vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR(3)

# vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR(3) Manual Page

## Name

vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR - Get a POSIX file descriptor handle for a semaphore

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## C Specification

To export a POSIX file descriptor representing the payload of a semaphore, call:

    // Provided by VK_KHR_external_semaphore_fd
    VkResult vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR(
        VkDevice                                    device,
        const VkSemaphoreGetFdInfoKHR*              pGetFdInfo,
        int*                                        pFd);

## Parameters

- `device` is the logical device that created the semaphore being exported.

- `pGetFdInfo` is a pointer to a VkSemaphoreGetFdInfoKHR structure containing parameters of the export operation.

- `pFd` will return the file descriptor representing the semaphore payload.

## Description

Each call to `vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR` must create a new file descriptor and transfer ownership of it to the application. To avoid leaking resources, the application must release ownership of the file descriptor when it is no longer needed.

Note | Ownership can be released in many ways. For example, the application can call `close`() on the file descriptor, or transfer ownership back to Vulkan by using the file descriptor to import a semaphore payload.

Where supported by the operating system, the implementation must set the file descriptor to be closed automatically when an `execve` system call is made.

Exporting a file descriptor from a semaphore may have side effects depending on the transference of the specified handle type, as described in Importing Semaphore State.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR-device-parameter
  `device` must be a valid VkDevice handle

- VUID-vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR-pGetFdInfo-parameter
  `pGetFdInfo` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkSemaphoreGetFdInfoKHR structure

- VUID-vkGetSemaphoreFdKHR-pFd-parameter
  `pFd` must be a valid pointer to an `int` value

Return Codes

On success, this command returns

  - VK_SUCCESS

On failure, this command returns

  - VK_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY

  - VK_ERROR_TOO_MANY_OBJECTS

  - VK_ERROR_UNKNOWN

  - VK_ERROR_VALIDATION_FAILED

## See Also

VK_KHR_external_semaphore_fd, VkDevice, VkSemaphoreGetFdInfoKHR

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification.

This page is extracted from the Vulkan Specification. Fixes and changes should be made to the Specification, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2026 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0