# CMSampleBufferCreateReadyWithImageBuffer(allocator:imageBuffer:formatDescription:sampleTiming:sampleBufferOut:) Creates a sample buffer with image data. ``` func CMSampleBufferCreateReadyWithImageBuffer(allocator: CFAllocator?, imageBuffer: CVImageBuffer, formatDescription: CMVideoFormatDescription, sampleTiming: UnsafePointer, sampleBufferOut: UnsafeMutablePointer) -> OSStatus ``` ## Parameters `allocator` The allocator to use for allocating the `CMSampleBuffer` object. Pass `kCFAllocatorDefault` to use the default allocator. `imageBuffer` `CVImageBuffer` already containing the media data. Must not be `NULL`. `formatDescription` A description of the media data’s format. See discussion below for constraints. May not be `NULL`. `sampleTiming` A `CMSampleTimingInfo` struct that provides the timing information for the media represented by the `CVImageBuffer`. `sampleBufferOut` Returned newly created `CMSampleBuffer`. ## Discussion Unlike a `CMBlockBuffer`, which can reference many samples, a `CVImageBuffer` is defined to reference only one sample; therefore this routine has fewer parameters than `CMSampleBufferCreate`. Sample timing information, which is a vector for `CMSampleBufferCreate`, consists of only one value for this routine. The concept of sample size doesn’t apply to `CVImageBuffers`. As such, `CMSampleBufferGetSampleSizeArray` returns `kCMSampleBufferError_BufferHasNoSampleSizes`, and `CMSampleBufferGetSampleSize` returns 0. Because `CVImageBuffers` hold visual data, the format description provided is a `CMVideoFormatDescription`. The format description must be consistent with the attributes and formatting information attached to the `CVImageBuffer`. The `width`, `height`, and `codecType` must match (for `CVPixelBuffers` the codec type is given by `CVPixelBufferGetPixelFormatType(pixelBuffer)`; for other `CVImageBuffers`, the `codecType` must be 0). The format description extensions must match the image buffer attachments for all the keys in the list returned by `CMVideoFormatDescriptionGetExtensionKeysCommonWithImageBuffers` (if absent in either they must be absent in both). `CMSampleBufferCreateReadyWithImageBuffer` is identical to `CMSampleBufferCreateForImageBuffer` except that `dataReady` is always `true`, and so no `makeDataReadyCallback` or `refcon` needs to be passed. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)