---
name: "SDL_AddGamepadMappingsFromFile"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libsdl3-doc"
version: "3.2.10+ds-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SDL_AddGamepadMappingsFromFile"
---

# SDL\_AddGamepadMappingsFromFile(3)

Load a set of gamepad mappings from a file.

## NAME

SDL\_AddGamepadMappingsFromFile - Load a set of gamepad mappings from a file.

## HEADER FILE

Defined in SDL3/SDL\_gamepad.h

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include "SDL3/SDL.h"
```

**int SDL\_AddGamepadMappingsFromFile(const char \*file);**

## DESCRIPTION

You can call this function several times, if needed, to load different database files.

If a new mapping is loaded for an already known gamepad GUID, the later version will overwrite the one currently loaded.

Any new mappings for already plugged in controllers will generate

**SDL\_EVENT\_GAMEPAD\_ADDED**\
  events.

Mappings not belonging to the current platform or with no platform field specified will be ignored (i.e. mappings for Linux will be ignored in Windows, etc).

## FUNCTION PARAMETERS

- *file*

  the mappings file to load.

## RETURN VALUE

Returns the number of mappings added or -1 on failure; call

**SDL\_GetError** () for more information.

## THREAD SAFETY

It is safe to call this function from any thread.

## AVAILABILITY

This function is available since SDL 3.2.0.

## SEE ALSO

**•**(3), [**SDL\_AddGamepadMapping**(3)](/SDL_AddGamepadMapping/3.md), **•**(3), [**SDL\_AddGamepadMappingsFromIO**(3)](/SDL_AddGamepadMappingsFromIO/3.md), **•**(3), [**SDL\_GetGamepadMapping**(3)](/SDL_GetGamepadMapping/3.md), **•**(3), [**SDL\_GetGamepadMappingForGUID**(3)](/SDL_GetGamepadMappingForGUID/3.md), **•**(3), [**SDL\_HINT\_GAMECONTROLLERCONFIG**(3)](/SDL_HINT_GAMECONTROLLERCONFIG/3.md), **•**(3), [**SDL\_HINT\_GAMECONTROLLERCONFIG\_FILE**(3)](/SDL_HINT_GAMECONTROLLERCONFIG_FILE/3.md), **•**(3), **SDL\_EVENT\_GAMEPAD\_ADDED**(3)