new file mode 100644
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2024-2025 Red Hat, inc.
+ *
+ * Global configuration handling
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <filesystem>
+
+#include "libcamera/internal/yaml_parser.h"
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+class GlobalConfiguration
+{
+public:
+ using Configuration = const YamlObject &;
+
+ GlobalConfiguration();
+
+ unsigned int version() const;
+ Configuration configuration() const;
+
+private:
+ bool loadFile(const std::filesystem::path &fileName);
+ void load();
+ Configuration get() const;
+
+ std::unique_ptr<YamlObject> yamlConfiguration;
+};
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ libcamera_internal_headers = files([
'dma_buf_allocator.h',
'formats.h',
'framebuffer.h',
+ 'global_configuration.h',
'ipa_data_serializer.h',
'ipa_manager.h',
'ipa_module.h',
new file mode 100644
@@ -0,0 +1,150 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2024-2025 Red Hat, inc.
+ *
+ * Global configuration handling
+ */
+
+#include "libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h"
+
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <string_view>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
+#include <libcamera/base/file.h>
+#include <libcamera/base/log.h>
+#include <libcamera/base/utils.h>
+
+#include "libcamera/internal/yaml_parser.h"
+
+namespace libcamera {
+
+namespace {
+const std::vector<std::filesystem::path>
+ globalConfigurationFiles = {
+ std::filesystem::path(LIBCAMERA_SYSCONF_DIR) / "configuration.yaml",
+ std::filesystem::path("/etc/libcamera/configuration.yaml"),
+ };
+}
+
+LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Configuration)
+
+/**
+ * \class GlobalConfiguration
+ * \brief Support for global libcamera configuration
+ *
+ * The configuration file is a YAML file and the configuration itself is stored
+ * under `configuration' top-level item.
+ *
+ * The configuration file is looked up in user's home directory first and if it
+ * is not found then in system-wide configuration directories. If multiple
+ * configuration files exist then only the first one found is used and no
+ * configuration merging is performed.
+ */
+
+bool GlobalConfiguration::loadFile(const std::filesystem::path &fileName)
+{
+ File file(fileName);
+ if (!file.exists()) {
+ return false;
+ }
+
+ if (!file.open(File::OpenModeFlag::ReadOnly)) {
+ LOG(Configuration, Warning)
+ << "Failed to open configuration file " << fileName;
+ return true;
+ }
+
+ auto root = YamlParser::parse(file);
+ if (!root) {
+ LOG(Configuration, Warning)
+ << "Failed to parse configuration file " << fileName;
+ return true;
+ }
+ yamlConfiguration = std::move(root);
+
+ return true;
+}
+
+void GlobalConfiguration::load()
+{
+ std::filesystem::path userConfigurationDirectory;
+ char *xdgConfigHome = utils::secure_getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME");
+ if (xdgConfigHome) {
+ userConfigurationDirectory = xdgConfigHome;
+ } else {
+ const char *home = utils::secure_getenv("HOME");
+ if (home)
+ userConfigurationDirectory =
+ std::filesystem::path(home) / ".config";
+ }
+
+ if (!userConfigurationDirectory.empty()) {
+ std::filesystem::path user_configuration_file =
+ userConfigurationDirectory / "libcamera" / "configuration.yaml";
+ if (loadFile(user_configuration_file))
+ return;
+ }
+
+ for (const auto &path : globalConfigurationFiles)
+ if (loadFile(path))
+ return;
+}
+
+GlobalConfiguration::Configuration GlobalConfiguration::get() const
+{
+ return *yamlConfiguration;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Initialize the global configuration
+ */
+GlobalConfiguration::GlobalConfiguration()
+{
+ load();
+}
+
+/**
+ * \typedef GlobalConfiguration::Configuration
+ * \brief Type representing global libcamera configuration
+ *
+ * All code outside GlobalConfiguration must use this type declaration and not
+ * the underlying type.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \brief Return configuration version
+ *
+ * The version is (optionally) declared in the configuration file in the
+ * top-level section `version', alongside `configuration'. This has currently no
+ * real use but may be needed in future if configuration incompatibilities
+ * occur.
+ *
+ * \return Configuration version as declared in the configuration file or 0 if
+ * no version is declared there
+ */
+unsigned int GlobalConfiguration::version() const
+{
+ return get()["version"].get<unsigned int>().value_or(0);
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Return libcamera global configuration
+ *
+ * This returns the whole configuration stored in the top-level section
+ * `configuration' of the YAML configuration file.
+ *
+ * The requested part of the configuration can be accessed using \a YamlObject
+ * methods.
+ *
+ * \note \a YamlObject type itself shouldn't be used in type declarations to
+ * avoid trouble if we decide to change the underlying data objects in future.
+ *
+ * \return The whole configuration section
+ */
+GlobalConfiguration::Configuration GlobalConfiguration::configuration() const
+{
+ return get()["configuration"];
+}
+
+} /* namespace libcamera */
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ libcamera_base_internal_sources = files([
'event_dispatcher_poll.cpp',
'event_notifier.cpp',
'file.cpp',
+ 'global_configuration.cpp',
'log.cpp',
'memfd.cpp',
'message.cpp',
Currently, libcamera can be configured in runtime using several environment variables. With introducing more and more variables, this mechanism reaches its limits. It would be simpler and more flexible if it was possible to configure libcamera in a single file. For example, there was a request to define pipeline precedence in runtime. We want to compile in multiple pipelines, in order to have them accessible within single packages in distributions. And then being able to select among the pipelines manually as needed based on the particular hardware or operating system environment. Having the configuration file then allows easy switching between hardware, GPU or CPU IPAs. Another possible use case is tuning image output, especially with software ISP, to user liking. For example, some users may prefer higher contrast without the need to use the corresponding knobs, if present at all, in every application. The configuration file can also be used to enable or disable experimental features and avoid the need to track local patches changing configuration options hard-wired in the code when working on new features. This patch introduces basic support for configuration files. GlobalConfiguration class reads, stores and accesses the configuration. GlobalConfiguration instances are meant to be stored to and accessed from instances of another class, preferably from a single instance. GlobalConfiguration is defined in base because it will be accessed from code in base, e.g. logging. libcamera configuration can be specified using a system-wide configuration file or a user configuration file. The user configuration file takes precedence if present. There is currently no way to merge multiple configuration files, the one found is used as the only configuration file. If no configuration file is present, nothing changes to the current libcamera behavior (except for some log messages related to configuration file lookup). The configuration file is a YAML file. We already have a mechanism for handling YAML configuration files in libcamera and the given infrastructure can be reused for the purpose. However, the configuration type is abstracted to make contingent future change of the underlying class easier while retaining (most of) the original API. The configuration is versioned. This has currently no particular meaning but is likely to have its purpose in future, especially once configuration validation is introduced. The configuration YAML file looks as follows: --- version: 1 configuration: WHATEVER CONFIGURATION NEEDED This patch introduces just the basic idea. Actually using the configuration in the corresponding places (everything what is currently configurable via environment variables should be configurable in the file configuration) and other enhancements are implemented in the followup patches. Signed-off-by: Milan Zamazal <mzamazal@redhat.com> --- .../libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h | 34 ++++ include/libcamera/internal/meson.build | 1 + src/libcamera/base/global_configuration.cpp | 150 ++++++++++++++++++ src/libcamera/base/meson.build | 1 + 4 files changed, 186 insertions(+) create mode 100644 include/libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h create mode 100644 src/libcamera/base/global_configuration.cpp