Context

Added in version 1.2.

class Context(**kwargs)

Context is a container object used to store contexts like a device context, a display server connection and similar concepts that should be shared between multiple elements.

Applications can set a context on a complete pipeline by using set_context(), which will then be propagated to all child elements. Elements can handle these in ElementClass::set_context and merge them with the context information they already have.

When an element needs a context it will do the following actions in this order until one step succeeds:

  1. Check if the element already has a context

  2. Query downstream with CONTEXT for the context

  3. Query upstream with CONTEXT for the context

  4. Post a NEED_CONTEXT message on the bus with the required context types and afterwards check if a usable context was set now

  5. Create a context by itself and post a HAVE_CONTEXT message on the bus.

Bins will catch NEED_CONTEXT messages and will set any previously known context on the element that asks for it if possible. Otherwise the application should provide one if it can.

Context can be persistent. A persistent Context is kept in elements when they reach NULL, non-persistent ones will be removed. Also, a non-persistent context won’t override a previous persistent context set to an element.

Constructors

class Context
classmethod new(context_type: str, persistent: bool) → Context

Creates a new context.

Added in version 1.2.

Parameters:

  • context_type – Context type

  • persistent – Persistent context

Methods

class Context
get_context_type() → str

Gets the type of context.

Added in version 1.2.

get_structure() → Structure

Accesses the structure of the context.

Added in version 1.2.

has_context_type(context_type: str) → bool

Checks if context has context_type.

Added in version 1.2.

Parameters:

context_type – Context type to check.

is_persistent() → bool

Checks if context is persistent.

Added in version 1.2.

writable_structure() → Structure

Gets a writable version of the structure.

Added in version 1.2.