Vulkan Backend Features

Taichi's Vulkan API gives you further control over the Vulkan version and extension requirements and allows you to interop with external Vulkan applications with shared resources.

API Reference

Structure TiVulkanRuntimeInteropInfo

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// structure.vulkan_runtime_interop_info
typedef struct TiVulkanRuntimeInteropInfo {
  PFN_vkGetInstanceProcAddr get_instance_proc_addr;
  uint32_t api_version;
  VkInstance instance;
  VkPhysicalDevice physical_device;
  VkDevice device;
  VkQueue compute_queue;
  uint32_t compute_queue_family_index;
  VkQueue graphics_queue;
  uint32_t graphics_queue_family_index;
} TiVulkanRuntimeInteropInfo;

Necessary detail to share the same Vulkan runtime between Taichi and external procedures.

• get_instance_proc_addr: Pointer to Vulkan loader function vkGetInstanceProcAddr.
• api_version: Target Vulkan API version.
• instance: Vulkan instance handle.
• physical_device: Vulkan physical device handle.
• device: Vulkan logical device handle.
• compute_queue: Vulkan queue handle created in the queue family at compute_queue_family_index.
• compute_queue_family_index: Index of a Vulkan queue family with the VK_QUEUE_COMPUTE_BIT set.
• graphics_queue: Vulkan queue handle created in the queue family at graphics_queue_family_index.
• graphics_queue_family_index: Index of a Vulkan queue family with the VK_QUEUE_GRAPHICS_BIT set.

NOTE compute_queue and graphics_queue can be the same if the queue family have VK_QUEUE_COMPUTE_BIT and VK_QUEUE_GRAPHICS_BIT set at the same tiem.

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Structure TiVulkanMemoryInteropInfo

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// structure.vulkan_memory_interop_info
typedef struct TiVulkanMemoryInteropInfo {
  VkBuffer buffer;
  uint64_t size;
  VkBufferUsageFlags usage;
  VkDeviceMemory memory;
  uint64_t offset;
} TiVulkanMemoryInteropInfo;

Necessary detail to share the same piece of Vulkan buffer between Taichi and external procedures.

• buffer: Vulkan buffer.
• size: Size of the piece of memory in bytes.
• usage: Vulkan buffer usage. In most of the cases, Taichi requires the VK_BUFFER_USAGE_STORAGE_BUFFER_BIT.
• memory: Device memory binded to the Vulkan buffer.
• offset: Offset in VkDeviceMemory object to the beginning of this allocation, in bytes.

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Structure TiVulkanImageInteropInfo

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// structure.vulkan_image_interop_info
typedef struct TiVulkanImageInteropInfo {
  VkImage image;
  VkImageType image_type;
  VkFormat format;
  VkExtent3D extent;
  uint32_t mip_level_count;
  uint32_t array_layer_count;
  VkSampleCountFlagBits sample_count;
  VkImageTiling tiling;
  VkImageUsageFlags usage;
} TiVulkanImageInteropInfo;

Necessary detail to share the same piece of Vulkan image between Taichi and external procedures.

• image: Vulkan image.
• image_type: Vulkan image allocation type.
• format: Pixel format.
• extent: Image extent.
• mip_level_count: Number of mip-levels of the image.
• array_layer_count: Number of array layers.
• sample_count: Number of samples per pixel.
• tiling: Image tiling.
• usage: Vulkan image usage. In most cases, Taichi requires the VK_IMAGE_USAGE_STORAGE_BIT and the VK_IMAGE_USAGE_SAMPLED_BIT.

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Function ti_create_vulkan_runtime_ext

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// function.create_vulkan_runtime
TI_DLL_EXPORT TiRuntime TI_API_CALL ti_create_vulkan_runtime_ext(
  uint32_t api_version,
  uint32_t instance_extension_count,
  const char** instance_extensions,
  uint32_t device_extension_count,
  const char** device_extensions
);

Creates a Vulkan Taichi runtime with user-controlled capability settings.

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Function ti_import_vulkan_runtime

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// function.import_vulkan_runtime
TI_DLL_EXPORT TiRuntime TI_API_CALL ti_import_vulkan_runtime(
  const TiVulkanRuntimeInteropInfo* interop_info
);

Imports the Vulkan runtime owned by Taichi to external procedures.

---

Function ti_export_vulkan_runtime

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// function.export_vulkan_runtime
TI_DLL_EXPORT void TI_API_CALL ti_export_vulkan_runtime(
  TiRuntime runtime,
  TiVulkanRuntimeInteropInfo* interop_info
);

Exports a Vulkan runtime from external procedures to Taichi.

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Function ti_import_vulkan_memory

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// function.import_vulkan_memory
TI_DLL_EXPORT TiMemory TI_API_CALL ti_import_vulkan_memory(
  TiRuntime runtime,
  const TiVulkanMemoryInteropInfo* interop_info
);

Imports the Vulkan buffer owned by Taichi to external procedures.

---

Function ti_export_vulkan_memory

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// function.export_vulkan_memory
TI_DLL_EXPORT void TI_API_CALL ti_export_vulkan_memory(
  TiRuntime runtime,
  TiMemory memory,
  TiVulkanMemoryInteropInfo* interop_info
);

Exports a Vulkan buffer from external procedures to Taichi.

---

Function ti_import_vulkan_image

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// function.import_vulkan_image
TI_DLL_EXPORT TiImage TI_API_CALL ti_import_vulkan_image(
  TiRuntime runtime,
  const TiVulkanImageInteropInfo* interop_info,
  VkImageViewType view_type,
  VkImageLayout layout
);

Imports the Vulkan image owned by Taichi to external procedures.

---

Function ti_export_vulkan_image

Stable since Taichi version: 1.4.0

// function.export_vulkan_image
TI_DLL_EXPORT void TI_API_CALL ti_export_vulkan_image(
  TiRuntime runtime,
  TiImage image,
  TiVulkanImageInteropInfo* interop_info
);

Exports a Vulkan image from external procedures to Taichi.