---
name: "zvbi-chains"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "zvbi"
version: "0.2.46-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/zvbi-chains"
---

# zvbi-chains(1)

VBI proxy wrapper

## NAME

zvbi-chains - VBI proxy wrapper

## SYNOPSIS

**zvbi-chains \[ options \]**

## DESCRIPTION

**zvbi-chains** is a small wrapper which executes the VBI application given on the command line while overloading several C library calls (such as [open(2)](/open/2.md) and [read(2)](/read/2.md)) so that the application can be forced to access VBI devices via the VBI proxy instead of device files directly.

LD\_PRELOAD is used to intercept C library calls and call functions in the libzvbi-chain shared library instead. Parameters given on the command line (e.g. device path) are passed to the library by means of environment variables.

## OPTIONS

- **-dev** path

  Path of a VBI device from which to read data.

- **-debug** level

  Enables debug output: 0 = off (default); 1 = warnings, 2 = all messages.

- **-help**

  Print a short description of all command line options.

## SEE ALSO

[zvbid(1)](/zvbid/1.md), [v4l-conf(8)](/v4l-conf/8.md)\
 http://zapping.sourceforge.net/  (homepage)

## AUTHOR

Tom Zoerner (tomzo AT users.sourceforge.net)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2003, 2004 Tom Zoerner

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.