identifier()
ddca_create_mfg_model_sn_display_identifier()
ddca_create_edid_display_identifier()
ddca_create_usb_display_identifier()
ddca_create_usb_hiddev_display_identifier()
ddca_free_display_identifier()
ddca_did_repr()


Display References

Deprecated Comments
ddca_get_edid_by_dref()  renamed, was ddca_get_edid_by_display_reference()


Unchanged Comments
ddca_create_display_ref()
ddca_free_display_ref()
ddca_dref_repr()
Changed Comments
ddca_dbgrpt_display_ref()  renamed, was ddca_report_display_ref()


New Comments
ddca_report_display_by_dref()


Display Handles

Deprecated API Functions Comments
ddca_open_display()  Use ddca_open_display2()
Unchanged Comments
ddca_close_display()
ddca_dh_repr()
New Comments
ddca_open_display2()   allows for waiting if display locked by another thread
ddca_display_ref_from_handle()


Capabilities String

Unchanged Comments
ddca_get_capabilities_string()
ddca_parse_capabilities_string()
ddca_free_parsed_capabilities()


Changed Comments
ddca_report_parsed_capabilities()   interprets feature and value codes


Added Comments
ddca_feature_list_from_capabilities()   Create feature id bitifield from capabilities


Feature Metadata

Struct DDCA_Version_Feature_Info and related functions are deprecated. Instead, the master record for feature metadata is now DDCA_Feature_Metadata.

Deprecated and Deleted Comments
DDCA_Version_Feature_Info   use DDCA_Feature_Metadata
ddca_get_feature_info_by_vcp_version()   Use ddca_get_feature_metadata() - in 0.8.7
ddca_get_feature_info_by_display()   Use ddca_get_feature_metadata()
ddca_free_feature_info()   in 0.8.7?
ddca_get_simple_sl_value_table()   Takes a DDCA_MCCS_Version_Id argument.


Unchanged Comments
ddca_get_feature_name()


Added Structs and Functions Comments
DDCA_Feature_Metadata  replaces DDCA_Version_Feature_Info
ddca_get_feature_metadata_by_dref()
ddca_get_feature_metadata_by_dh()
ddca_free_feature_metadata_contents()


Additional new granular functions Comments
ddca_feature_name_by_dref()
ddca_get_simple_sl_value_table_by_dref()   Gets table of valid values if flag DDCA_SIMPLE_NC is set in DDCA_Feature_Flags.


Miscellaneous changes:
- Bitfield DDCA_Version_Feature_Flags now has bit DDCA_NC_COMPLEX, indicating a VCP code (designated by MCCS as Non-Continuous) that uses certain values as an NC feature and uses the remaining range for continyous adjustment. An example of such a feature is VCP code x62 (Audio Speaker Volume) as defined in MCCS versions 3.0 and 2.2, where value x00 is defined as "Fixed (default level)", value xFF is "Mute", and values x01..xFE provide a continuous range for volume adjustment.

NC Feature Value Lookup

(See Metadata section for discussion of getting lookup tables)

Deprecated and Deleted Functions Comments
ddca_get_simple_nc_feature_value_name()   Get feature metadata, then use ddca_get_simple_nc_feature_name_by_table()
ddca_get_simple_nc_feature_value_name_by_display()   Get feature metadata, then use ddca_get_simple_nc_feature_name_by_table()


New Comments
ddca_get_simple_nc_feature_value_name_by_table()   new


Symbol Name Changes

Numerous symbols have been renamed for clarity and consistency. General changes:
- The names of report functions that display internal data structures for debugging, as opposed to reports designed to be shown to users, now begin with "ddca_dbgrpt_" instead of "ddca_report_".
- Enum values DDCA_V10 etc. are now DDCA_MCCS_V10 etc. (but note that the use of DDCA_MCCS_Version_Id is deprecated in favor of DDCA_MCCS_Version_Spec)
- Names of parameters that specify the address at which a pointer is to be returned now generally end in "_loc".

Specific changes not listed elsewhere:

Old Name New Name
DDCA_IO_DEVI2C   DDCA_IO_I2C


Naming patterns:
- Functions that always return the same value generally do not include "_get_" in their names, e.g. ddca_ddcutil_version(), ddca_max_max_tries()
- In the case of "overloaded" functions, "_by_" is usually used to distinguish variants, e.g. ddca_get_feature_metadata_by_vspec(), ddca_get_feature_metadata_by_dref(), get_feature_metadata_by_display()
- However, in the case where there the result depends on a single input value from which the result is extracted, "_from_" is used, e.g. ddca_mmk_from_dref(), ddca_mmk_from_dh()

Get and Set VCP Feature Values

DDCA_Any_Vcp_Value vs DDCA_Non_Table_Vcp_Value

The API provides functions for getting, setting, and otherwise processing VCP values in 3 forms, using the type specific DDCA_Non_Table_Vcp_Value or DDCA_Table_Vcp_Value or the more general DDCA_Any_Vcp_Value. The first form is simpler to use, and does not entail the allocation of arbitrarily size buffers.

As a practical matter, while the MCCS spec defines Table type features, they have not been observed on any monitors. Supporting Table type features in a UI adds complexity. API users will probably want to use the simpler DDCA_Non_Table_Vcp_Value functions.

The following tables summarize the structs and API functions for getting and setting VCP feature values.

Deprecated Comments
ddca_set_simple_nc_vcp_value()   unchanged, but deprecated
ddca_set_continuous_vcp_value()   unchanged, but deprecated


Changed Comments
DDCA_Non_Table_Vcp_Value   renamed, was DDCA_Non_Table_Value
DDCA_Table_Vcp_Value   renamed, was DDCA_Table_Value
ddca_get_non_table_vcp_value()   renamed, was ddca_get_nontable_vcp_value()
ddca_get_any_vcp_value_using_explicit_type()   renamed, was ddca_get_any_vcp_value(), parm type change
ddca_set_non_table_vcp_value()   renamed, was ddca_set_raw_vcp_value()
ddca_get_table_vcp_value()   parameter change
ddca_free_table_vcp_value()   renamed from ddca_free_table_value_response()


New Comments
ddca_get_any_vcp_value_using_implicit_type()   new function
ddca_set_table_vcp_value()   new
ddca_set_any_vcp_value()   new
ddca_free_any_vcp_value()   new
dbgrpt_any_vcp_value()   new


Get or Set Multiple Values

Unchanged Comments
ddca_get_profile_related_values()


Changed Comments
ddca_set_profile_related_values()   add display handle parm


if ddca_set_profile_related_values() returns DDCRC_BAD_DATA, ddca_get_error_detail() returns a detailed error report.

Format Feature Values

Functions ddca_format_table_vcp_value(), ddca_format_non_table_vcp_value(), and ddca_format_any_vcp_value() format a feature value, based on its feature code and MCCS version.

Function ddca_get_formatted_vcp_value() continues to exist, but is essentially a convenience function that combines reading a VCP value with formatting.

Unchanged Comments
ddca_get_formatted_vcp_value()  unchanged


New Comments
ddca_format_non_table_vcp_value_by_dref()   new
ddca_format_table_vcp_value_by_dref()   new
ddca_format_any_vcp_value_by_dref()   new


Miscellaneous Changes

  • ddca_enable_report_ddc_errors(), ddca_enable_verify(), ddca_set_output_level now return the prior setting

Sample programs

Sample programs have been revised to reflect API changes and new sample programs added. See the main C API page.