Provided by: opencl-1.2-man-doc_1.0~svn27110-1_all 
NAME
clCreateContext - Creates an OpenCL context.
cl_context clCreateContext(const cl_context_properties *properties, cl_uint num_devices,
const cl_device_id *devices,
(void CL_CALLBACK *pfn_notify) ( .sp .nf const char *errinfo, const void *private_info, size_t cb, void *user_data .fi ),
void *user_data, cl_int *errcode_ret);
DESCRIPTION
An OpenCL context is created with one or more devices. Contexts are used by the OpenCL runtime for
managing objects such as command-queues, memory, program and kernel objects and for executing kernels on
one or more devices specified in the context.
PARAMETERS
properties
Specifies a list of context property names and their corresponding values. Each property name is
immediately followed by the corresponding desired value. The list is terminated with 0. properties
can be NULL in which case the platform that is selected is implementation-defined. The list of
supported properties is described in the table below.
If the extension cl_khr_dx9_media_sharing(3clc) is enabled, then properties specifies a list of
context property names and their corresponding values. Each property is followed immediately by the
corresponding desired value. The list is terminated with zero. If a property is not specified in
properties, then its default value (listed in the table below) is used (it is said to be specified
implicitly). If properties is NULL or empty (points to a list whose first value is zero), all
attributes take on their default values.
If the extension cl_khr_d3d10_sharing(3clc) is enabled, then properties specifies a list of context
property names and their corresponding values. Each property is followed immediately by the
corresponding desired value. The list is terminated with zero. if a property is not specified in
properties, then its default value is used (it is said to be specified implicitly). If properties is
NULL or empty (points to a list whose first value is zero), all attributes take on their default
value.
If the extension cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) is enabled, then properties points to an attribute list,
which is a array of ordered <attribute name, value> pairs terminated with zero. If an attribute is
not specified in properties, then its default value is used (it is said to be specified implicitly).
If properties is NULL or empty (points to a list whose first value is zero), all attributes take on
their default values..
┌──────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────┐
│cl_context_properties enum │ Property value │ Description │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CONTEXT_PLATFORM │ cl_platform_id │ Specifies the platform to │
│ │ │ use. │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CONTEXT_INTEROP_USER_SYNC │ cl_bool │ Specifies whether the user │
│ │ │ is responsible for │
│ │ │ synchronization between │
│ │ │ OpenCL and other APIs. │
│ │ │ Please refer to the specific │
│ │ │ sections in the OpenCL 1.2 │
│ │ │ extension specification that │
│ │ │ describe sharing with other │
│ │ │ APIs for restrictions on │
│ │ │ using this flag. │
│ │ │ │
│ │ │ If CL_CONTEXT_INTEROP_USER_ │
│ │ │ SYNC is not specified, a │
│ │ │ default of CL_FALSE is │
│ │ │ assumed. │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CONTEXT_D3D10_DEVICE_KHR │ ID3D10Device* │ If the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_d3d10_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is enabled, │
│ │ │ specifies the ID3D10Device* │
│ │ │ to use for Direct3D 10 │
│ │ │ interoperability. The │
│ │ │ default value is NULL. │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_GL_CONTEXT_KHR │ 0, OpenGL context handle │ OpenGL context to associated │
│ │ │ the OpenCL context with │
│ │ │ (available if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is enabled) │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_EGL_DISPLAY_KHR │ EGL_NO_DISPLAY, EGLDisplay │ EGLDisplay an OpenGL context │
│ │ handle │ was created with respect to │
│ │ │ (available if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is enabled) │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_GLX_DISPLAY_KHR │ None, X handle │ X Display an OpenGL context │
│ │ │ was created with respect to │
│ │ │ (available if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is enabled) │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CGL_SHAREGROUP_KHR │ 0, CGL share group handle │ CGL share group to associate │
│ │ │ the OpenCL context with │
│ │ │ (available if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is enabled) │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_WGL_HDC_KHR │ 0, HDC handle │ HDC an OpenGL context was │
│ │ │ created with respect to │
│ │ │ (available if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is enabled) │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_D3D9_KHR │ IDirect3DDevice9 * │ Specifies an │
│ │ │ IDirect3DDevice9 to use for │
│ │ │ D3D9 interop (if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_dx9_media_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is supported). │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_D3D9EX_KHR │ IDirect3DDeviceEx* │ Specifies an │
│ │ │ IDirect3DDevice9Ex to use for │
│ │ │ D3D9 interop (if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_dx9_media_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is supported). │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_DXVA_KHR │ IDXVAHD_Device * │ Specifies an IDXVAHD_Device to │
│ │ │ use for DXVA interop (if the │
│ │ │ cl_khr_dx9_media_sharing(3clc) │
│ │ │ extension is supported). │
├──────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────┤
│CL_CONTEXT_D3D11_DEVICE_KHR │ ID3D11Device * │ Specifies the ID3D11Device * │
│ │ │ to use for Direct3D 11 │
│ │ │ interoperability. The default │
│ │ │ value is NULL. │
└──────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────┘
num_devices
The number of devices specified in the devices argument.
devices
A pointer to a list of unique devices returned by clGetDeviceIDs(3clc) or sub-devices created by
clCreateSubDevices(3clc) for a platform.
pfn_notify
A callback function that can be registered by the application. This callback function will be used by
the OpenCL implementation to report information on errors during context creation as well as errors
that occur at runtime in this context. This callback function may be called asynchronously by the
OpenCL implementation. It is the application's responsibility to ensure that the callback function is
thread-safe. If pfn_notify is NULL, no callback function is registered. The parameters to this
callback function are:
errinfo is a pointer to an error string.
private_info and cb represent a pointer to binary data that is returned by the OpenCL implementation
that can be used to log additional information helpful in debugging the error.
user_data is a pointer to user supplied data.
NOTE: There are a number of cases where error notifications need to be delivered due to an error that
occurs outside a context. Such notifications may not be delivered through the pfn_notify callback.
Where these notifications go is implementation-defined.
user_data
Passed as the user_data argument when pfn_notify is called. user_data can be NULL.
errcode_ret
Returns an appropriate error code. If errcode_ret is NULL, no error code is returned.
NOTES
clCreateContext and clCreateContextFromType(3clc) perform an implicit retain. This is very helpful for
3rd party libraries, which typically get a context passed to them by the application. However, it is
possible that the application may delete the context without informing the library. Allowing functions to
attach to (i.e. retain) and release a context solves the problem of a context being used by a library no
longer being valid.
ERRORS
clCreateContext returns a valid non-zero context and errcode_ret is set to CL_SUCCESS if the context is
created successfully. Otherwise, it returns NULL value with the following error values returned in
errcode_ret:
• CL_INVALID_PLATFORM if properties is NULL and no platform could be selected or if platform value
specified in properties is not a valid platform. (If the extension cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) is
enabled, then this error is replaced with CL_INVALID_GL_SHAREGROUP_REFERENCE_KHR; see below.)
• CL_INVALID_PROPERTY if context property name in properties is not a supported property name, if the
value specified for a supported property name is not valid, or if the same property name is specified
more than once. However if the extension cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) is enabled, then CL_INVALID_PROPERTY
is returned if an attribute name other than those listed in the table for properties above or if
CL_CONTEXT_INTEROP_USER_SYNC is specified in properties.
• CL_INVALID_PROPERTY if an attribute name other than those specified in table 4.5 or if
CL_CONTEXT_INTEROP_USER_SYNC is specified in properties.
• CL_INVALID_VALUE if devices is NULL; if num_devices is equal to zero; or if pfn_notify is NULL but
user_data is not NULL.
• CL_INVALID_DEVICE if devices contains an invalid device.
• CL_INVALID_OPERATION if Direct3D 10 interoperability is specified by setting
CL_INVALID_D3D10_DEVICE_KHR to a non-NULL value, and interoperability with another graphics API is
also specified (if the cl_khr_d3d10_sharing(3clc) extension is enabled).
• CL_DEVICE_NOT_AVAILABLE if a device in devices is currently not available even though the device was
returned by clGetDeviceIDs(3clc).
• CL_OUT_OF_RESOURCES if there is a failure to allocate resources required by the OpenCL implementation
on the device.
• CL_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY if there is a failure to allocate resources required by the OpenCL
implementation on the host.
• CL_INVALID_D3D10_DEVICE_KHR if the Direct3D 10 device specified for interoperability is not
compatible with the devices against which the context is to be created (if the
cl_khr_d3d10_sharing(3clc) extension is enabled).
• CL_INVALID_D3D10_DEVICE_KHR if the value of the property CL_CONTEXT_D3D10_DEVICE_KHR is non-NULL and
does not specify a valid Direct3D 10 device with which the cl_device_ids against which this context
is to be created may interoperate (if the cl_khr_d3d10_sharing(3clc) extension is enabled).
• CL_INVALID_GL_SHAREGROUP_REFERENCE_KHR when an invalid OpenGL context or share group object handle is
specified in properties (only if the cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) extension is enabled).
• CL_INVALID_GL_SHAREGROUP_REFERENCE_KHR if no OpenGL or OpenGL ES context or share group is specified
in the attribute list given to clCreateContext(3clc) and any of the commands in section 9.7 are
called. (if the cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) extension is enabled)
• CL_INVALID_GL_SHAREGROUP_REFERENCE_KHR if the cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) extension is enabled and if a
context was specified by any of the following means:
• A context specified for an EGL-based OpenGL ES or OpenGL implementation by setting the
attributes CL_GL_CONTEXT_KHR and CL_EGL_DISPLAY_KHR.
• A context was specified for a GLX-based OpenGL implementation by setting the attributes
CL_GL_CONTEXT_KHR and CL_GLX_DISPLAY_KHR.
• A context was specified for a WGL-based OpenGL implementation by setting the attributes
CL_GL_CONTEXT_KHR and CL_WGL_HDC_KHR.
and any of the following conditions hold:
• The specified display and context attributes do not identify a valid OpenGL or OpenGL ES
context.
• The specified context does not support buffer and renderbuffer objects.
• The specified context is not compatible with the OpenCL context being created (for example, it
exists in a physically distinct address space, such as another hardware device, or does not
support sharing data with OpenCL due to implementation restrictions).
• CL_INVALID_GL_SHAREGROUP_REFERENCE_KHR if a share group was specified for a CGL-based OpenGL
implementation by setting the attribute CL_CGL_SHAREGROUP_KHR, and the specified share group does not
identify a valid CGL share group object (if the cl_khr_gl_sharing(3clc) extension is enabled).
• CL_INVALID_OPERATION if a context was specified as described above and any of the following
conditions hold:
• A context or share group object was specified for one of CGL, EGL, GLX, or WGL and the OpenGL
implementation does not support that window-system binding API.
• More than one of the attributes CL_CGL_SHAREGROUP_KHR, CL_EGL_DISPLAY_KHR, CL_GLX_DISPLAY_KHR,
and CL_WGL_HDC_KHR is set to a non-default value.
• Both of the attributes CL_CGL_SHAREGROUP_KHR and CL_GL_CONTEXT_KHR are set to non-default
values.
• Any of the devices specified in the devices argument cannot support OpenCL objects which share
the data store of an OpenGL object, as described in section 9.7.
• CL_INVALID_DX9_MEDIA_ADAPTER_KHR if the media adapter specified for interoperability is not
compatible with the devices against which the context is to be created (only if the
cl_khr_dx9_media_sharing(3clc) extension is supported).
• CL_INVALID_ADAPTER_KHR if any of the values of the properties CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_D3D9_KHR,
CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_D3D9EX_KHR or CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_DXVA_KHR is non-NULL and does not specify a valid
media adapter with which the cl_device_ids against which this context is to be created may
interoperate (only if the cl_khr_dx9_media_sharing(3clc) extension is supported).
• CL_INVALID_OPERATION if interoperability is specified by setting CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_D3D9_KHR,
CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_D3D9EX_KHR or CL_CONTEXT_ADAPTER_DXVA_KHR to a non-NULL value, and
interoperability with another graphics API is also specified (only if the
cl_khr_dx9_media_sharing(3clc) extension is supported).
• CL_INVALID_OPERATION if Direct3D 11 interoperability is specified by setting
CL_INVALID_D3D11_DEVICE_KHR to a non-NULL value, and interoperability with another graphics API is
also specified (only if the cl_khr_d3d11_sharing(3clc) extension is supported).
• CL_INVALID_D3D11_DEVICE_KHR if the value of the property CL_CONTEXT_D3D11_DEVICE_KHR is non-NULL and
does not specify a valid Direct3D 11 device with which the cl_device_ids against which this context
is to be created may interoperate (only if the cl_khr_d3d11_sharing(3clc) extension is supported).
• CL_INVALID_D3D11_DEVICE_KHR if the Direct3D 11 device specified for interoperability is not
compatible with the devices against which the context is to be created (only if the
cl_khr_d3d11_sharing(3clc) extension is supported).
SPECIFICATION
OpenCL Specification[1]
SEE ALSO
clGetDeviceIDs(3clc), clCreateContextFromType(3clc), clRetainContext(3clc), clReleaseContext(3clc),
clGetContextInfo(3clc), classDiagram(3clc)
AUTHORS
The Khronos Group
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2007-2011 The Khronos Group Inc.
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and/or
associated documentation files (the "Materials"), to deal in the Materials without restriction, including
without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Materials, and to permit persons to whom the Materials are furnished to do so, subject to
the condition that this copyright notice and permission notice shall be included in all copies or
substantial portions of the Materials.
NOTES
1. OpenCL Specification
page 54, section 4.4 - Contexts