Developing for OpenCL on an Nvidia Machine possible?

[s---70]

I am developing a Premiere/AE Plugin which is completely based on GPU support (unusable on CPU speed). As I also want to support OpenCL, I need a way to debug the OpenCL code, but I can't get Premiere to run OpenCL instead of CUDA. Is there ANY way to force this? In Resolve/OpenFX for example you can just disable Cuda support which makes it automatically fall back to OpenCL. Or do I have to get another machine just to be able to develop for OpenCL?

Thx

[Zac Lam]

Hi Stefan,

Are you on a Windows desktop?  Or a laptop?

If a desktop, you could add an inexpensive AMD card to enable OpenCL support on the same system.

[s---70]

Hi Zac,

thx for your reply, unfortunately the notification was delivered to my spam folder so I just saw it now, sorry for that.

I am on a Laptop, so a non-hardware solution would be very helpful. Is this possible in any previous SDK maybe?

Cheers, Stefan

[Bruce Bullis]

It's possible with the current SDK, if you avoid the GPU-specific examples.

[s---70]

What do you mean by avoiding GPU-specific examples? Under Project Settings -> General I can choose between "Mercury Playback Engine - GPU accelerated (CUDA)" and "Mercury Playback Engine - software only". Nothing about OpenCL. Or do you mean I should rely on the Adobe Macros to write hybrid Kernels? As I mentioned I am also developing for Resolve where I can't use the Macros, so I want to keep a separate .cu and .cl file. And on my brothers Mac I can test it on OpenCL, but it would be useful to test it on my Windows machine as well.

[Bruce Bullis]

I meant to suggest that, so long as you work with the example plug-ins which don't rely on a specific GPU architecture, you should be able to develop.

[s---70]

Well the examples that don't rely on a specific GPU Architecture either don't use GPGPU functionality at all (which I need) or they use the Adobe SDK Macros to make the Kernels compatible with both CUDA and OpenCL, but still using specific functions for Parameter setup. My Plugin started off the SDK_CrossDissolve Project compatible with all CUDA/OpenCL/Metal, so I am not sure what you mean by the examples that don't rely on a specific GPU architecture. As I said, my plugin has already been tested on a Mac using OpenCL (and it works), it just would be nice to be able to test all GPU architectures on one development machine. But I guess I'll just ask a friend with an AMD GPU to test it on his machine.

[Bruce Bullis]

My Plugin started off the SDK_CrossDissolve Project compatible with all CUDA/OpenCL/Metal, so I am not sure what you mean by the examples that don't rely on a specific GPU architecture.

I meant to suggest exactly what you already did.

...it just would be nice to be able to test all GPU architectures on one development machine.

Agreed; I've never heard of that being possible.

[Zac Lam · Accepted solution]

Hi Stefan,

For a laptop without built-in OpenCL support, have you seen these devices?:

http://www.sonnettech.com/product/egfx-breakaway-puck.html

[s---70]

thx Zac, maybe this will have to be the ultimate solution once this gets more serious for me, but first I‘ll see if I make any money at all with the plugin 😉

@Bruce, you mean it has never been possible for Adobe Plugins? Because it definitely works with DaVinci Resolve, I have tested it there with both APIs. (Cuda and OpenCL, not Metal of course)

[Bruce Bullis]

I’m not sure how BMD would enable development which utilizes hardware you don’t have...?

[s---70]

CUDA on AMD is not possible, the other way around has always been possible. OpenCL even works on Intels Integrated GPUs...

OpenCL | NVIDIA Developer