Radeon PRIME Import/Export Support For Libdrm

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Radeon PRIME Import/Export Support For Libdrm

Support within the DRM user-space library for handling PRIME import and export of GEM buffer objects has been committed for the open-source Radeon Linux graphics driver...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTE1OTY

[dogsleg]

All this work is very exciting! What should be done to enable GPU-switching (with MUXless cards)? When it will be possible?

[ChrisXY]

I will be buying a notebook with enduro soon so I am a bit interested in that work but there is surprisingly little information "out there".

As I understand it the whole GPU offloading and output slave will come with randr 1.5 but my xrandr --version says with xorg-git master:

xrandr program version       1.3.5
Server reports RandR version 1.3

So it's not even in Xorg yet?

According to phoronix the prime/dmabuf stuff should be in linux 3.5. But is it ready? Is it ready in 3.6-rc1?

Is there xf86-video-ati needed at all?

And how long will it take until it is ready at least in git? I don't need to know it exactly, but days, weeks or months?

[uid313]

Does PRIME support GPU crash/lock-up recovery?
What if a device driver crash?

Then the whole system crashes?

[asdx]

Kudos to the devs, they are all doing an amazing work.

When this will start to become usable for users?

Thanks again and keep up the great work.

[dh04000]

What driver combo's will be possible with the PRIME technology?

Intel(FOSS) + (NON-FOSS) ATi/NVidia
Intel(FOSS) + (FOSS) ATi/NVidia

I know there is no NON-FOSS optimus support, but is there any NON-FOSS ATi support for dual-card laptops, is it decent?

[bridgman]

I think the Linux Catalyst driver (aka fglrx) allows manual switching between GPUs, but requires that X be restarted for the switch to take effect.

[89c51]

I think the Linux Catalyst driver (aka fglrx) allows manual switching between GPUs, but requires that X be restarted for the switch to take effect.

And that makes this feature useless

[bridgman]

Um... no, but I know you already knew that

[89c51]

Um... no, but I know you already knew that

My point is that something like that should not involve user interaction or even an automated restart. The user must have no idea -not even the slightest blink must disrupt his work- when the system goes from one card to another. OK maybe a notification but thats all.