Initialization of rawdata buffer in unpack(), can't miss it, it's clear. Populated this raw data buffer, still can't see it within unpack(). I make here a distinction between initializing something, and assigning value (which you call "populate" i guess). That's that part I still don't grasp.

Consider my test (it's done in Qt framework, hence the qDebug() instead of printf() for printing out in debug mode):

 
LibRaw rawProcess;
 
    rawProcess.open_file("/......./F36A7292.CR2");
    rawProcess.unpack()
 
    // printout raw values
    int first_visible_pixel = rawProcess.imgdata.sizes.raw_width*rawProcess.imgdata.sizes.top_margin + rawProcess.imgdata.sizes.left_margin;
    for( int i=0; i< 100; i++)
    {
        qDebug() << "raw_image["<< i << "] =" << rawProcess.imgdata.rawdata.raw_image[i+first_visible_pixel];
    } 

This is giving me my raw values.

And I still don't see how the raw_image values get assigned (populated) within unpack(). In what I pasted in the early post, i don't see the lines of codes where this happen, for the Canon case (Nikon case seems a bit different). All I see is initialized buffer, and freed buffer (for Bayer image, and non-Nikon)

Sorry for repeating the question, I must be missing something obvious. Maybe a slap in my face will make me see. (by Copy pasting that invisible line that I don't see?)
If you don't want to repeat yourself, I'll understand and will go back again to what you say and try to find what i missed.

Thanks.