---
name: "io_uring_prep_link_timeout"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "liburing"
version: "2.15-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/io_uring_prep_link_timeout"
---

# io\_uring\_prep\_link\_timeout(3)

a timeout request for linked sqes

## NAME

io\_uring\_prep\_link\_timeout - a timeout request for linked sqes

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <liburing.h>
```

**void io\_uring\_prep\_link\_timeout(struct io\_uring\_sqe \****sqe***,**                                 **const struct \_\_kernel\_timespec \****ts***,**                                 **unsigned** *flags***);**

## DESCRIPTION

The [**io\_uring\_prep\_link\_timeout**(3)](/io_uring_prep_link_timeout/3.md) function prepares a timeout request for linked sqes. The submission queue entry *sqe* is setup for with timeout specified by *ts*. The flags argument holds modifier *flags* for the timeout behaviour of the request.

The *ts* argument must be filled in with the appropriate information for the timeout. It looks as follows:

```
struct __kernel_timespec {
    __kernel_time64_t tv_sec;
    long long tv_nsec;
};
```

The *flags* argument may contain:

- **IORING\_TIMEOUT\_ABS**

  The value specified in *ts* is an absolute value rather than a relative one.

- **IORING\_TIMEOUT\_BOOTTIME**

  The boottime clock source should be used.

- **IORING\_TIMEOUT\_REALTIME**

  The realtime clock source should be used.

- **IORING\_TIMEOUT\_ETIME\_SUCCESS**

  Consider an expired timeout a success in terms of the posted completion.

It is invalid to create a chain (linked sqes) consisting only of a link timeout request. If all the requests in the chain are completed before timeout, then the link timeout request gets canceled. Upon timeout, all the uncompleted requests in the chain get canceled.

## RETURN VALUE

None

## ERRORS

These are the errors that are reported in the CQE *res* field. On success, **0** is returned.

- **-ETIME**

  The specified timeout occurred and triggered the completion event.

- **-EINVAL**

  One of the fields set in the SQE was invalid. For example, two clock sources where given, or the specified timeout seconds or nanoseconds where \< 0.

- **-EFAULT**

  io\_uring was unable to access the data specified by ts.

- **-ECANCELED**

  The timeout was canceled because all submitted requests were completed successfully or one of the requests resulted in failure.

- **-ENOENT**

  The request to which the linked timeout was linked already completed and could not be found when the timer expired.

## SEE ALSO

[**io\_uring\_get\_sqe**(3)](/io_uring_get_sqe/3.md), [**io\_uring\_prep\_timeout**(3)](/io_uring_prep_timeout/3.md)