Chapter 18. Types and Properties

Table of Contents

Building a Simple Format for Testing
A Simple Mime Type
Type Properties
Typefind Functions and Autoplugging

There is a very large set of possible types that may be used to pass data between elements. Indeed, each new element that is defined may use a new data format (though unless at least one other element recognises that format, it will be most likely be useless since nothing will be able to link with it).

In order for types to be useful, and for systems like autopluggers to work, it is neccessary that all elements agree on the type definitions, and which properties are required for each type. The GStreamer framework itself simply provides the ability to define types and parameters, but does not fix the meaning of types and parameters, and does not enforce standards on the creation of new types. This is a matter for a policy to decide, not technical systems to enforce.

For now, the policy is simple:

Building a Simple Format for Testing